After-school child care for a job?

Question

I am in college full time to get my teaching certification. I love kids, and I love to work with them. All growing up I babysat, and then I worked at my church nursery through highschool. The other day my Grandmother suggested yesterday that I have my own afterschool program where I teach children etiquette, lets say 10 kids, for two hours at a time, about four days a week. Is there any sort of certification I may need in Texas?

Answer 1

OK, the advice you have gotten so far is great. I agree that there is probably no etiquette licensure, and certainly a google search could clear that up. Yes, this is probably a program that would need to be licensed as childcare in Texas, especially if the kids are under age 12. A call to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services in your area (talk to someone in Child Care Licensing about your plan; they will tell you if you need to be licensed, and if so, how.

I do have a couple of other comments for you. Like I said, you didn't say what ages you plan to work with, and you may have some other options to you depending on the age. You said you've worked with your church nursery. If you offered these classes through your church, they could give you a facility, and the whole licensing issue could not matter. Also, some daycare facilities like to have other people come in and offer program; parents like this, too. For example, at a daycare I use to run, I had a computer class come in once a week and a dance/exercise teacher come in once a week. Parents paid extra for this service, so only the kids who signed up got the special program. But in the summertime, I would add the fees to all the schoolagers tuition hike for full-day program and let everyone participate. You could contact some childcare facilities in your area and see if you could do your idea like that - as a vendor or special program. The daycares will need to run a background check on you at the very least. And if you had CPR/1st aid training, it could help.

By the way - fantastic business idea. Good luck!

Answer 2

Chances are that you will have to go through legal hoops,which can cost A LOT of time and money if you consider yourself to be providing "childcare." This would include already having at least a Bachelor's or even a Master's degree in childhood education.

Don't be discouraged as of yet. Check with your local park district or even a local Boys & Girls club to see about offering a class on etiquette. Often times the faciliites can provide basic necessities that you may need for the class. Or you can request a fee for each participant so that you can get the materials, as well as providing additional materials for your students. You can also check with your local church to see if they would be able to provide facilities for you for free or low cost.

What about schools that you've done your "in-feild" work for..or will be doing? You might be able to work out something with one of the other instructors and school personal to offer the after-school class, especially if it's part of an after-school "latch-key" program.

Good luck!
Janet

Answer 3

If you are in college in your department ask the advisors about this. They are usually very knowledgeable about these things. To be arround children and having your own day care program or after school program, you must have a CDA (child development associate) certification. You can obtain that during your university degrees. Or you could ask your local Head Start program that youre interested in a CDA.
You also must be certified in First AID and CPA. You must also provide a food handlers permit in case you want to serve these children meals.

Otherwise, go to your local state agency's they can tell you all that. I worked for head start and I almost finished my CDA.

Answer 4

Would this be considered "child care" - you may need to have a license, etc. Check with your local licensing agency.

Would this be an after school activity (like the chess club, soccer, homework club and so on)? Then you would probably just have to rent the space from the school and provide the service.

Answer 5

I don't think there's such thing as an etiquette certification. You could put classified ads in the service section of newspapers and websites like craigslist. Explain the service you're offering and have references ready for parents who contact you.