Caring for Young Children — Business Matters – Selected Resources

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Growing Ideas Caring for Young Children - Business Matters Selected=

Please note: Some resources may require a subscription or have restricted access due to a publisher paywall.

Books:

  • Copeland, T. (2006). Family Child Care Contracts and Policies: How to Be Businesslike in a Caring Profession (3rd ed.). St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.
  • Copeland, T. (2010). Family Child Care Record-Keeping Guide (8th ed.). St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.

Articles/Tools:

  • Coming To Terms: How to Effectively Use Contracts & Policies (PDF) – from Tom Copeland, www.tomcopelandblog.com
  • Four Key Tips on Contracts and Policies (PDF) – from Tom Copeland, www.tomcopelandblog.com
  • Financing and Budgeting for Early Care and Education Facilities (PDF) – This document was developed by the Head Start National Center on Program Management in collaboration with the Local Initiatives Support Coalition (LISC) under Grant #90HC0006 for the US Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start. Available online at https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/financing-budgeting-guidebook.pdf
  • How Insurance Protects You in an Emergency (PDF) – A Resource for Family Child Care Providers from Tom Copeland at ChildCare Aware of America. Available online at https://www.childcareaware.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/How-Insurance-Protects-You-in-an-Emergency.pdf
  • Starting and Operating a Child Care Business (PDF) – This resource guide (revised April 2020) presents some basic steps to consider as you plan to start and operate a child care business. The information is an overview and is not intended to be all inclusive. Additional resources are provided to help you explore child care as a business opportunity. Other steps may be suitable for your specific type of business, depending on your local requirements and regulations. Available from the Child Care State Capacity Building Center at https://childcareta.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/new-occ/resource/files/startingandoperatingachildcarebusiness.pdf

Websites:

  • Build Up CA Resources – Explore publications, forms, tools and other resources related to child care.
  • Center for Parent Information & Resources (CPIR) – Resources Especially for Child Care Providers and Preschools – At the CPIR, you can learn more about disabilities, how to address the needs of wee ones with challenges, and create an inclusive and empowering environment where all children can flourish.
  • Child Care Aware. (n.d.). Child Care Providers. What you need to know to help your child care business succeed. Retrieved from http://childcareaware.org/providers/
  • Child Care Choices – Choosing child care will be one of the most important decisions you will make. Maine has resources to help! Retrieved from Child Care Choices, University of Southern Maine’s Cutler Institute at https://childcarechoices.me/
  • Family Child Care Association of Maine (FCCAM) – a professional membership organization and affiliate of the National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC). Membership in FCCAM will provide opportunities to network both locally and statewide with other providers for training and support. Membership will connect you with other organizations that are currently engaged with advocating for children and their families in Maine and will provide an opportunity to drive awareness of our professionalism and value to our communities. It will provide providers with a united voice for input in changes that impact Family Child Care in Maine directly. The website also provides resources and information for current and future family child care professionals.
  • Head Start ECLKC Family Child Care Option – Many children and families receive Head Start and Early Head Start services in a family child care setting. Family child care providers offer high-quality early education and child development services. They work closely with families and children to provide a range of comprehensive services and support positive family and child outcomes. They also embed responsive and effective adult-child interactions in stimulating learning environments to promote children’s growth and development.
  • National resources about Family Child Care – A website from the Child Care Technical Assistance Network.
  • Run Your Child Care: Business Essentials –  A website, by ChildCare Aware, that offers a variety of resources for child care providers. “In addition to caring for children, child care providers need to manage budgets, marketing, staffing and other aspects of operating a small business.”
  • Tom Copeland Taking Care of Business Blog. (2011). Retrieved from http://tomcopelandblog.com

Updated: 03/21/2023

Maine Department of Health and Human ServicesFunding for the 2011 update of the Growing Ideas Resources for Guiding Early Childhood Practices has been provided by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Child and Family Services, Early Childhood Division.