Illinois providers???

[vaughn40]

Hello, I'm a child care provider in Rockford, Il for 18 years now. Business is so slow right now, nothing like I've ever seen in all my years of business. Is it the same for other providers in the area? If you are in my area and are getting lots of calls and have to turn down clients, I would really appreciate the business, if you could forward my name and number. Also, if someone would give me some tips on more ways to advertise, I'd appreciate it. I have hung flyers, put an ad in a small paper, offered my clients referral discounts and is about to order business cards. Thank you

[Blackcat31]

I am not in Illinois but if it makes you feel any better at all, I think child care enrollemnts are down everywhere.

There has been several threads here and on other child care forums talking about unusually low enrollments or interested clients.

[Unregistered]

It's happening everywhere....

It's just the economy. When it is down, its usually because people are not working and when they aren't working they cannot afford (and do not need) child care unless it is preschool, but since it is not required people who are low on money normally will just try to work on those things at home or just wait until kindergarten- which is usually free through the school district, though in some states (like CA) kindergarten is not nessesaraly required either. Another thing is that some people are also trying to babysit or start home daycares for extra cash or to start a new career so everyone is doing it now and there are more daycares and less parents working outside the home. I also heard that birthrates across the country is dropping slowly too (most likely also due to the economy).

But when (and if) the economy gets better so will business because people will be working more and also some will try to start or expand their families more and those who started just to make some more money but had no true interest in working with children (other than their own) and are burned out will quit and close and try to find another career.

In this economy more parents are trying to go back to school to become more employable so maybe try to advertise by a community college or trade school (like cosmetology schools or "Heald" medical schools). also see about going by places that cater to kids (like a kiddy hair salon or jumping around) and see about "cross advertising" like having a poster for their business at your business if they keep a flyer for your business.