Client Interviews Part II: First In-Person Interview

There's not one way to skin a cat and I for one have asked many providers for a run through of how their interview process works and taken the "best of" (in my opinion) to create my own client interview process.  The goal is to streamline the process so that I can save time but also cover all important topics in an attempt to "weed out" candidates.  My interview process consists of three parts; 
Part I The First Phone Call, Part II The First In-Person Interview and  Part III a Playdate. 

How I Do It

In my last post I talked about phone interviews and the last "to do" was to invite them back.  So now what?  There's not one way to skin a cat but here's what works for me.

I'd like to start off with a little bit about how I prefer to conduct my interviews.  I for one do not hold the first interview during daycare hours.  There are several reasons for this ...

1. Having interviews after hours (weekends on occasion) while my family is home (my husband, mother or adult sister) makes me feel safer. 
2. Children tend to act out when guests are here which messes up my groove and can leave a bad impression on the potential client.
3. My clients appreciate that I don't conduct interviews during daycare hours. 
4. I don't know them from Adam.  I work alone during the day and there is no way I am welcoming a stranger into my house in a house full of children.
5. My current daycare children don't get the attention and care that they require if I am holding an interview during the day, likewise I feel that the potential client doesn't get the 1 on 1 attention during an interview if I have children to supervise.

Instead I of holding the first in-person interview during a time when I have daycare children present I hold the first (and longer) interview during a time when I'm free and then hold a shorter "play date" at a later date if I feel that the family may be a good fit.

The interview is not just a time for the parents to interview me but also a time for me to interview the family.  I want to see the family dynamics and see how they react when their child's behavior needs to be corrected.  I also want to see how the child behaves around the parents.

Before The Interview

I get everything that I need for the interview prepared before interview time.  This includes cleaning and de-cluttering both inside and outside of my home.

Inside the Home:

• De-clutter surfaces like countertops, tabletops, etc. and dust/wipe
• Clean bathroom; wipe counters and mirrors, swoosh toilet, clean sink, sweep/spot-mop floor, shake out/vacuum rugs and empty waste basket
• Wash dishes and clean kitchen sink
• Check for fingerprints/grime on walls, switch plates, doors etc.
• Pick up and organize toys
• Fluff couch pillows
• Sweep floors and spot-mop
• Vacuum rugs and carpet
• Close the door to any rooms that are not going to be on the "tour"

Back Yard:

• De-clutter surfaces
• Check for obvious cobwebs
• Pick up and organize toys
• Sweep porch/concrete
• Check for hazards and broken toys/equipment (should be doing this daily anyway)
• Check grass and plants for trimming/mowing/raking

Front Yard

• Check for cobwebs
• Wash windows
• Sweep porch/sidewalk
• Check grass and plants for trimming/mowing/raking
• Check decorations to make sure they are straight
• Check flag to make sure it's not rolled up

I also take out my Daycare Binder as well as have two personal copies of my handbook handy and a bulleted list of my policies.  The Daycare Binder has my resume, training and workshop certificates, sample newsletters and TB and background clearances for all of the adults in my home.  The bulleted list of my policies is a brief overview of the policies in order in which they are listed in my handbook and include the page numbers of where they are in the handbook.

Ten minutes or so before the interview I turn the ringer on my house phone and cell phone off and turn off the television/radio.  

During The Interview

Once the family arrives I invite them in and make the formal introductions.  If possible I have everyone living in the home present during the beginning of the interview so that the potential clients can meet them.  For me this includes my husband, mother and three children.  This is important to me because I want the family to meet them so that they know who lives in the home in order to determine whether they feel comfortable with them or not.  I make eye contact, smile and give assertive handshakes to the adults.  Once the formal introductions are made my husband takes the children upstairs or outside so that I can conduct the interview without interruptions. 

I immediately begin by taking control and give the family a tour of the daycare part of my home.  I conduct the tour by explaining what we use the rooms for and point out things that they wouldn't know unless they asked.  Normally my tour takes about 15 minutes because I go over A LOT.  This is my "sales pitch" time.

Here are some brief examples of what I would say (but not everything):

Living Room

"This is our living room and main play space.  As you can see the toys are kept in low bins and organized by type so that the children can access and find toys easily.  A main goal of mine is to promote independence so that is why this is important.  Here we have cubbies.  Each child has their own cubby for their belongings so that they a have their own place to keep their own things.  This space also doubles as our nap space ..."

Kitchen

"Here is the kitchen.  As you can see there is a gate which keeps the children out.  That's for supervision purposes.  If I am in the living room and they go into the kitchen then I can't see them so I put up the gate.  It's just an extra precaution because even if it wasn't up or didn't close properly I don't keep anything dangerous within reach.  Cleaning supplies are kept in a high cabinet, knives and other sharp objects are locked up and the stove knobs are removed any time that it's not being used ..."

