I am considering opening a childcare center specifically to cater to the parents who work odd hours. So I am thinking overnight upon request, evenings, and weekends? I live in the state a of florida. I have a background as a Substitute teacher, special needs bus driver, and a Teacher's assistant. I am looking for honest feedback. Thank you all in advance :hug:lovethis
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I think that is a great idea! I would try to connect with businesses that typically have employees that work odd hours. Like Hospitals. They could refer parents to you. Also, see if you have a local CCR in your area. See if they have any demographic info on parents needing off hour care. They also can be a good referral source. Great job thinking out of the box and good luck!- Flag
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I tried that when I opened. I couldn't find a single client. I wound up opening for days only, and filled up quickly. I still get calls for off hours care, but not enough that I could make a living, or even close to it. There is supposedly a big demand here, too (lots of shift workers), but those kids tend to be cared for by nannies, friends or family.- Flag
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I have a friend who offers night, weekend and overnight care along with the standard daytime hours.
Personally, I don't know how she does it, she's always working!!
But, I will tell you what she's told me (for reference: needs always vary from area to area- but we are in the suburbs of the Minneapolis area).
Her initial intent was to only provide evening and weekend care so she could spend her daytime and school hours with her children.
The clientele that she was getting had a really hard time paying consistently for the evening care (and she didn't charge enough for it imho). She typically had to replace a family every couple months. Mostly because they didn't get paid very well, job hopped or their needs changed: retail, restaurant, blue collar, with some shift change LPN/RN's in the mix. Because of that, she had a hard time finding regular, long term clients. Ultimately she went FT days, with after hours options so she could have a steady income.
But... it all depends on the needs of your area!- Flag
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If there are factories in your area that have shift work, see if you can advertise there.Children are little angels, even when they are little devils.
They are also our future.- Flag
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This has been one of our biggest selling points! We are open non-traditional hours which has really helped us cater to commuting families- which is a big demographic here. We are open from 6am-10:30 pm which helps us cater to families with families who are waitresses etc. If there's a demographic in your area for it, I say absolutely!- Flag
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