HOW TO START A DAYCARE BUSINESS IN KENYA

 

HOW TO START A DAYCARE BUSINESS

Kenyans have watched unfolding horror stories on TV as house helps and nannies abuse or even kidnap little children who are left in their care.

Some toddlers have been sexually abused and in some isolated cases, some have lost their lives.

Many urban families in Kenya have working parents who leave their homes as early as 5.30am and get back home as late as 7.30pm, thanks to endless traffic holdups on our roads, especially in major urban centres such as Nairobi and Mombasa.

As a family with young children, you might decide that the mother becomes a stay-at-home mum so that she is available to take care of your children. 

Many women fear the idea of not having a source of income and I don’t encourage that either. I encourage stay-at-home mums to explore ways to earn income from home.

There are many different ways that a stay-at-home mum can earn income from home working online, thanks to technology. 

There are also offline businesses that a stay-at-home mother can do from home.

I would like to explore the possibility of earning income from home by turning part of the space in your house into a play centre for little children and toddlers or renting out space somewhere else and starting your own day care business. 

You can provide childcare solutions for busy mothers and earn income in the process. This is a great way for a stay-at-home mum to get started in business.

*Understand the Basics of the Daycare Business*

Although the daycare business is like any other business, it requires special attention as you will mostly deal with little children. 

You need to have the love for children, have basic knowledge of early childhood development, CPR, know the signs of common childhood illness, and First Aid skills. 

Additionally, you will need to know the types of daycare to choose where to specialize.

*Types of Daycare*

Daycare centers are categorized based on age groups of children, working hours and location.

*Restricted age-limit daycare centers:* These are daycares where they limit certain age groups. In most cases, they only accept younger children, since they are easier to handle

*Free-age daycares:* Children of all age groups can be enrolled

*Daycares based on location:* They are categorized into two;

1. Group daycare centers. They are run by professionals and are usually licensed.

2. Home daycare centers. They are run from homes and are often unlicensed.

*Find an Excellent Daycare Center Location*

An excellent location is vital for the success of a daycare. You can operate the daycare from a rental space or your home. Whichever choice you make, make sure that the location is safe for children.

A daycare facility should be spacious where children can play. If you are renting out space, you will need to consider rental costs. 

A spacious house costs around Ksh.5,000 per month in rural areas and between Ksh.20,000 and Ksh.50,000 in urban areas.

*Write a Daycare Business Plan in Kenya*

A business plan is essential for your daycare business. You will need to state your mission statement, budget, marketing strategy, how and when to hire staff, your pricing, and how you intend to expand. 

You opt to hire a professional to write a daycare business plan for you.

*Raise Startup Capital*

It is best to start small and expand over time. Startup costs for daycare center vary depending on the number of children you want to enroll and the type of facilities you intend to install. 

However, with Ksh.100,000, you can purchase basic equipment and pay for licenses.

*Acquire the Necessary Daycare Business Licenses and Insurance*

When parents are choosing a daycare facility to enroll their children, they check if your business is licensed and insured. A licensed and insured daycare implies that it is safe for children.

*A Liability Insurance cover* is ideal for a daycare business to protect children, staff, and daycare facilities. You will also need the following business licenses to operate your business legally.

*A single Business Permit.* Obtain a single business permit from your county government. Its cost vary from one county to the other, but it ranges between Ksh.4, 000 and Ksh.15,000.

*Fire Safety Certificate.* Fire inspectors need to inspect if there are fire safety equipment like fire extinguishers in your daycare center. Some activities that take place in a daycare, like cooking can cause fires. In case of fire accidents, you should be in a position to control the fire. 

The license will cost around Ksh.3,000.

*A Public Health Certificate.* Daycare centers enroll children from different backgrounds. They need to maintain high levels of cleanliness from personal hygiene to environmental cleanliness. 

A public health officer will be sent to inspect your premises to ascertain that the place meets the hygiene requirements and safe for kids. If you meet the requirements, you will be issued with a public health license. 

The license costs about Ksh.3,000 every year.

*Cost of Starting a Daycare Center in Kenya*

The cost of starting daycare center in Kenya depends with your business size and equipment you want to equip it with. 

If you have a strained budget, you can rent a premises to avoid high startup costs of building structures. 

This way, you can even start a small daycare center with between Ksh.50,000 and Ksh.100,000.

*Requirements for Starting a Daycare in Kenya*

Upon acquiring the relevant licenses and permits, you need to prepare your daycare premises to start operations. 

The environment should be child-friendly and as such, you need to stuff that children can play with. Your budget will determine the items to buy.

The following are day care centre requirements in Kenya:

*Furniture like small plastic chairs, stools, chalkboard, tables, and nap mats.

*Toys such as ribbons, dolls, puzzles, stuffed animals, watercolours, and paint.

*Educational materials like charts and storybooks.

*Appliances like kitchenware.

*Playground material such as bouncing castles and trampolines.

*Determine Your Pricing*

When it comes to pricing, consider your rental fees, staff salaries, and children activities you will be offering at the daycare facility. 

The pricing can also be determined by kind of daycare it is. 

High end daycare centers are mostly located in high-income neighborhoods. Most of them charge between Ksh.500 and Ksh.2,000 per child per day. 

Mid-level daycare centers charge between Ksh.200 and Ksh.1,000 per child per day. 

Low-end daycare centers charge between Ksh.20 and Ksh.200 per child per day.