SPARK Learning Lab is excited to offer the All Our Kin Business Series specifically for Family Child Care Home providers!
Timeline
| Week | Topic | Modality | Time |
| 1 | Class 0: Technology Class 1: Introduction Class 2: Marketing | In person | Saturday 9:00a – 2:30p |
| 2 | Class 3: Contracts | Virtual | Tuesday 12:00p – 2:30p or Thursday 6:00p – 8:30p |
| 3 | Class 4: Handbooks | Virtual | Tuesday 12:00p – 2:30p or Thursday 6:00p – 8:30p |
| 4 | Class 5: Risk Management | Virtual | Tuesday 12:00p – 2:30p or Thursday 6:00p – 8:30p |
| 5 | BREAK | n/a | n/a |
| 6 | Class 6: Time/Space Percentage | Virtual | Tuesday 12:00p – 2:30p or Thursday 6:00p – 8:30p |
| 7 | Class 7: Income and Expense | Virtual | Tuesday 12:00p – 2:30p or Thursday 6:00p – 8:30p |
| 8 | Class 8: Financial Management | VIrtual | Tuesday 12:00p – 2:30p or Thursday 6:00p – 8:30p |
| 9 | Class 9: Record KeepingClass 10: Graduation | In person | Saturday 10:00a – 1:00p |
OVERVIEW
Session 1: Introduction to the Business Series
Participants will practice using technology, introduce themselves to each other and participate in a team-building icebreaker. The instructor will then review the learning objectives and logistics of the business series, before leading a brainstorm of classroom agreements. Participants will break out into groups to develop a personal goal for participation in the series.
Session 2: Marketing Your Business
Participants will engage in an activity to understand the differences and connections between features and benefits, while defining their own competitive advantage. They will then explore best practices and creative ideas for marketing before beginning to develop a sales pitch for their family child care home business.
Session 3: Writing Your Contracts
Participants will learn best practices for specific contract terms and decide how important each term is to them and their business. The instructor will then lead an introduction to effective contract communication.
Session 4: Policy Handbook & Communication
Participants will review policy handbook content and do role play to practice communicating this information about their program with new clients. They will then practice best practices for phone calls, tours, enrollment folders and long-term partnerships with families.
Session 5: Risk Management & Emergency Preparedness
Participants will discuss the risks of running a child care program, learn the value of creating a risk management plan and brainstorm how to prepare for a variety of risky situations. They will also learn the most important elements of comprehensive business liability insurance.
Session 6: Time-Space Percentage
Participants will review the purpose and meaning of the Time-Space Percentage and play a Bingo-style game for a fun way to review the math concept of percentages. The instructor will then lead an interactive demonstration of calculating a Time-Space Percentage for an example provider before participants split into groups to practice applying the Time-Space percentage skills learned in class.
Session 7: Income and Expense
Participants will review the function of a cash flow statement, identify the importance of budgeting and learn to project income and expenses for a base budget. They will also brainstorm common obstacles to building savings and strategies to meet their savings goals.
Session 8: Financial Management
Participants will review the function of a cash flow statement, identify the importance of budgeting and learn to project income and expenses for a base budget. They will also brainstorm common obstacles to building savings and strategies to meet their savings goals.
Session 9: Recordkeeping & Taxes
Participants will learn about and reflect on business recordkeeping best practices. The class will then discuss strategies to use and questions to ask when looking for a quality tax preparer.
Session 10: Graduation
In this final time together as a class, participants will share and reflect as a large group what they have learned, goals they have met and what goals they still have for themselves and their family child care business. The second part of this class will be all about celebrating the hard work and dedication that participants have put into growing as a professional family child care provider!
Interested in SPARK bringing this series to your area? Fill out the form below to let us know!
