Home Daycare Providers: Would You "Work With" A Center?

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  • Sugar Magnolia
    Blossoms Blooming
    • Apr 2011
    • 2647

    Home Daycare Providers: Would You "Work With" A Center?

    I have been trying to think of new ways to get new clients, and I wanted some feedback from home daycare providers before I started making calls locally. There are not many centers that take infants around here, the ones that do tend to be large corporate type centers. Personally, I think infants are better off in home daycares. More personal attention, less sickness exposure, no staff turnover, just a nicer and safer environment for little babies. As home providers, do you find a lot of kids "age out" around 3? If parents ask you for referrals to centers when children get older, do you give them???? If a center director contacted you offering information about a center, would you be offended?
    Here's the thing...I've had a lot of parents enroll because their 2-3 year olds have "aged out" of home daycares and they were looking for a preschool environment. We are a SMALL center, just 15 kids maximum, so we appeal to kids/parents that have been in home daycares, because they like our home-like environment and preschool structure. We also enroll a lot of kids whose parents were fed up with large centers due to staff turnover, poor supervision, etc.
    So would you (home dc) providers be offended by a center approaching you with a brochure, or would you be willing to listen and accept the information? I don't want to "put off" home providers and waste their time or mine. Would a "finders fee" help your decision to refer people to a center? Say...$100 for every client they referred that signed up? Have YOU ever been asked by a parent to suggest a center preschool? If so, what was your reaction?
  • nannyde
    All powerful, all knowing daycare whisperer
    • Mar 2010
    • 7320

    #2
    I want the kid to age five so I wouldn't be in the business of advertising centers.

    I don't have kids leaving to go to preschool because there isn't anything out there that is better than staying here.... IMHO.

    Give me your kid from birth to the age of five and I will give you a kid that is done with Kindy before they even start.
    http://www.amazon.com/Daycare-Whispe...=doing+daycare

    Comment

    • Country Kids
      Nature Lover
      • Mar 2011
      • 5051

      #3
      None of my children age out till 6th grade unless the parents move or something like that. I offer preschool here so unless they are wanting to pay the "Big Bucks" for the same thing at a center I have them all the way till they are 11.

      I also do not accept children under the age of two so I receive no calls for infants.
      Each day is a fresh start
      Never look back on regrets
      Live life to the fullest
      We only get one shot at this!!

      Comment

      • Sugar Magnolia
        Blossoms Blooming
        • Apr 2011
        • 2647

        #4
        Thanks Nannyde, I'm sure nobody leaves your awesome place!!! Yeah I figured competition is competition and hdc's would be put off. Wondering if some hdc's JUST do infants and toddlers? Does anyone here just do little ones? Hmm probably not, guess that wouldn't make much sense. Just trying to get the hdc perspective.... I know there's a lot of negative perceptions about centers, but most of that is earned by the large places.

        Comment

        • Sugar Magnolia
          Blossoms Blooming
          • Apr 2011
          • 2647

          #5
          Thanks Country, appreciate the feedback!

          Comment

          • nannyde
            All powerful, all knowing daycare whisperer
            • Mar 2010
            • 7320

            #6
            Originally posted by Sugar Magnolia
            Thanks Nannyde, I'm sure nobody leaves your awesome place!!! Yeah I figured competition is competition and hdc's would be put off. Wondering if some hdc's JUST do infants and toddlers? Does anyone here just do little ones? Hmm probably not, guess that wouldn't make much sense. Just trying to get the hdc perspective.... I know there's a lot of negative perceptions about centers, but most of that is earned by the large places.
            It's the same thing as centers...... the money is in the older kids because you can only have a limited number of babies. I can have eight kids over the age of two but I can't have more than four under two.
            http://www.amazon.com/Daycare-Whispe...=doing+daycare

            Comment

            • Michelle
              Daycare.com Member
              • Jan 2011
              • 1932

              #7
              Why would we go through the hard work of taking care of the infants and 2's to just give them to center's? 3's and 4's are the fun years!::::

              Comment

              • Sugar Magnolia
                Blossoms Blooming
                • Apr 2011
                • 2647

                #8
                Originally posted by Michelle
                Why would we go through the hard work of taking care of the infants and 2's to just give them to center's? 3's and 4's are the fun years!::::
                Yeah good point! :: hmmm I guess I need to go back to the drawing board.

