Why Do Daycare Centers Not Have 2nd Shift?

[Unregistered]

Mom

Why not get a second shift team at the center? I do not think the parent is expecting one worker to care for the kids for twelve or more hours, that would require another person taking over to relieve the day shift worker.
Some parents have special needs children and have to work an alternate schedule to take care of their kids, or for the employer to accomodate their needs.

I agree. I live in northern VT and there is NOTHING in my area for 2nd shift child care. It's crazy! Parents work all different hours, so just because most parents work 9-5, I can't work because my job requires me to be there from 1pm to 8pm.

[itlw8]

if you are in large city you may find something near a hospital

[Ariana]

In my city of about 1 million people there are only two 24 hour care centres. Thats shows how low the demand is for this type of care. I also heard that staff turnover for the night shift is extremely high which would worry me as a parent.

I think you should keep looking for a home daycare that you like.

[AllDeezBabies]

I surely wished you lived in Chicago. I have second shift and it is hard finding clients. Try the Resource and Referral. I hope it works out for you.

[Childminder]

I have second shift and it is hard finding clients. Try the Resource and Referral. I hope it works out for you.

Me too. Keep reading all these requests and articles about lack of 2nd shift and just don't get it. I rarely get a call.

[Solandia]

I get a call for second shift about once/yr.

I am the ONLY licensed daycare that is licensed for second in my surrounding area, population of about 20-30K. There is virtually NO demand for second shift/third shift care for and we have 2 huge 24/7 factories, a distribution center for a major company, and a hospital in my area. I require the same payment & rules as my dayshift. $30/shift on contract or $40 drop in. These parents, in general, feel that is too much to pay to 'watch the kid sleep', and I am completely unwilling to do it for less. Especially since the odds of getting another kid on the same schedule is virtually impossible. Barely profitable( unprofitable if you calculate my time being worth anything whatsoever)..it is a stupid business decision that even I offer it at all.

[cheerfuldom]

We live in a University town that has a half dozen hospitals. There is a demand here but still, not much supply with home providers, very little with facilities. A lot of people do not like working 2nd and 3rd shift and that includes daycare workers. Owners might be willing to do it but you also need the staff necessary to provide this service.....it is not just about parent demand.

[Abigail]

My sister lives in a smaller sized town. They have one daycare center which does all day and evening shift. What they do is pretty neat. The daytime routines are typical of any traditional daycare center. Then once children start leaving around 4-5 pm they start condensing the rooms and sending home the workers. Parents are required to let the daycare center know how late they will be attending in advance with a 9 or so hour limit per day so they can schedule the correct amount of employees for the evening. 9 pm is the latest they stay open, but somedays they are closed at 6 because that is when the last child is scheduled to depart for the day.

I believe their is a need for evening childcare but a few factors keep it a hush hush topic. Parents don't want to pay extra for evening care and I completely understand. Parents also would prefer their family or friend to watch them because in the evenings it's nice to have the kids home and in their own bed so they're on schedule. Parents only ask a few daycares in town and give up looking. I've never heard of anyone locally bring evening childcare at an affordable price to the city board...........why not?! It's worth a shot and I think this is the only way to do it! I bet opening a daycare in any city like my sister's smaller-sized town would work. Like I said, parents just need to find what works and not jump through hoops trying to get a daycare professionally to stay open later hours.

[gg_fan22]

Second shift childcare centers.

Because most really good daycares open between 6am and 7 am and close around 6-7pm. That is when the majority of parents need childcare, so that's when most providers are open.

After a 12 hour shift do you want to keep working until 4-5 more hours? Most in home providers have families and young children themselves. It's hard to find that kind of provider who is not burnt out and asleep by 11pm. I know I'm out by 10pm minimum and 9pm on a day that is really active and rough.

It's a shame though. We need 2nd shift childcare centers though. That is what I am going to school for. I am going to school for Early Childhood Education, and if I need to business. I want to open up my own childcare center for first and 2nd shift parents. I grew up in a home with a dad who worked literally 20 hours a day so, I know how it feels to be passed from babysitter to babysitter. My Grandma would watch us during the day but, she couldn't watch us @ night so in the brief window of time that he had before leaving to start his other job he would drop us off at home and then call whatever sitter he could get.
If there were more second shift childcare centers I don't think it would've been so hectic for him or a lot of the other parents who have try and find babysitters so they can go to work. Even that at times is frustrating because not many of them are really reliable.
Me I get up when my alarm gets me up. I do not go to bed until like midnight and then if I have to get up early I set my alarm. I think I have insomnia, I can't fall asleep unless I read or make myself tired.

