Ratios & Capacity With And Without An Assistant

[blandino]

In OK, a small in-home license allows you 7 children with 1 adult.

A large in-home license allows you 12 children with 2 adults.

The more I think about it, the more I question that rule. Why does an extra adult only allow 5 more kids. IMHO it should double the capacity and allow 7 more children, or at least allow 6 more.

It makes it financially troublesome, because to pay an assistant you only have the income of 5 additional children. So if you use that to pay an assistant, it leaves a minimal amount of profit.

I am interested to see what everyone else's capacities look like with and without an assistant...

[TwinKristi]

In CA a small family daycare can have 8 with 1 adult, 2 being infants under 24mos. If you have a large family daycare with an owner and asst you can have 16, 4 being under 24mos. So literally you can double your numbers.

Edited- I guess you can only have 14... My bad!

[Rachel]

I don't live in the states, but I am allowed only 5, and 2 can be under 7 months (or I need an assistant 3 hours a day). I can have a 6th on a day when I get an extra because someone else closed (not more than 8 days in a row I think), and a 7th only if someone who closed has twins and I am the backup for both.

[snbauser]

Here in NC it depends on where you live. Some small daycares are allowed 5 non-school aged and 3 school aged without an assistant while others are only allowed 5 total without an assistant. Adding an assistant you can have up to 12 kids.

[Annalee]

In OK, a small in-home license allows you 7 children with 1 adult.

A large in-home license allows you 12 children with 2 adults.

The more I think about it, the more I question that rule. Why does an extra adult only allow 5 more kids. IMHO it should double the capacity and allow 7 more children, or at least allow 6 more.

It makes it financially troublesome, because to pay an assistant you only have the income of 5 additional children. So if you use that to pay an assistant, it leaves a minimal amount of profit.

I am interested to see what everyone else's capacities look like with and without an assistant...

True; my assistant and I do a 50/50 thing with the exception of the food check and it works but we have been together for the entire twenty plus years....if she decides to retire, I will go back to 7...BTW...she is my mom and I think we make a great team! Would not work with anyone else for that length of time.

[SunnyDay]

In MI, a family home can have 6 children with 1 provider, a group home can have 12 children with 2 providers. (There are ratios of how old the children can be, as well).

My house is not tiny, but I can't imagine having more than 12. I have actually only ever made it up to 11, and that was a lot to manage.

[CedarCreek]

Here in Texas with my registered status, an assistant wouldn't allow me to take on more kids. In a maximum capacity scenario, I'm allowed 12. That's 6 over 18 months and 6 SA kids.

If I wanted more, I'd have to get licensed.

[SSWonders]

In Mass we can have 6 with one provider - 3 under the age of two with at lest one 15 months and walking. We can have 8 with one provider if 2 are sa. Our large family day care is 10 with 2 providers - 6 can be under the age of two with at least 3 being over 15 months. Large family day care with three or more providers is still limited to 10, but 6 of them can be under 15 months and the others have to be over 15 months. Yikes. I can't image that scenario even with three care givers.

[craftymissbeth]

In Kansas a family provider can have 10 but a group provider can have 12. Yeah, I'm not paying an assistant just to have 2 extra children.

[kelsey's kids]

Idaho a family home can have 5 and a group can have 12 but you have to have over head sprinkler system. All of that is with one provider depending on ages. It is all based on a point system. Each provider is allowed 12 points. Each age is a different point under 2 =2 points, 2Y=1.5 points, 3-4y=1 point, 5 and up is .5 points.

[jenboo]

In Nevada a family childcare can have up to 6 children and 3 before/after school kids with one adult. (you can have 4 kids without a license). No more than 4 under 2yrs and of those 4, no more than 2 under 1yr.

A group home allows 7-12 children with 2 adults. Not sure on the number of before and after school kids and not sure if the infant numbers apply.

You also have to meet the sq footage requirements.

ETA: I called my surveyor yesterday to make sure my information was accurate and its not. A GROUP HOME allows 7-12 children with 1 adult but the city has to approve it and they usually don't. Then you have to have a special inspection with fire and you have to install those overhead fire sprinklers which can cost a couple grand.

[KIDZRMYBIZ]

In NE, you can have 8 mixed age (3 infants, one being 12mos+), plus 2 SA, for a total of 10, all by yourself.

Add an assistant, and you can have 12. Period. That makes no sense to me.

So unless a person just can't handle it alone, they are really shooting themselves in the financial foot to be a Home II!

[melilley]

I'm in MI and have the same ratio's as Sunny, but I also can have a capacity of 12 even though I'm licensed (registered) for 6.
Only 4 can be under 30 mo. and 2 of the 4 under 18 mo.

I can only have up to 6 non related children and have to count my own under the age of 7, but I have a capacity of 12 and can take over my 6 if....the children are over the age of 7 and are related.

It's confusing, I know. We actually had a "class" on capacity vs. ratio at our required orientation.

[VTMom]

In Vermont, registered home daycares can have 6 children (with 2 under the age of 2), plus 4 school age kids. Our own children over the age of 2 do not count in our ratios.

With an assistant: "Up to twelve children in care provided that at least six have been to kindergarten or graded school and a second caregiver is present and on duty when the number of children exceeds six. Preschoolers who reside in the residence of the Registrant are included in the twelve. No more than two children under two years of age may be in care. School age children residing in the residence of the Registrant are not counted."

[Laurel]

In OK, a small in-home license allows you 7 children with 1 adult.

A large in-home license allows you 12 children with 2 adults.

The more I think about it, the more I question that rule. Why does an extra adult only allow 5 more kids. IMHO it should double the capacity and allow 7 more children, or at least allow 6 more.

It makes it financially troublesome, because to pay an assistant you only have the income of 5 additional children. So if you use that to pay an assistant, it leaves a minimal amount of profit.

I am interested to see what everyone else's capacities look like with and without an assistant...

In Florida, it is different by county.

In our county we are required to be licensed.

In reality we can watch 6 by ourself and 12 with another person (lg. family childcare). However, all cities in our county decide whether or not they will even allow a large family childcare in their city. They are required by state law to allow a regular one. No one has ever tried for a large one in my city. The neighboring city had some grandfathered in but won't allow any more. So it depends....

I said 'in reality' because by myself I can take 10 put they put limits on how many of each age I can have. So if I take 10 no more than 5 can be 5 years old and under with the other 5 being school aged. It pays us to take six full timers rather than 5 of each. We'd have to sacrifice one full timer in order to take 10. That's dumb.

Then some counties don't even have to be licensed from what I hear.

Laurel