Starting a Family Child Care Business

In Hawaii, more than half of all mothers work outside the home. That means there is an urgent need for child care. If you love working with young children and want to put your creative, nurturing and organizational skills to work – consider becoming a family child care provider.

There is a need for additional high quality child care services in Hawaii. However, opening a child care or out of school program is not for those who seek a simple, easy way to make a living. The start up process and ongoing work is full of complexity and challenge, with periodic doses of irritation and stress. So, why would anyone press forward with such an undertaking? Running a child care or school age program is some of the most important, rewarding work to be found. In a world where most people find their jobs high pressured, uninspiring, and without deeper meaning, working with children and their families offers an opportunity to make a real contribution to the world and discover new joy each day.

What Are the Benefits?

• Earn income while at home
• Build your own business
• Be your own boss and set your own work hours
• Fill an important community need
• Have a positive impact on children
• Spend more time with your own children

Many family child care providers say they learn new skills in caring for young children, and that their own children benefit from having extra playmates at home. What other job could be more rewarding and fulfilling?

PATCH can help you become a family child care provider by:

• Assisting you in becoming licensed by the State of Hawaii
• Guiding you on setting up your child care business
• Giving you information on child development, nutrition, health and safety issues
• Giving you information about resources available to providers, such as the USDA Child Care Food Program that assists in paying for meals served in daycare
• Referring parents who are looking for child care to your business
• Connecting you with other child care providers, professional child care associations, and other child care professionals

For more information on starting a family child care business, contact your local PATCH office. For a listing of PATCH offices, click here.

Handbook on Becoming a Family Child Care Provider

The handbook, “One Step at a Time” is a resource when beginning a family child care business serving children from infancy through school age. You can obtain the handbook by clicking here, or by contacting your local PATCH office, or at your local DHS Child Care Licensing office. For a listing of PATCH offices, click here.

For more information on Family Child Care Licensing, click here.