Bathroom

"Our bathroom door is kept closed at all times when it's not being used.  We have a child-size flip down toilet seat installed so that the children can use the toilet just like an adult.  It looks just like the adult version which makes them feel more grown-up because they go potty just like mommy and daddy.  The toilet is even slightly lower than traditional toilets for the same reason.  If you ever use the toilet you'll feel the difference (smile).  The children use the step for easy access to the sink and we practice good hand washing skills.  The soap dispenser is hands-free and automatic so that they don't have to touch the container, this reduces contamination.  We have a dispenser with paper towels instead of cloth hand towels to dry our hands for the same reason.  You can see that I have a rack with toothbrushes, that's because we also practice dental hygiene.  We brush our teeth after every major meal like breakfast, lunch and supper, including me, so they each have their own toothbrush which I provide and keep here.  I sanitize them about every 4 weeks or so and replace them every 6 months ..."

After the tour I ask if they have any questions so far and then I tell them that I would like to go over my policies with them.  I always start off with an explanation about why I have the policies and why they are important.  It may sound something like ...

"I'd like to quickly go over my policies now.  This is important because I conduct my daycare a certain way with certain goals in mind so it's important that my clients understand the policies and my philosophy and agree with them because if not then it isn't going to be a good fit, which is okay... I'm just going to go through them briefly so please stop me if you have a question or need me to clarify it further.  If something doesn't work for you please say so, so that we can discuss it, okay?"

I then give a copy of my handbook to each parent to follow along with me and I just go down my bulleted list and explain in my own words what the policies are.  For me this takes about 15 to 25 minutes depending on how many questions they asked.  I do this because I can't tell you how many times that I or other providers have complained that they gave a new client their policies, which they signed, and still they had issues arise later with the client not following them, not understanding them or simply not reading them.

CAUTION!  No matter how much in need you are for a new client never agree to enroll a client on the spot.  At the end of every interview I let the parent know that I have other interviews scheduled and that I will be in contact with them shortly after making my decision... even if I don't really have another interview ... yes, I know.  Sneaky sneaky.

Give yourself at least 24 hours to think about how the interview went and to mull on it.  Once the excitement and nerves have subsided (and c'mon let's face it, we all get at least a little bit nervous) you may think back and realize there were some "red flags" that might become an issue later, or might find another family that's a better fit.

After

By the time the interview is over I have a pretty good feeling about whether or not they are still interested in my daycare and whether or not I think they are a good fit.  If I think they'd fit in nicely and if I get an overall good vibe about them then I'll invite them back for a "playdate". 

Client Interviews Part I: That First Phone Call

There's not one way to skin a cat and I for one have asked many providers for a run through of how their interview process works and taken the "best of" (in my opinion) to create my own client interview process.  The goal is to streamline the process so that I can save time but also cover all important topics in an attempt to "weed out" candidates.  My interview process consists of three parts; 
Part I The First Phone Call, Part II The First In-Person Interview and  Part III a Playdate. 
Here is how I handle calls from potential clients. 

Initial Call

When I get that first initial call from a potential client I have a few things set up beforehand.  The first thing I did was to create a few documents that I could use to help me through the whole interview process like a call-log, a call script, a rate sheet and an in-person log.  These help me keep my interviews in order so that I can keep the details straight.  I keep these all in a simple inexpensive folder that keeps 3-hole punched papers.  I add some page protectors in and slip my documents inside the page protectors so that I can slip then in and out easier if I need to update them and if I want to write notes on them with dry-erase markers.

Phone Interview Call Log

I personalized my call log to include information that I wanted to know when someone made that first contact call to me:

• Caller's name and contact information as well as date of call
• How they heard about my daycare
• Start date, hours of care and days needed
• Child's name(s), age(s), birthday(s)
• Current child care arrangement & reason they're looking for child care
• Parent employer, location (city), work schedule and time worked
• On government subsidy?
• Whether they are on another waiting list
• Whether they have a back-up provider
• What their expectations are for child care
• Interview scheduled with room for date and time
• A section where I can write my own notes

I have this call log in front of me any time that I get a call from someone interested in information about my daycare and because conversations don't always go in order of my call log I jot down information as the caller is giving it to me.  Usually I get most of the information I need without having to ask for it, then I go back and see what information I still need and ask for it. 

Phone Interview Script

Even though I call it a script this is really a checklist of what I need to go over on the phone.  I use the checklist to quickly cover the important aspects of my daycare ... I think of it like my "sales pitch".  I also cover "non-negotiables", which are the things that I provide that I won't under any circumstances make exceptions for.  It's handy so that I don't forget something that may be an issue later. 

