How to Open a Daycare Center in Indiana
- 1). Attend an orientation training program to prepare yourself for the Indiana licensing process. By contacting your local child care resource agency, you can find a local session that will familiarize you with preparing your home for safe, developmentally appropriate child care. These state-mandated sessions will guide you on such issues as First Aid certification and recognizing the signs of child abuse.
- 2). Calculate the number of children you can accommodate in your home. According to Indiana law, you must meet caregiver-to-child ratios that are partially determined by each child's age and how many children are old enough to walk. Any of your own children who are home during the day are counted in these numbers. Before taking in children that exceed these limits, you must hire additional staff.
- 3). Contact your local government to ensure that you meet zoning rules. Local ordinances will vary, but you may need to comply with fire safety code, fencing guidelines, and signage limitations. Indiana state law also requires water quality testing if your water source is a private well.
- 4). Schedule an appointment for a complete physical. Indiana law mandates that you and any other members of the household must receive a complete physical examination to prevent the spread of communicable disease. Annual tuberculosis testing is also required. Any animals living in the home must also receive a clean bill of health, and you must maintain paperwork showing that all rabies vaccines are current.
- 5). Document your center's procedures, and create forms for parents. Under Indiana guidelines, you'll need documentation for everything from quarterly fire drill schedules and evacuation plans to enrollment forms containing emergency contact information and immunization records for each child in your care. You will need to clearly outline your discipline policies and distribute this information to parents.
- 6). Develop lesson plans and daily schedules for each age group. You must provide an array of activities that are age-appropriate and reflect both active and quiet play, indoors and out. If you will be caring for children under 5 years of age, the State of Indiana specifies that the daily schedule must also allow time for naps.
- 7). Purchase items to furnish your center according to state standards. Indiana law requires that you must provide a cot or sleeping bag for any children under the age of 5 years to use for naps. You will also need a Red Cross First Aid Manual and a First Aid kit that includes syrup of ipecac.
- 8). Send your completed application to a licensing consultant and prepare for inspection. At this stage of the process, a state employee will conduct criminal history checks on all caregivers and members of the household. Names will be checked against the state sex offender registry. The licensing consultant will then visit your home during normal business hours to conduct an inspection. If your home passes inspection, a recommendation for licensing will be sent to the Family & Social Services Administration in Indianapolis for approval.