[SeanMc123]

2nd or 3rd shift daycares

There have been some really inconsiderate and ignorant posts in here. Reasonable responses would be nice with regards to anyone who may work later hours at their employer (or may have to be in earlier than the average employee.) If you know anything about the multiple facets of businesses and the demands they have put on their work force, you'd know that many fields of industry are requiring employees to come in as early as 6AM, they are requiring employees to stay longer than a normal 8 hour shift, and they are opening up later shifts such as a 2nd or 3rd shift to meet their production needs. Now regardless of what I have heard "Some daycares can't handle the costs," "people should hire someone to take care of their kids".... no. If you are going to open a daycare, you open it to meet the demands of your entire community's work demands or you don't open one up. If you only have one customer/two customers per 2nd or 3rd shift, you keep one person on to accomodate those who are striving to keep our economy flowing and so hard working individuals can get the child care they need. Just like the customers who work later shifts, the daycares should employ staff to work later shifts. It may not be the intention, but it is inadvertently discriminate of those who don't work a 'typical' 9-5 shift.

[MarinaVanessa]

There have been some really inconsiderate and ignorant posts in here. Reasonable responses would be nice with regards to anyone who may work later hours at their employer (or may have to be in earlier than the average employee.) If you know anything about the multiple facets of businesses and the demands they have put on their work force, you'd know that many fields of industry are requiring employees to come in as early as 6AM, they are requiring employees to stay longer than a normal 8 hour shift, and they are opening up later shifts such as a 2nd or 3rd shift to meet their production needs. Now regardless of what I have heard "Some daycares can't handle the costs," "people should hire someone to take care of their kids".... no. If you are going to open a daycare, you open it to meet the demands of your entire community's work demands or you don't open one up. If you only have one customer/two customers per 2nd or 3rd shift, you keep one person on to accomodate those who are striving to keep our economy flowing and so hard working individuals can get the child care they need. Just like the customers who work later shifts, the daycares should employ staff to work later shifts. It may not be the intention, but it is inadvertently discriminate of those who don't work a 'typical' 9-5 shift.

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[Snowmom]

Oye.

If that's the case, I'm going to write McDonald's to say that if they aren't going to offer low-calorie vegetarian foods to satisfy my needs, then they shouldn't have opened up a business at all.

And while I'm on the subject, Hobby Lobby too... because I work Monday-Saturday and they close on Sunday, which is the only day I have to patron their establishment. How dare they! That's discriminatory.

Come on.

It's your choice to work in the industry you chose to work. YOU need to make it work for you and your family. It's not other people's job to make sure YOU have childcare. It's YOUR job. If there are no childcare options for the hours you need... then there ya go... a perfect opportunity for you to open up a new business. According to you, it should be profitable and it's a need that hasn't been met in your area!

[amberrose3dg]

How would you like to work more than 12 hours a day? I am open 6am to 5pm. I have clean up and all that needs to be done after everyone leaves. I would be concerned about level of care you are receiving from a provider that is open that long without a break. Large centers it doesn't make sense to pay staff to stay for one or two kids. That is a big expense. Most parents have friends, family or a babysitter in the evenings.I know in the 2 years I've been open I have only received two calls for late care. One wanted 7 days a week 12 hour days for like a 100 bucks a week and I believe that was for more than one kid :: The other only wanted Fridays but wanted care until like 1am.We all need down time to be the best providers we can be!

[Cat Herder]

There have been some really inconsiderate and ignorant posts in here. Reasonable responses would be nice with regards to anyone who may work later hours at their employer (or may have to be in earlier than the average employee.) If you know anything about the multiple facets of businesses and the demands they have put on their work force, you'd know that many fields of industry are requiring employees to come in as early as 6AM, they are requiring employees to stay longer than a normal 8 hour shift, and they are opening up later shifts such as a 2nd or 3rd shift to meet their production needs. Now regardless of what I have heard "Some daycares can't handle the costs," "people should hire someone to take care of their kids".... no. If you are going to open a daycare, you open it to meet the demands of your entire community's work demands or you don't open one up. If you only have one customer/two customers per 2nd or 3rd shift, you keep one person on to accomodate those who are striving to keep our economy flowing and so hard working individuals can get the child care they need. Just like the customers who work later shifts, the daycares should employ staff to work later shifts. It may not be the intention, but it is inadvertently discriminate of those who don't work a 'typical' 9-5 shift.

You are messing with us, right. :::: You cannot be serious.

[Mom2Two]

You are messing with us, right. :::: You cannot be serious.

So true. But it's so bad that it's funny.

I want to let medical providers know that they shouldn't charge extra for after hours care. I work so hard to support the economy, and it would be way better for me to have evening care at the same price.

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