• Availability, type and age range
• My fees, how I charge, when they're due, accepted forms of payment
• Hours and location
• General information such as how I require a contract and handbook, meals, type of program I provide etc.
• My non-negotiables

Rate Sheet

I personally have no problem sharing my rates over the phone or posting them on my website.  The reason being that I don't want to waste someone's time going through a phone and in-person interview only to find out at the end that they can't afford my rates.  It also saves me my time.

Because I share my rates on the phone I keep a current rate sheet handy for reference.  I have, in fact, misquoted a client and have given a previous rate because I had forgotten that I had raised my rates a few months prior.  Don't ask me how that happened, but it did.  Now I keep a rate sheet so that I don't make that mistake again. 

Invite Them Back

If the child's age and child care schedule fits in with what I can provide I then invite the caller for an in-person interview.

CA Car Safety Seat Law

Changes

 

There seems to be a lot of confusion from providers that I know about the newer California car safety seat laws so here they are, plain and simple.

 

Children under the age of 8 years old must be properly buckled into a car seat or booster in the back seat.

 

Children over the age of 8 years old, or who are 4'9" or taller, can use the car's regular seat belt if it fits properly with the lap belt low on the child's hips, touching the upper thighs, and if the shoulder belt crosses the center of the child's chest.  If the child is not tall enough for the seat belt to fit properly then the child must ride in a booster or car seat regardless of the child's age or height. 

 

Of course everyone in the car must be buckled up properly.  California is getting pretty stiff when it comes to children in cars and for every child that is 16 years old or younger who isn't properly secured in a car, parents (if they are in the car) or drivers can be fined at least $475 per child and get a point on their driver's record. 

 

Don't get a ticket!  If you transport the children and your clients forget or don't want to leave a car seat or booster with you at daycare you can just go out and buy one to keep for yourself.  Booster seats are as little as $15 now for the backless versions and the high-back booster seats run as little as $20 in some places.  Car seats run more but $100 for a car seat sounds better than $475 and an increase in your car insurance premium. 

Setting Up Recurring Invoices in MMK Pro

Recurring Invoices

Okay so I have to admit, I had a hard time understanding how to set-up recurring invoices in Minute Menu Kids Pro.  After a little snooping around and with the help of a very helpful forum member on the Daycare.com Forum here's the scoop on how to get it to work for you.  

To get to the recurring invoice section in MMK Pro from the main menu:

Accounting>Bill Parent's and Record Payments>Recurring Invoices.

Click on the parent that you want to create a recurring invoice for (sorry, you can only choose one parent for each child) and click the Setup button.  Now choose how often you want to automatically create an invoice (weekly, every other week, monthly, twice per month) and click Next.

*For the purposes of this explanation we will assume that we are creating weekly invoices. 

Here's where it got confusing for me.  The next screen should look like a calendar like shown in the screenshot below.  Near the top it says "What date do you want to start automatically creating invoices?"  This date should be the day before your payment due date for your family.  For example if your payment due date is Friday then the invoice creation date should be on a Thursday. 

Once you set your date the star on the calendar will reflect what date the invoice will be created on and the following day will say "Money Withdrawn from Parent".  Make sure that these days are correct.  The next step is to get the black ribbon with the arrows to reflect the dates that the invoice will cover.  

If you provide child care service first and require payment at the end of the week then you will want to left click on the Sunday before the invoice is created.  Your screen should then look like this:

If you are like me and require payments before you provide child care then you will want to left click on the Sunday following after the invoice is created.  Your screen should then look like this:

The next screen is where you will select the child(ren) you want to apply to this invoice.  You can choose to only add one child or several children (such as siblings) but you can only choose one parent to invoice.  Select the child(ren) and click Next.   If you have filled out the child's information beforehand then the amount to bill weekly will already be filled out.  Check it and make sure it is correct.  This amount will be invoiced each week.  

The last step is where you can add notes.  Whatever you type in this section will show up on all invoices created after this point.  When you are finished you can click Done and that's it!  You are done.  I hope this helps someone as much as it has helped me.  

Children Left Unattended in Vehicles

From the Department of Social Services

Making safety a part of your daily routine can be the difference between life and death for a child in your care. Fifteen children in the United States have already died in 2012 due to heat strokes after being left unattended in vehicles. Leaving a child inside a vehicle with the windows rolled up - even a few minutes – can have deadly consequences.

A recent study conducted by the American Academy of Pediatrics showed that in just one hour, vehicle temperatures can reach up to 117 degrees Fahrenheit even though it is only 72 degrees outside. That same study reported that cars with cracked windows can still result in temperatures rising 19 degrees in just 10 minutes.

A reminder to child care providers:

Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle. California Code of Regulations, Title 22, Section 102417(k) (2) for Family Child Care Homes, prohibits children from being left in parked cars.

Make it part of your everyday routine to account for all children in your care.

