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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Reasons to get licensed?
michellezearfoss@hotmail. 07:42 AM 11-16-2008
I currently have a non-licensed in home day care at my own home. what are the benefits of getting licensed? I haven't found many. I have home owners insurance.
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lilbiddapopcorn 03:46 PM 11-16-2008
I'm in CA and here, the agency that does subsidized care won't work with you if you're not licensed or trustlined and people who are trustlined can't watch as many children as licensed providers. Also the food program won't work with unlicensed providers either. So I think overall there's just more options available to providers who are licensed. However, if you don't want to work with the food program and are only enrolling parents who do private pay then maybe there isn't much of a reason for you to. It might make the parents feel more comfortable but then others don't seem to mind. It's a personal decision and I don't think there's anything wrong with it.
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Ms.Sue 04:05 PM 11-16-2008
If you are deciding to open and run a business, then you need to treat it like a business. You also should aquire specific training and educational areas to improve your service and make your business professional. In addition, you will be able to take home business deductions on your taxes, which can be a great advantage. But if you are not licensed and someone turns you in, you can be fined and if the IRS finds that you have not been paying taxes - there again ---you will pay dearly. I've seen it happen. And, to add to all of this, the children that you are caring for desreve for their provider to educated, legal, professional.

If it's for a home daycare - getting your license is relatively easy.
Ms.Sue
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Unregistered 06:16 PM 11-23-2008
It depends on your state, not all states require that you be licensed if you're only watching a certain amount of children. And you can be an unlicensed daycare and still be a law abiding citizen and claim your income on your taxes. (What's with the stereotype that unlicensed providers aren't claiming their income?!) You can also get the same educational instruction that licensed providers get. Licensing is just that...a license. If you don't want to get one, find out the law in your state for providers and stay in the limits of unlicensed providers. That way, if someone turns you in they'll feel pretty dumb when they find out you're a legitimate business.
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