Creating streams of income from child care centres

A day care centre provides a temporary but secure place, where children aged between five months and eight years can be cared for while their parents study, attend appointments or carry out other tasks.

It is also a place, where babies interact with one another and develop the ability to express themselves at a tender age, through the supervision of a qualified attendant.

It is also one of the most challenging types of businesses one can hope to establish because it requires more time, expertise and care.

Most mothers, especially career women, have found it a supporting place that would take care of their babies’ needs while they contend with the challenges at work.

Often, day care centres are attached to shopping centres, leisure centres, educational establishments, hotels and places of work for easy access by nursing mothers, who might be working in such establishments.

In Abuja, findings revealed that it would cost between N2.5m to N3m, including the cost of renting an apartment, to start a modest day care centre.

For instance, a relatively small office space, depending on the location, may cost between N600,000 and N800,000, while the purchase of the necessary stationery may also gulp N500,000. Furniture may cost N400,000, while the playground equipment, such as swing seats with ropes and chains, climbing stones, scramble nets, steering wheels and slides may gulp about N400,000.

This notwithstanding, experts still contend that there is the need for the centre to deliver excellent services to clients. This, they note, could be achieved by finding and keeping the right type of employee as well as securing financial returns that will enable the centre to reward its people.

An educationist, Mrs. Deborah Odeshola, says that the initial output should be a plan covering all aspects of the day-care center. This, according to her, should include the cost, business plan, the name of the day care centre and legal documentation, among others.

She says, “Your centre will be a busy area once you open your doors for business. This is why you need to create a working plan before you start your daily operations.

“Having kids around would definitely create pandemonium in your center, and the trick to keeping your business area as organised as possible is to prepare a scheme that will put most of the daily activities and your day care center equipment in place,” he said.

On planning, she says, “If you plan to have children of different age groups, it will be best to keep them apart most of the time. If you have limited space, the technique is to create a schedule that centers on the activity rooms that you have created. All of the areas can be common to the children regardless of age group. However, except for the cabinets or closets for their things, the children should be in different areas at different times.”

Also important is the need to set up rules and regulations. She says, “Success in business comes as a result of laid down polices and how these policies will be implemented. You must have a detailed, written plan that states your ultimate goal, the purpose behind your goal, and each milestone that must be passed in order to reach your destination.

“Declare policies on payments, rates and fees, including other specialty fees. Have policies on pick-up and drop off times, meals, toilet training and illnesses including allergies and vaccines. And you should decide on handling holidays and family vacations too.”

She also advises on the need to incorporate religions and cultures in the day care programmes, adding that “You will also need the assistance of a pediatrician and a child development expert. Also ask for expert advice on how to deal with special children.” Speaking in a similar vein, the Dean, School of Productivity, Mr. Remi Dairo says that location plays a vital role in the success of the centre.

He says, “Location is very important because after you have found your purpose, your product, you must have a location where the people can reach you. Your place makes it easier for people to locate you.

“You must make sure the place is not far away from where people can access you. As time goes by, multiply your location so that you can make multiple income at the same time.”

Source : Punch

One Comment

1. 

   akin eboda

   September 3, 2012 at 4:21 pm

   hello this is a very informative article please can u give insight on the daycare business in lagos state and if possible hoe competitive are the prices offered