How To Start A Crèche At Home

Opening a crèche from your house may appear to be a simple idea, but there are a few things to consider before doing so. It is a wonderful step to take to want to work with young children and assist them in their early development as well as prepare them for their first day of school.

 

We will provide information on the following topics on how to start a crèche at home – the proper way:

 

  1. Registration
  2. Funds
  3. Your Capability
  4. Well-being Of The Children
  5. The Workspace
  6. Marketing
  7. Legality 

1. Registration

In the first section, we will be looking at the registration of your crèche.


Does A Crèche Have To Be Registered?

Yes, when you want to open a crèche from your home, you will need to register with the Department of Social Development. Along with registering your crèche, you will need to comply with the ECD requirements or Early Childhood development requirements


What Documents Will I Need To Register?

These are the documents you will need to register your crèche:

 

  • Form 11 you can collect from a municipal office
  • Your ID number
  • Your contact details and address
  • The address where your crèche will be
  • Your qualifications
  • Your work experiences
  • A detailed business plan of your crèche
  • The building plans of your crèche, or in this case, your home

2. Funds

In the second section, we will be looking at how you will be funding your crèche.


How Do I Acquire Funds To Open A Crèche?

There are several methods for obtaining funds to open a crèche. Among these methods are:

 

  • Make use of your savings
  • Take out a bank loan
  • Ask for help from relatives and friends
  • Use government ECD funding

What Is The ECD Fund?

ECD Funding is a government funding scheme specifically created to assist people who want to open a fully functional and registered crèche, but do not have the immediate funds to do so. To qualify for this grant, you must meet the standards and demonstrate a true financial necessity to start your crèche.

3. Your Capability

The third section will cover how you, as the owner of the crèche, are capable of doing your job to the best of your abilities.


Do You Require A Qualification To Open A Crèche?

Yes, doing a course in Educare or child development will provide you with the skills and knowledge you need to work effectively with children. It will also help you appear more trustworthy to parents looking for a dependable professional to care for their children.


Do I Require Any Experience To Open A Crèche?

Yes, parents will not leave their children with someone who has never worked with children before. If you have previous work experience at another crèche or at a school, it is good to mention this to your clients. You will also have acquired a wide range of skills that someone with little or no experience will not have.

4. Well-being Of The Children

The fourth section will look at some of the ways you may make your crèche as child-friendly as possible.


How To Choose The Right Employees To Work With Children?

You should hire employees who have a qualification in working with children or who have worked in a crèche or school. Employees must also have a love and passion for working with children, because no one wants to hire someone who does not enjoy their job.


What Activities Should I Do With The Children?

Here are some things you may do with the kids to keep them occupied while also developing their cognitive and motor skills:

 

  • Singing Nursery Rhymes
  • Dancing To Music
  • Colouring Pictures
  • Arts And Crafts
  • Reading Stories To The Children

Is First Aid Important In A Crèche?

First aid is essential to have in a crèche. This is because anything can happen to children when they need medical attention, such as scraping a knee and needing a bandage or cough syrup for a child who has a cold. 

 

A first aid kit should only be used when minor injuries or health issues are being treated. When a major accident occurs, you should inform the child’s parents and go to the nearest hospital.

5. The Workspace

The fifth section will be looking at how the workplace can be optimised to its maximum potential.


What Are Some Resources And Equipment My Crèche Should Have?

In your workspace, you will need to think about buying resources for the children to use, such as colouring books, crayons, paints, books, and blocks. These are things that need to help stimulate the minds of the children and be used in learning activities.

 

Different sorts of equipment, such as a television for the children to watch movies or safety equipment to childproof your house, can also be purchased.


How Big Should My Crèche Be?

Your crèche should be large enough to accommodate the number of children you intend to care for. That refers to a large enough area for the following purposes:

 

  • A play area on the inside and the outside
  • A kitchen to prepare and warm up the food
  • There should be an area for the children to do their learning activities
  • A special napping space for the small children
  • A secure sleeping area for the newborns
  • A restroom for the children and staff

Only if your house is big enough for all of these facilities, will you b

6. Marketing

The sixth section will be covering how you can market your crèche.


How Can I Market My Crèche?

Since your crèche will most likely only house a small number of children in a certain area, you will not be marketing your business all over the country. You should only market your crèche to places in your area, which makes dropping off and picking up children much easier. 

 

Begin by creating a social media profile to market your business, or spread the word about your crèche by word of mouth. These approaches are also convenient because they are free to use.

7. Legality

The seventh and final section will be exploring some legal aspects of your business.


Should I Have A Contract With My Clients?

Yes, you should. This is a formal agreement between you and the parents so that if something unusual happens, you will know how to handle the situation. The following information should be included in the contract:

 

  • What are the opening hours for looking after the children?
  • What will your monthly costs be?
  • What happens if a kid becomes ill at the crèche?
  • Do the parents need to provide essentials with the child to the crèche such as nappies, formula milk or wet wipes?
  • What will be the procedure for late payments?

