What are some appropriate fees for children 6 weeks to 6 years for a home daycare?

Question

I am opening a home daycare and need to come up with fees which includes meals for ages:

6 weeks - 12 months $

1 yr - 2 yr $

2 yr - 3 yr $

3 yr - 4 yr $

4 yr - 5 yr $

5 yr - 6 yr $

Answer 1

you can check with your local childcare\food program they can give you average rates in your area...also, check craigslist.com in your area...there is a childcare section and you can compare rates by the other posts also, its a good way to get kiddos in your daycare...good luck and have lots of fun!

Answer 2

It depends on what state you live in and what the market rates for your area are.

You could call around to some other day cares in your area and see what the going rate is. (I'm not sure if you should tell them that you're looking to go into the child care business. Some people might see it as a threat and  "assume" that your going to steal some of their business away.

If your incomfortable with doing that you could check with your local CCR&R. Does your state licensing agency have a website? Here in NC the current market rates for each county are listed on the website. Also if your planning to accept subsidy/state pay families you could talk your county Dept. of Social Services or whatever agency handles payments.

Remember you want to start off charging a fair price. You definitely do not want to sell yourself short by charged less that everyone else just to get families to enroll. As you build your reputation you can charge more especially if you providing a service above everyone else, like preschool, or music lessons. (For example, I don't keep babies and I offer Abeka preschool for my students, so I charge a little more than what other providers in my area charge.) Good Luck in starting you business!

Answer 3

Michelle:

This will depend on where you are living.  Daycare fees in a place like Brunswick, NJ or Los Angeles, CA will be much higher than in a small rural town in Ohio or Kansas.  You really should do some research in your own area of the country to see what the going rates are.

In my state, we have an organization in almost all the counties that subsidizes child care for low-income families.  They would have an excellent idea of what the costs are where you live.  Check with your Department of Human Services or your Department of Welfare to see if they know who subsidizes child care in your state.

Also, pose as a parent and call some other home daycares in your area and ask them for rates.  It's not cheating to do that.  

Good luck!

Answer 4

I live in Florida and paid $150 when he was under 1 years old. $175 when he was 2 years old. This was one on one care. Then I put him with 2 other children and I pay $115 per week..

Also to the person who commented on putting children in day care... please open your eyes to reality. People who put their kids in an at home daycare are very caring. They don't want to put them into a daycare with massive amounts of kids so they do home daycare where their child would get more one on one loving attention. Please put your children in school so they will not become so close minded and judgemental as yourself.

Answer 5

When I ran my daycare I charged a base fee, but it came out to about $3.00 per hour for infants, and $2.00 per hour for the rest.

Answer 6

If you are opening the daycare, I wonder if you will have enough time to do more than one or two teensy  babies?  And you must I am sure have another worker to deal with the other kids.

I am so sad when parents have babies and then give them over to daycare centers.  Why did they have babies in the first place?  Grrrrrr