What Are The Benefits To Being Licensed?

[Mrs. CC]

In Ohio I only have to license if I have over 6 children. I am at home and have my own 2 kids and usually one or two other children. I have had 3 or 4 if drop ins come, but that is all I have for now.

I read the posts on here and am amazed at the number of children some of you manage each day. I know not everyone here is in their home. I know that some are in their homes but with dedicated space just for daycare so more like a home center.

I have been trying to figure out why someone like me would license themselves since it isn't required. All I can figure by reading online is that then I would be allowed to have up to 18 kids at a time. Since I NEVER want that, I don't think licensing is in my future.

Am I missing something? Are there other reasons/benefits?

[sharlan]

In CA it's is required by law. The fine can be something like $200 a day.

[Mrs. CC]

In CA it's is required by law. The fine can be something like $200 a day.

Ouch! That would be a motivator!

I moved to OH from AZ almost 2 years ago. There are many things in OH which seem more conducive to at home businesses.

Is licensing hard in CA or do they make it manageable due to making it a requirement?

[lil angels]

You can get on the food program so you get more money for meals. And just the benefit of telling parents that you are doing things by the book of being lisenced.

[dEHmom]

I could be wrong, but I think the up to 18 kids is for centers or even home centers where multiple people are licensed to care for children in one place. Where I come from our limits are as follows :
1 person unlicensed can care for 4 including own children up to age 12.
1 person licensed can care for 8 children including own up to age 12
2 people licensed can care for 12 children including own up to age 12.

It varies alot state by state.

I never considered licensing because it's much more work, and 8 kids is a lot. However, they specifically asked me to become licensed because of a lack of licensed childcare homes where I am.

benefits to me becoming licensed:
-more income
-can offer subsidy (90-95% of people want some form of subsidy)
-grants

Those are the only benefits I feel to being licensed. If it wasn't so hard to find people who don't want subsidy, then I would pull in more money on 4 kids a month then licensed, not including the grants. However, I have 3 kids of my own, and they will always hold those 3 spots. So being licensed I am allowed to have 5 other kids.

[small_steps]

In Texas we have to be licensed or registered to be able to accept childcare subsidies and to also participate in the food program. I'm licensed because I need to keep at least 7-8 children to make ends meet (single mom). I always thought being licensed would make parents feel better about putting their child here and it does make a difference to some but not to most.
They are coming down on unlicensed and unregistered child care homes in Texas at this time.

[Blackcat31]

Where I live, a provider MUST be licensed to watch any more than one family (1-100 kids) so there would be no money in watching one family's children unless they really did have a lot of kids.

Both licensed and unlicensed providers can receive payments from the subsidy program however, the program pays more to licensed providers than unlicensed.

[Cat Herder]

It became required by law, here, once you take in a third child for pay, related or not.

TCC "Child Development Specialist" or CDA Mandatory, and we can only keep 6, legally, as well.

[Unregistered]

In Ohio I only have to license if I have over 6 children. I am at home and have my own 2 kids and usually one or two other children. I have had 3 or 4 if drop ins come, but that is all I have for now.

I read the posts on here and am amazed at the number of children some of you manage each day. I know not everyone here is in their home. I know that some are in their homes but with dedicated space just for daycare so more like a home center.

I have been trying to figure out why someone like me would license themselves since it isn't required. All I can figure by reading online is that then I would be allowed to have up to 18 kids at a time. Since I NEVER want that, I don't think licensing is in my future.

Am I missing something? Are there other reasons/benefits?

Lets see, you get to pay taxes..make sure you have at least 2 tax kids..You are subjected to surprise inspections that can last hours by the state. They will set the guidelines of your daycare, not you!

You can be written up for reeeally stupid stuff, and this gives parents more information and rights to report you versus non licensed. People who are nonlicensed who get reported, usually just get a letter in the mail and you fill it out and send it back. Usually thats it. Worst case senerio they drop a few if they are over, and pick them up later on.

When you're licensed many guidelines probably written by geeks who never really spent years working with children like most of us.

Your state is pretty generous, that would be about all the kids I would want myself; actually not even that many.

[Mrs. CC]

You can get on the food program so you get more money for meals. And just the benefit of telling parents that you are doing things by the book of being lisenced.

In OH you can be on the Food Program without being licensed. At least that is what my sponsor told me. I will double check with her this afternoon when she visits.

And I am "doing it by the book" because in OH the book says no license needed until 6+ kids.

I didn't think about the subsidy issue, I have been trying to help one of my DCMs by encouraging her to look into subsidy but she says she doesn't want to take the time.

[Blackcat31]

Lets see, you get to pay taxes..make sure you have at least 2 tax kids..You are subjected to surprise inspections that can last hours by the state. They will set the guidelines of your daycare, not you!

You can be written up for reeeally stupid stuff, and this gives parents more information and rights to report you versus non licensed. People who are nonlicensed who get reported, usually just get a letter in the mail and you fill it out and send it back. Usually thats it. Worst case senerio they drop a few if they are over, and pick them up later on.

When you're licensed many guidelines probably written by geeks who never really spent years working with children like most of us.

Your state is pretty generous, that would be about all the kids I would want myself; actually not even that many.

So you don't pay your taxes if you're not licensed?? :confused:

Um, I think legally you are required to pay taxes on your income whether you are licensed or not.

[Mrs. CC]

So you don't pay your taxes if you're not licensed?? :confused:

Um, I think legally you are required to pay taxes on your income whether you are licensed or not.

I have an EIN and pay taxes and provide the paperwork for my parents for claiming purposes.

[SilverSabre25]

I'm in OH, too.

Ability to take up to 12 children (4 under 2) but you must have an assistant, referrals from the ODJFS and/or similar agencies, ability to be on the food program, ability to take Title 20 (state pay) clients...all of which are "6 of one, half dozen if another" type benefits IMO.

Depending on your county you may not be able to be a Type A home--mine (Franklin) does not license Type A.

[Mrs. CC]

To clarify, I am not licenses but I AM legal. Very different things

[Blackcat31]

I have an EIN and pay taxes and provide the paperwork for my parents for claiming purposes.

Oh hun I didn't mean you....I was replying to the unregistered who made the comment seem as if taxes are only paid if you are licensed.