Areas most in demand for childcare? (Pittsburgh, Liberty: rental, insurance, credit)

[pagal15222]

We will be moving to Pgh soon and I'm getting nervous as I hear about 2year wait lists and high prices etc. for child care. So I'm wondering if I should start my own childcare?! Before baby I used to ponder the idea of starting some kind of business.

What areas could use another good child care center?
How about south of the burgh where we may move, is there a demand there too?

I appreciate your help, It's so hard to figure out the city when I'm not there yet, I just don't understand all the different sections people keep talking about! :-)

[Q-tip motha]

Originally Posted by pagal15222

We will be moving to Pgh soon and I'm getting nervous as I hear about 2year wait lists and high prices etc. for child care. So I'm wondering if I should start my own childcare?! Before baby I used to ponder the idea of starting some kind of business.

What areas could use another good child care center?
How about south of the burgh where we may move, is there a demand there too?

I appreciate your help, It's so hard to figure out the city when I'm not there yet, I just don't understand all the different sections people keep talking about! :-)

Start looking a few months before you move and you should be fine. I found a place for our daughter in Gibsonia (north of Pittsburgh) when I worked in that area. Took maybe 2 weeks. My wife found a place within a week of looking downtown when we decided to move her closer to home. Costs over $800 a month (which is a huge expense don't get me wrong), but they feed her and are amazing for her development. She's almost 18 months and they have her saying please and thank you. Much better care than we could've found for cheaper alternatives or someone in the neighborhood.

[Hopes]

I have not heard of 2 year wait lists for childcare.

If you're going to open a childcare center, you will need the appropriate education and experience to run a daycare center or you will need to hire someone with the appropriate education and experience to be the director of your daycare center. Here's the specifics about required education via PA law. I'll also provided a link to the entire PA law for daycare centers for you to read.

(b) A director shall have attained one of the following qualification levels:

(1) A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in early childhood education, child development, special education, elementary education or the human services field and 1 year of experience with children.

(2) A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, including 30 credit hours in early childhood education, child development, special education, elementary education or the human services field and 2 years of experience with children.

(3) An associate’s degree from an accredited college or university in early childhood education, child development, special education, elementary education or the human services field and 3 years of experience with children.

(4) An associate’s degree from an accredited college or university, including 30 credit hours in early childhood education, child development, special education, elementary education or the human services field and 4 years of experience with children.

(c) A director shall be employed by a facility and be present at the facility site a minimum of 30 hours per week.

(d) In a facility in which 45 or fewer children are enrolled, a director may also function as a group supervisor. An individual who functions in a dual capacity shall meet the responsibilities and qualifications of a director set forth in subsections (a) and (b).

Pennsylvania Code

[Hopes]

Based on your other thread, are you thinking of opening a 24 hour daycare center? Seriously do research to determine if there is demand. The fact there isn't one is likely an indication that there is no demand.

[pagal15222]

Thanks!

No, I wouldn't open a 24 hr. one myself, but I would use one as I work shifts at a hospital.

[liz-momof2]

I'm a preschool teacher who currently works in a daycare that offers a preschool/pre-k program during the school year. I am not sure about the demand in different areas. I have not heard about any 2 year waiting lists for the majority of programs. There may be wait lists for some of the more prestigious centers but I would guess those wait lists are for the preschool or pre-kindergarten programs. We lived in Northern VA prior to moving here and the wait lists/registration days were ridiculous. People waiting in their cars at 3 a.m. Thursday morning to get their children in to programs. I experienced this first hand at the program I worked at. One family went in shifts between mom, dad, and both sets of grandparents. Someone from their family sat in the car from 3 a.m. Thursday morning until 8 a.m. Saturday morning. They would trade off every few hours round the clock.

As far as starting your own program, there are lots of things to consider. I have considered some of those possibilities myself and decided against it. Some day I would love to be able to have enough property to have my husband build me a separate building to have a center of my own but that is mostly a pipe dream.
1) Where are you going to have your center? Home daycare? Separate from your living space? Rent/buy another property?
2) If you do want one out of your home, if you rent, you need to check your rental contract. If you own your house, you need to check and possibly change your homeowner's insurance.
3) Will you accept children whose parents receive the child care subsidy?
4) Nutrition inspections/safety inspections/licensing inspections...all of those need to be taken care of prior to opening and yearly inspections are required. More often if they have concerns or receive a complaint.

Overall to me, it is not worth the added hassle to me at the moment. Good luck!

[luabear]

I live in the east end and send my daughter to a center with a long wait list. In general, the east end always needs more daycare options. I have several friends who are pregnant and looking right now. It's hard to find quality daycare around here.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by luabear

I live in the east end and send my daughter to a center with a long wait list. In general, the east end always needs more daycare options. I have several friends who are pregnant and looking right now. It's hard to find quality daycare around here.

I also work in the East End and know at least two mothers at work who are always struggling with childcare, indicating there may still be unmet demand here. We have a growing concentration of young families, especially in the immediate Squirrel Hill/Point Breeze/Shadyside area, as well as Highland Park, so East Liberty might be a great centralized location.

[robrobrob]

The childcare centers that are in demand are the top/best centers.

[Hopes]

I think there are less daycare centers in the east end because commercial rent is higher. Someone opening a center can make a better profit renting space in areas with lower commercial rent. Would all of you East Enders be willing to pay premium childcare prices to compensate for the higher commercial rent? Or are you hoping to have nearby childcare that is in the normal price range of the rest of the metro?