• Always make a habit of looking in the vehicle, front and back, before locking the door and walking away.
• Do things to serve as a reminder that a child is in the vehicle, such as placing a purse or briefcase in the back seat to ensure no child is accidentally left in the vehicle. Writing a note or using a stuffed animal placed in the driver’s view to indicate a child is in the car seat.

Visit the (DMV) website to view the Prohibition Against Unattended Child in Vehicle Act (also known as "Kaitlyn's Law") incorporated into the California Vehicle Code (Division 6.7). This law makes it an infraction punishable by a fine of $100.00 for a parent, guardian or other person responsible for a child 6 years of age or younger, to leave the child in their care in a motor vehicle without supervision.

Eco Healthy Child Care: Pesticides

Don't Bug Me

From Eco Healthy Child Care

 

A pesticide is anything used inside or outside to prevent, control, repel, or kill insects, plants and other pests. The main concern is children’s exposure to pesticides that contain harmful chemicals. Many chemical pesticides can spread through the air when they are sprayed, and then seep into the soil and water.

 

It's important that child care centers and homes are free of chemical pesticides.  Even low levels of some pesticide exposure are a threat to young developing bodies. Many pesticides take a very long time to break down. They persist indoors for weeks on furniture, toys and other surfaces and can persist for years on household dust. Research indicates that levels of pesticides in indoor air are often ten times higher than those measured in outdoor air.

 

Usually there are non-chemical solutions that work just as well as pesticides:

• Clean up food and drink spills immediately (Pests need food to survive)

• Fix water leaks (pests need water to survive)

• Seal cracks and holes (insect entrances)

• Use environmentally friendly strategies to deter pests

• Keep trash in a closed container and remove frequently

• Maintain healthy soil to deter weeds and eliminate habitats favorable to pests (remove standing water)

For more info visit: http://www.oeconline.org/

Keys To A Great Book Center

Quality Reading

Ever look at your selection of books and wonder whether you have a quality book center available to the children? You may have a huge assortment of books but you may find that it’s not balanced or you may not be providing enough of some types of books. You may wonder whether your selection is enough or well equipped. We have some simple tips based on the Family Child Care Environmental Rating Scale (FCCERS-R) to help you determine whether or not your reading area meets the standards for quality.

 

You should have a minimum of twelve appropriate books for each child’s age range in your child care program (infants, toddlers, preschool and school-age) or at least a minimum of two books per child if you have more than 7 children in any age group. These books should be easily accessible to the children, as in they must be able to get to them without any help. 

 

 Infant books can be put in baskets on the floor, on low shelves where they can reach them or can be placed near enough to them that they can reach them.  Non-mobile infants can have fabric, vinyl and/or board books placed within reach.  

 

Toddlers and older children should easily be able to reach their books but their books should be out of reach of infants to prevent the books from being mouthed and becoming torn or damaged which can create a safety issue for your infants.  You can also simply supervise your mobile infants very well and keep them away from the books with paper pages. 

 

All books should be in reasonably good repair with no torn or missing covers or pages, no scribbles and not chewed on.  You can teach the children about taking care of the books, the proper way to use the books and explain what happens when the books are mistreated ... they get damaged and we can't read them anymore!  Doing this each time you welcome a new child and reminding the children about how to care for the books every few months will make it routine and eventually even the toddlers will pick up on it and you'll be able to do less supervision in the book area.

 

Your selection should have 3-5 examples from each category available:

• Fantasy (fiction)
• Non-Fiction (factual books with realistic pictures about animals, plants, real life experiences, familiar objects, routines etc.)
• People (different races, ages, gender)
• Realistic books about animals and their homes with realistic pictures
• Books about science (five senses, human body, nature etc.)
• Multicultural books (historical/contemporary people of different races/cultures, books in other languages etc.)
• Different abilities (eyeglasses, hearing aids, wheelchair, crutches etc.).

Keep in mind that this does not mean that you have to have 3-5 books from each category, only that there should be 3-5 examples of each in your library.  One book could include several categories. 

 

For example: "Be Quiet Marina!" (one of my favorites, and not just because it includes my name in the title) is a book about two  real children, each with a different special need, and how they worked through their differences to create a great friendship.  This book is non-fiction, is about young girl children (people) and shows children with different abilities (one girl has down syndrome and the other has cerebral palsy).  You just provided 1 example of 3 categories with one book.

 

You should also have extra books which you can use to rotate your library so that the children do not become disinterested in your book center. Your book center should be inviting and away from high traffic areas and other active centers. Add comfortable child size furniture or pillows and cushions so that the children can relax and rest peacefully. Give your book center a special name to help the children identify the center. “The Library”, “Reading Center”, “Quiet Center” or “Book Nook” all give the center a name which describes the purpose of the center. Once you have followed these simple tips you can be assured that your book center meets the standards of quality.

 

 

*Infants: 0-12 months, Toddlers: 12-30 months, Preschool 30 months to Kindergarten, School-age: 1st grade and older.