At this point in the process a contractor has been secured and all the necessary funding is in place to begin construction. This is a good time for you to re-evaluate the roles of the various development team members. The most important team member during the development process is the project manager. The project manage may be the architect, the organization’s facilities manager, or a consultant hired by the organization.

This person:

Has experience in the field of consultation, preferably child care construction;
Is responsible for managing the construction on behalf of the organization;
Coordinates all members of the development team involved in the development process;
Facilitates bi-weekly development team meetings, and develops and updates the construction calendar;
Is the primary line of communication between the contractor and the development team, and
Coordinates site visits with necessary individuals such as building, fire, and licensing.

While the project manger is the critical point person during the development phase, some tasks may be assigned to other development team members. Ultimately though, it is the project manager who coordinates the delegation and insures that follow-through occurs.

Because the project manager is critical to a successful development process and outcome, this person should be selected carefully. Although a board member or a community volunteer may have the organization's best interest at heart when offering to take on the role of project manager, this role requires considerably dedication, experience, and – most importantly – a full-time commitment.

Once the project manager has been selected, managing the development process generally consists of regularly scheduled meetings with updates from the project manager. It is also includes insuring that funders (banks, public agencies, foundations) are kept informed of the progress, either by joining the development team or with formal updates. In addition, the project manager will ensue that the project is completed with the following:

Ensure that the construction process is conducted according to the arranged design, budget, and timeline.
Complete a walk through and develop a list of corrections that need to be made after the final inspection (i.e. punch list).
Release the final payment (the "retention") only after the punch list is completed.
Clarify call back and warranty procedures.
Prepare a maintenance schedule for the facility.

Equipping the Classroom

You will need to purchase appropriate furniture and curriculum specific materials for the classroom(s). Make sure the timing of this step correlates with the timeline established for developing and opening the facility.

Develop a plan for receiving, installing, and taking inventory of all supplies and equipment.

For more information on designing and equipping your center’s play area go to White & Hutchinson, Leisure and Learning Group at: (http://www.whitehutchinson.com/children/articles/designing1.shtml)

Top of Page

License Approval for the Facility

Obtain a license approval for the facility

Though extensive communication with Community Care Licensing should already have taken a place with regard to design and construction of the facility, the final step to obtain a license is to submit a competed application and pay fees to your local Community Care Licensing office. The completed application should include the following

Submit fingerprints through live-scan and child abuse index form.
Set up an appointment with your local fire department for an inspection to obtain fire clearance.
Set up an appointment with a certified playground inspector to review your playground.
Make sure that you have obtained all required public approvals (see Predevelopment). Then send your criminal record, child abuse index, fees, and clearances to your Community Care Licensing Office.

You will receive further details and materials at the orientation meeting.

Top of Page

Personnel

Now that you are nearing completion of your child care facility project it is time to begin identifying how many staff members you will need, when they will work, what their responsibilities will be, and how much they will be paid, including benefits and staff training opportunities.

The following steps will help you begin the hiring process to staff the facility:

Begin advertising for staff at least 60 days in advance of your anticipated start date by contacting local teachers, college placement offices, vocational high schools, the state licensing office, your local Resource and Referral agency, and the local employment agency.
Place job advertisements in the paper and post them at local grocery stores and laundromats.
Include the job title, a brief job description, required qualifications, application deadline, resume request, your telephone number, address and name on the job advertisement.
Review applications, conduct interviews, contact references, and notify all candidates of your decisions.
Clearly define personnel expectations and responsibilities to your staff.

You may want to recruit volunteers who can help with clerical and administrative tasks in order to save staff time and money.

See the Resources Section for staffing resources or contact The Resource Connection at (209) 223-1624 or (209) 754-1075 to learn about public dollars that pay the salary of those needing job training and apprenticeship experience in child care settings.

Top of Page

Marketing the Program in the Community

Once the market demand for the child care business has been demonstrated, a plan to attract potential customers to the business must be devised. This is called a marketing plan.

Identify what parents look for and need from child care services in your community, and design your child care program and marketing efforts to cater to those needs.

Start marketing your services. Include your program's name, address, hours of operation, ages of children served, fees, contact information, your unique message, and expected opening date on all advertising materials.

Developing a marketing plan requires an investment in dollars, time, and effort. However, particularly when expanding a business, a good marketing plan can make the difference between success and failure.

The marketing plan requires two essential steps:

Creating a unique message about the business
Devising an effective plan to promote the message

The Unique Message

Create a unique message that clearly and concisely describes what is special about your child care business. This message may include years of service, staff qualifications and experience, capabilities, location, and the child development philosophy or mission statement.

The Promotional Plan

A promotional plan will differ depending on what works most effectively for a particular area and the families being targeted. Set aside an advertising budget and determine how to get the most out of that budget.

Devise an effective plan to promote your services and message. This plan will depend on your community and the type of organization you are promoting, but will most likely include a number of different strategies.

The following is a list of potential strategies that are often used by child care business to attract new families:

Word of mouth:

Word of mouth is most important resource for new families. This means it very important that current parents are satisfied with the service they receive

Networking:

Go out and meet people and groups in your community who may work with families. Examples include: pediatricians, hospitals, schools, and family resource centers. Provide them with business cards, flyers, and brochures so they can knowledgeably talk to prospective clients.

An attractive facility:

Keeping up the appearance of the child care facility is an important promotion.

Creating a distinctive logo:

An effective logo helps get the business’ message and image across.

Distributing business cards:

This is the least expensive way of crating a business-like image. Distribute cards to anyone who works with families.

Flyers:

Flyers are an inexpensive way to advertise. Post them in community centers, markets, laundromats, libraries, and schools.

Signs:

The sign on a child care facility should be easy to read and appealing. In addition, a plastic magnetic sign on the door of a car or van will attract a lot of attention at a low cost.

Brochures:

A brochure allows a business owner to describe the most important features of the business in a professional and visually pleasing manner.

Community involvement:

Through participation in community events recognition of the business can increase

Free media coverage:

When holding a special even be sure to send out a press release. Publicity can increase name recognition and overall credibility.

On-site workshops and lectures:

Host a workshop or lecture on early childhood development topics for parents in the community.

Hosting an open house:

This allows prospective customers to tour the facility and meet staff.

Making a good first impression:

This is by far the most important component of marketing your services. If parents don’t get a good feeling about a program the first time they visit it or call it on the phone, it doesn’t matter how extensively the program is advertised. Answering the phones professionally and in a friendly manner helps to create a good first impression. Offer to send written materials describing the program.

Make sure that your program is registered with The Resource Connection (209-754-1075 for Calaveras and 209- 223-1624 for Amador) so that they can refer parents in need of care to any slots you have available.

Top of Page