                Comment

                • PolarCare
                  Daycare.com Member
                  • Jun 2011
                  • 82

                  #9
                  Yeah, probably not.

                  I don't take the little ones at all. The only way I'll take one under Kindergarten age is if I have their school aged siblings enrolled and even then I don't take babies, and I don't take kids that aren't toilet trained. I'm just not set up for it and there's a high enough demand for care here that I don't have to take them to stay as full as I want to be.

                  Comment

                  • Sugar Magnolia
                    Blossoms Blooming
                    • Apr 2011
                    • 2647

                    #10
                    Originally posted by PolarCare
                    I don't take the little ones at all. The only way I'll take one under Kindergarten age is if I have their school aged siblings enrolled and even then I don't take babies, and I don't take kids that aren't toilet trained. I'm just not set up for it and there's a high enough demand for care here that I don't have to take them to stay as full as I want to be.
                    So you mostly do before and after care for school agers? Oh and can you please send some Alaska air to FL please?

                    Comment

                    • cheerfuldom
                      Advanced Daycare.com Member
                      • Dec 2010
                      • 7413

                      #11
                      There are small daycares here that do babies (under 2) only so its worth a shot just to put out some feelers and see what happens. Whats the harm in asking a few local places?

                      Comment

                      • Sugar Magnolia
                        Blossoms Blooming
                        • Apr 2011
                        • 2647

                        #12
                        Originally posted by nannyde
                        It's the same thing as centers...... the money is in the older kids because you can only have a limited number of babies. I can have eight kids over the age of two but I can't have more than four under two.
                        Warning: the following statement is a BIG FAT JOKE!

                        Omg you are in this for money? How dare you! I think I'm gonna go to some meetings and complain about all you heartless money grubbers on here! You need to be monitored!
                        JUST KIDDING!!! Sorry I was channeling Laurasophia, the "work for free" drama queen! LOL! Couldn't resist.

                        Comment

                        • PolarCare
                          Daycare.com Member
                          • Jun 2011
                          • 82

                          #13
                          Yeah, that's what I shoot for

                          The family that is starting in August is 4 elementary school aged kiddos that go to the same school as my elementary school kids. I know the family, and they're good parents. They won't be here before school, because their mom goes in later after they're in school, and dad gets off earlier, so they'll only be here 1.5 hours a day unless there's an inservice day.

                          I wish I could send you some air and you could send me some sun. It rained all day and my hens' feet are wet! They're madder than...well....a bunch of old wet hens!

                          Comment

                          • Sugar Magnolia
                            Blossoms Blooming
                            • Apr 2011
                            • 2647

                            #14
                            Originally posted by cheerfuldom
                            There are small daycares here that do babies (under 2) only so its worth a shot just to put out some feelers and see what happens. Whats the harm in asking a few local places?
                            I thought the idea had potential, but I just didn't want to offend any HDC's...I want to work with them, not against them. The line between competition and mutual help is a fine one...

                            Comment

                            • victorial
                              Certified Provider
                              • Jun 2011
                              • 13

                              #15
                              I'm getting in a little late here but wanted to share...

                              Look for homes that provide 2nd/3rd shift care. That is what I do and I work with a spectacular local center. They refer their very early drop offs to me and I funnel my 3rd shift kids there for the parents state subsidized sleep time. Mutually beneficial. They get clients that they would have to pass up because they don't open till 5am. I get to close by 9am.

                              Yes. The referral fee is appreciated/expected if this relationship is only going one way. I pay $100 referral fee to centers or individuals. Whoever is responsible for the referral.

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