Author: Esmari Pool
Editor: Megan Dreyer
Published Date: November 3, 2022

41 thoughts on “How To Start A Crèche At Home”

    1. kind greetings
      I will also like to open a crech but not at home ..my problem is that I don’t have funds and I haven’t completed my teaching degree and I’m not doing foundation phase at unisa I’m doing intermediate and senior phase but since I’m an assistant teacher at creche I’m inlove ..please help

          1. I am a qualified educator now HOD for language want to open a cretch at home. Have space but No Funds. Please help

    2. Bridget Mahamo

      i would like to open a creche at my home,but dnt have enough funds to build two rooms and toilets.other equipments such as playing toys and stationery and food

      1. Lindiwe Mkhwanazi

        i think you can start by using just one room and use your toilet at home.then buy food out of your pocket by the time you have 5 kids maybe then you take half of that money to buy building material and the other will follow 🙏

  1. Peter Ochieng Ayoo

    Hello am Peter Ayoo, from Kenya teacher by profession and willing to start an ECD center in my home country Kenya but luck funds and other learning resources

    1. Mavis Tlou Hlahla

      Good afternoon, I have a place to start my own creche and also have studying with Jeppe for Educare, problem is I don’t have Funds

    1. I want to open creche and I have a level 4 ECD certification. I have got a place but I don’t have a building yet so I need a help. pls anyone or a company would found it with money to start the business.

  2. Dear Sir/ Madam
    I would like to have my own crèche in rural villages where I would like to ensure that children get the best education in their most crucial years, am studying ECD and am working at a private School where I fell in love with children.
    The thing is I don’t have money to fund my business but I have a place whereby I can build up my crèche.
    Thank you in advance

  3. I’m interested in opening a day care since our place doesn’t have one.our kid’s has to go far, I’m currently working in hospital in pediatric and Neonatal ICU as a care worker

    1. I interested in opening a day crech in our area I am working at a public hospital in pediatric ward as an auxiliary nurse. I have first aid and firefighter course business managent with enterpreurship I did hospitality and worked as a waitress long ago also did basic ambulance assistant specialized with cpr I am interested in opening up a small business pls help me

  4. I am doing my First year in Education with the goal to open up my own ECD when I get my qualification..
    I want to get as much information as I can and need so that I can be well informed when the time comes

  5. Good day.
    trust this messege will find you well.

    i am keen to open my own Daycare centre. I have obtained the N4, and registered for N5 currently, with the passion of owning my own centre. is it possible to operate with N4 and N5, nor shuld I have to study up to a degree?. my aim is to rent a town house. what are the cost entail?

  6. I’m Charlotte..I’m interested in opening a creche at a rural area I did Educate N4-N6,can I open it with that?

  7. Sello Charlotte

    Hi ,I’m Charlotte setautsi I opened my crech 2021 but I didn’t register n I want to register so can u help me to register it?

    1. Hi I am currently busy with my N3 ECD study and have also finished doing myN4 child and youth care diploma. I would like to start a creche at home but living in a shenty settlements. I don’t have funds but love to work with children and currently now I am working at a creche.

  8. Ruth Sophia Jacobs

    Hi iam working 17 years at a Educare centre got my level 4 computer literacy but want to start my own centre now please need help

  9. Olebile Ernest Maswabi

    Hi I’m I need someone who have creche so that I can cooperate through financial.
    Help with stationery and food indluding fruits.

    1. I’m going to open mine next year now im busy preparing here is my contact 0723449962 I need help i passed grade 12 nd dt my dream please help me

  10. Hello Sir/Madam
    I would like to open educare but i dont know ehere to start,im a foundation phase teacher.
    Located at Cape town.
    I would appreciate your help.

  11. I would like to open a crèche in my home village in Limpopo. I already have space, but I don’t have enough funds for some of the equipment need please assist

  12. Hy im preparing to open my own crech im sticking financial I need help please I love kids nd dt my wish to open my own crs please

  13. I am busy studying N3 ECD and complete my N4 child and youth care work diploma. I also want to start a creche at my home but I am staying at a shenty settlement. I don’t have funds and struggling to register my business most of all with a business plan. I have gained experience by working currently at a creche and would like to do more within my community for the love of children.

    1. Good day I would like to open a chrech how can I apply for it,I don’t have money to start,I got Ecd and educate qualifications,I’m very enterested

  14. Good day
    I would like to enquire on what’s needed of me starting a crech kindly please assist me in regarding the matter.

  15. Lindiwe Mkhwanazi

    i also need to start a daycare center. the thing is i dont have enough space but i saw the open space who to contact and just a little of funding for the sheltef.

  16. Lindiwe Mkhwanazi

    need to open a daycare the thing is who to contact for the space i saw and also a little bit of funding for the classroom.

  17. I interested in opening a day crech in our area I am working at a public hospital in pediatric ward as an auxiliary nurse. I have first aid and firefighter course business managent with enterpreurship I did hospitality and worked as a waitress long ago also did basic ambulance assistant specialized with cpr I am interested in opening up a small business pls help me

  18. I need help in opening a crech I am presently working at padiatric ward and studies auxiliary nurse. First aid and firefighter.homebase care.. Baa in paramedic.. Business management n4 I can see that with those qualifications I can go far please help me with some ideas where to start

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