32
Part 1 Organizing a Quality Child Care Program
The employment picture is another factor to consider when deciding how to plan
your center. What can you find out about the job stability in your target area? If you
are planning a center you hope will attract the employees of a particular industry, you
need to find out if that industry is doing well. Have the employees just had a recent
contract settlement? Is there a strike looming? Does it appear the industry is growing,
or is it laying off workers?
Identify the overall labor situation. Are new families moving to your area because
of the availability of jobs? Do the new jobs pay high salaries, or are they mostly min-
imum wage jobs? Who are the major employers in your area, and what is the outlook
for them? What are the major roads that people use to get to their jobs?
An additional area of concern is the availability of trained personnel in your area.
Because salaries in child care are notoriously low, it is often difficult to attract per-
sonnel who do not already live nearby. Often, the people who work in child care
have spouses who are employed. Usually, if the labor market is generally healthy,
there will be talented people in the area who are interested in working in child care.
Family and Neighborhood Income Patterns
When considering whether or not to start a child care program, you must learn
about the financial capability of the residents of the area. If you are planning a pro-
gram that will be totally dependent on tuition, you must determine if there are
enough families who will be able to pay that tuition. In a lower income neighborhood,
there may not be enough families who can afford the cost of care. A higher income
neighborhood may be populated by older families with no need for child care. If your
center is located where it can draw from families who represent a broader spectrum of
income levels, you are more likely to have a clientele who can afford your program.
Family Characteristics
Planning a program to meet family needs requires knowledge about the families
in your area. If you are accurate in determining their needs and wants, you are more
likely to plan a successful program. Not every family can use the same types of ser-
vices. If you have a clear picture of the variety of services that are desired, you can
decide which of those services you can provide.
Ages of the Children
It is essential to have an estimate of how many children are likely to use a specific
type of program. If you plan to open a preschool center for children ages three to five,
but most of the families need care for infants or toddlers, you could have a problem
with enrollment. If there is a large demand for before- and after-school care, but you
are not planning a program for children in this age group, you will lose a possible
source of enrollment.
Types of Care Preferred
Parents usually have definite preferences for the types of care they want their chil-
dren to receive. Many parents prefer the small, cozy setting of a family child care