A key part of a successful childcare center is having successful partnerships with both families and your community. Educational Consultant, Dani Christine, recently joined Kangarootime and MyVillage for a virtual event to walk you through building partnerships in your community. Dani is an owner herself with three childcare centers in Long Island, NY. She discusses what she’s done in the past that was successful for her and resulted in growing her centers.
When you connect to families and your community, you build trust and improve your center’s reputation. You’re also exposed to a wider range of prospective families and can increase the number of referrals you receive. All of this results in a growing and thriving center. Keep reading to learn more about building and improving partnerships with families and your community at your childcare center.
How to Build and Improve Partnerships
Community Partnerships
Sponsor Local Events
Building community partnerships starts with giving back to your community. Try sponsoring local events like back to school fairs, parties, fundraisers, parents nights in schools, etc. Research local events coming up in your town and reach out to see if you can sponsor. Be sure to bring a table to the event with information on your center, enrollment forms, and giveaway prizes if you’re able.
Donate and Volunteer
Hosting a toy, food, or clothing drive is a great way to give back while teaming up with local organizations. It’s also a great way to get your staff, families, and children involved. These are easy to orchestrate and can have a huge impact on your center and the community.
Take Field Trips
Get more involved by taking the children on field trips to community events and local organizations. This teaches children about the neighborhood, allows them to learn new things, and exposes potential new partners to your business.
Advocate
Advocate for childcare in your community by going to local meetings and getting involved in decision making. You can also join your local schools’ PTA even if you’re not a parent to get exposure within the school system.
Parent Partnerships
Create a Parent Interview Panel
Help parents feel more connected to your school by starting a parent interview panel. This gets parents involved in the recruiting and interviewing process for new hires. They’ll feel appreciated and respected knowing their input has an impact on their child’s experience. They also become more comfortable and confident with the teachers while offering a unique perspective on candidates.
Host Workshops and Trainings
Bring parents into your center by offering training and workshops on a variety of topics. These could include health and wellness, money management, job hunting, child safety, COVID-19 vaccinations and more. You can also offer important trainings, like CPR, to keep your parents informed on child safety.
Give Back
If your parents are actively involved in and bringing value to your center, it’s important to give back. You can give out special awards, thank them with referral fees, and offer discounts.
Hold Parent Events
Give parents the opportunity to be more involved in your program by offering events like open houses, parent nights, meet and greets, etc. You can also encourage parents to get involved during holidays or their child’s birthday by bringing in fun treats or activities.
Kangarootime is the leading all-in-one childcare management software for daycares and preschools. With billing and invoicing capabilities, parent communication and staff management tools and classroom automation, Kangarootime helps childcare centers grow and scale. To learn more about optimizing your center with Kangarootime, visit kangarootime.com
