Large Family Daycare Questions

[dan18ny]

Hi All!

So my wife started her small in-home daycare this past March and things have been going great. Her long term goal with this was to eventually have a large in-home daycare which would allow her to have 12-14 kids as long as you hired an assistant.
Here in California, you have to of had a small daycare for at least a year before you can apply for the large one and that's what we want to do. I wanted to start preparing for things right now and I think the first thing we need is some friendly advice from those who have a large daycare at home.
We wanted to ask:
Experience: Do you like it? Too overwhelming?
Staff: How much do you pay them (don't need exact numbers maybe percentage of what you make)? Do you get an older or younger person?
Advice: Any advice?

Thanks!!!!

[NillaWafers]

I haven't done it myself but california's employment laws are very strict. You'd have to get workers comp, take taxes out, and pay minimum wage (which will be 10 dollars in 2016). It wouldn't be worth it for me. I had an issue just trying to find a sub for my future maternity leave - ended up deciding to have DH take family leave and half the pay in order to not lose clients.

[spedmommy4]

Hi All!

So my wife started her small in-home daycare this past March and things have been going great. Her long term goal with this was to eventually have a large in-home daycare which would allow her to have 12-14 kids as long as you hired an assistant.
Here in California, you have to of had a small daycare for at least a year before you can apply for the large one and that's what we want to do. I wanted to start preparing for things right now and I think the first thing we need is some friendly advice from those who have a large daycare at home.
We wanted to ask:
Experience: Do you like it? Too overwhelming?
Staff: How much do you pay them (don't need exact numbers maybe percentage of what you make)? Do you get an older or younger person?
Advice: Any advice?

Thanks!!!!

I am in California and I like it but . . . I have my husband (he works rotating shifts) and my oldest son (awesome with kids ) to help out. My paid assistant fills in the gaps.

I pay her above minimum wage. She has a Child Development Permit and is amazing with the kids.

The laws surrounding owning a large childcare and paying employees are ridiculous in California. I had to get a fire clearance, a business license, and of course the large family childcare license. I also have to pay an annual fee for all three of those here.

For my employee, the legal stuff you have to comply with is extensive here in California. Unless your employee is your minor child, you will need a workmans comp policy for them. Unfortunately, very few companies want to cover home based childcare employees so I ended up with the state compensation fund. They are required by law to cover you but they are pricey. ($800 a year for one part time employee)

You also have to register your business with the California Employment Development Department, get a state tax ID number, and pay federal and state employee taxes. I use my banks payroll service, and that keeps it simple. But, if I didn't have my husband and son pitching in as part time assistants, I honestly don't think it would be worth it here to be large in California.

[daycare]

I went from small to large. everything the above poster said, but i have 4 employees. I love it.

it is a LOT of stress and work.

its hard if you don't have family to rely on, having to rely on employees is tuff. I have been through some really stressful times of employees not showing up, then you are out of ratios.

i have had employees call off last minute, same thing as above. I would have to have my husband call off his job to cover my employees.

I also stress about how they work with the kids sometimes and then you have the whole workers comp, employee rights stuff you have to deal with.

your employees all have to be part time. you can't legally withhold them from taking an off site lunch or break. once they leave, you are out of ratios. the only way around this is to schedule them for 4 hour shifts and give them 1 twenty min break, that is on site.

leaving is expensive. If you want to go some where, instead of paying one or two employees you need 4, that is if you plan to stay open all day in your absence.

so I normally when i want to go on vacation, I have to open half day and pay two people to run the show that day half day. like 8 to 12. I always try to take vacations leaving on a thursday night and have my staff open half day on Friday.

it's stressful that you if your employee is late, you could be found of ratios
if your employee is absent, you could be over ratios.

I have been very fortunate that most of my employees have bee with me for almost 4 years now.

BUT I will say this. it is hard to find someone who is reliable and hard working.

it's hard to be a really firm boss when you work so closely with the person.

it's possible, but it is a LOT of work.

if you have family that could help out that you know you can count on and is dependable great. BUT I say this with caution, most family members don't work well together.

I tried to have my husband work with me while he was out of work, the kids and parents loved him being there, I just wish that I did. it was not easy.

I hope this helps some.

it is possible and I love love it.. I hardly ever get to 14 kids becuase I do run a preschool program and about 5 of them are only half day, so they go hoome. by afternoon when my SA kids come, the 5 are gone.

let me know if I can help with anything else and best of luck to you guys.

[dan18ny]

Thanks for the answers everyone! Silly question but if you have a family member helping you out or if I were to stay home and help do you still have to pay minimum wage and all that workers comp thing right?

[yodaone]

Thanks for the answers everyone! Silly question but if you have a family member helping you out or if I were to stay home and help do you still have to pay minimum wage and all that workers comp thing right?

I'm curious about this as well...

[spedmommy4]

I'm curious about this as well...

You can only get away with no employee wages or workmans' comp if the family member helping out is your spouse or minor child.

If a spouse helps out, they need to have a fingerprint clearance, TB test, and CPR first aid. A minor child must be 14 to count as an assistant, but can't be left alone with children.

[dan18ny]

You can only get away with no employee wages or workmans' comp if the family member helping out is your spouse or minor child.

If a spouse helps out, they need to have a fingerprint clearance, TB test, and CPR first aid. A minor child must be 14 to count as an assistant, but can't be left alone with children.

Thanks for the info!

Does anyone know if the process to get the fire clearance hard?

[spedmommy4]

Thanks for the info!

Does anyone know if the process to get the fire clearance hard?

It varies by county. I just went down to the county planning office and picked up a booklet on the requirements.

Here it was a bit of a process and it's a $50 annual fee and inspection.