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1. Where can I go to find
out the basic requirements for starting a child care program?
- Your local child care Resource
and Referral Agency (R&R) can give you information
about the next Licensing Orientation meeting in the community.
- Your regional Child Care Advocate
can answer initial questions about licensing requirements.
- The Building Child Care (BCC) Project can
help you learn about the steps involved in the process of
a facilities development project such as renovating or expanding
an existing facility or building or purchasing a new one.
To learn more about these steps call BCC at 888-411-3535
or visit the Child
Care Center Checklists or Family
Child Care Checklists on this website.
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2. Where can I find help
estimating the market demand for my proposed child care services?
- Your local child care Resource
and Referral (R&R) Agency can help you understand
the existing supply of child care in the community.
- Your Local Child Care Planning
Council (LPC) can provide you with information about
the highest need areas for child care in your county, and
about the local priorities designed to meet those needs.
- You can research the existing supply of
care provided by large family child care homes and child
care centers in your area by visiting the California
Community Care Licensing Division website and
searching by zip code. This search will not provide information
about existing small family child care homes or about license-exempt
care.
- Your local Small Business
Development Center (SBDC) can help you to begin the
process of conducting a market feasibility analysis to estimate
the actual demand for your services using the supply and
need information you've gathered.
Important Note:
It is critical to differentiate between the community's need
and the demand for child care services. The demand
for child care is determined by who will actually use your
services and be able to pay the rates you will charge. Using
information about the existing supply and highest need for
services in the area to conduct a market feasibility analysis
will help you to identify the market demand more clearly.
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3. Where can I find help
developing a business plan for my child care program?
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4. Where can I go to find
out about local zoning and land use restrictions?
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5. Where can I go if I
have legal questions about zoning, land use, and licensing
restrictions?
- The Child
Care Law Center (CCLC) has staff attorneys available
to answer legal questions related to child care. You can
call their Legal Information and Referral Line at 415.394.7144
during the operating hours of Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday,
12-3 Pacific Time.
- Your local Small Business
Development Center (SBDC) may offer referrals to legal
assistance in the community.
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6. Who can help me assess
whether a particular site is appropriate and licensable for
a child care program?
- Your regional Child Care Advocate
can help you assess a particular site by reviewing site
plans and advising you on licensing requirements.
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7. Where can I go to find
an architect with child care facilities development experience
who can help me to design a facility?
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8. Where can I go to find
a licensed contractor to do the facility work?
- The Building Child Care (BCC) Project has
compiled a Referral
List of Contractors with Child Care Facilities Development
Experience in California. This list is limited in scope,
however, and is comprised primarily of contractors with
child care center development experience.
- Ask other providers for recommendations
of contractors they've used on similar projects. For example
ask local family child care associations. To find assosiations
near you, dowload the directory
of local family child care associations.
- Child care center directors can ask local
Community Development Corporations (CDCs) for referrals
of contractors they've used for community facility developments.
- Family child care providers can ask neighbors
and friends in the community for recommendations of good
contractors for home improvement work.
Important Note:
Funders often have requirements for the contractors you use
so also make sure to talk with funders about this step.
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9. Who can help me identify
financial resources for my facilities development project?
- The Building Child Care (BCC) Project
has compiled a list of statewide and local Financial
Resources for Child Care Facilities Development in California.
Most of these resources are in the form of child care-friendly
loans designed for small businesses, community development
projects, and in some cases child care facilities in particular.
If you have questions about these resources, or how to identify
which ones are most suitable for your project call BCC at
888-411-3535 Monday - Friday from 8:30-5:00.
- Additionally, BCC has compiled a list of
Potential
Grant Resources for Child Care Facilities Development
in California.
- Your local Small Business
Development Center (SBDC) can typically help you package
a loan application and identify potential lenders.
- Your local County First Five or Children
and Families First Commission may provide small grants for
child care center and/or family child care facilities development
work. Contact them directly to find out if your project
would fit with their funding priorities. Visit the First
Five website to locate the Commission contact information
for your county.
Important Note:
Most grant resources for facilities work are available
only to nonprofit child care center developments.
Important Note:
SBDCs can work only with family child care providers
and for-profit centers to package loans and make referrals
to lenders.
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10. How can I learn
more about becoming a homeowner as a family child care provider?
- Fannie Mae has a list
of Housing Counselors and Agencies by state and region
on their website. You can use this list to find organizations
in your community who assist potential homeowners with pre-
and post-purchase homeowner education and credit counseling.
- The BCC publication A
Guide to Homeownership for Family Child Care Providers
offers a range of useful information about preparing
for homeownership; understanding mortgages; accessing special
programs and assistance; and selecting a real estate broker.
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11. Where do I go to
finalize the licensing process?
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12. Who can help me market
my program in the community?
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