Operating an in-home daycare gives you the opportunity to work with children on a daily basis.
Operating a business out of your home is rewarding for many people since it provides them with the freedom to be their own boss. While there are a number of businesses you can choose to operate out of your home in the state of Maryland, you might choose a daycare if you enjoy working with children. Although each home-based daycare is strictly regulated and must be licensed, it's possible to turn your home into a money-making business by learning start an in-home daycare in Maryland.
Instructions
1. Attend an orientation session. Contact the Office of Child Care (OCC) regional office in your area, and register to attend the family childcare orientation. This provides you with an introduction to the laws and regulations regarding in-home daycare in the state of Maryland.
2. Prepare your home. Use the information provided in the orientation session to prepare your home to serve as a daycare setting. Purchase books, toys and supplies for children to use while at your daycare. Get cribs or beds for the children to take naps and sleep in. Child proof your home by moving household chemicals out of a child's reach, installing locks on cabinets and putting baby gates up near stairs. Create a first aid kit. Prepare an emergency plan for your home that details your actions in the event of a fire, natural disaster or other emergency.
3. Apply for a license. Obtain a license application from the OCC office and complete it. Create a list of references who can attest to your experience with children as well as your personal character. Provide a copy of your emergency plan, and agree to allow OCC to conduct a background and child abuse check of you and other adults in your home. Complete a medical evaluation with your local physician, and require all other residents in your home to do the same.
4. Take classes. Attend a second orientation session after submitting your license application. Complete 24 hours of classes and training in topics related to child care. These include child development, safety, health and nutrition. Pass CPR and first aid training, and take the SIDS training if you plan to have an infant or child under the age of two in your in-home daycare.
5. Complete the self-assessment guide. Use the self-assessment guide provided by the OCC to complete a walkthrough of your home. Make sure that you follow the information provided in the guide to bring your home in compliance with the regulations and make it ready for an inspection.
6. Determine the specifics. Set what days and times you'll provide childcare in your home. Decide what rate you will charge parents based on the number of children and their ages. Determine how you will keep records for your in-home daycare, and find a secure place to store them. Know that records are inspected once each year during one of the three home inspections/visits by OCC representatives.
7. Pass inspections. Complete the pre-registration inspection by meeting with an OCC representative and going through the self-assessment guide while walking through your home. Invite the local fire marshal or other fire authority to conduct an inspection of your home for fire safety purposes. Allow health department authorities to inspect your home for any potential health hazards or unsafe conditions that may exist. After passing the three inspections, receive your license and begin taking care of children at your in-home daycare in Maryland.
