Networking helps child care businesses build enrollment through referrals, keeps ideas fresh and current, and creates access to a wealth of pertinent information and resources.
Networking also provides camaraderie and support with regard to a variety of topics that are of concern to those in the child care business, such as payment and accounting issues, tax concerns, health issues, and child abuse issues.
In addition, networking helps promote community, connectivity, and collaboration; vital forces that help daycare businesses thrive.
How to Network in the Business of Daycare
Organizations
Becoming a member of an organization is one of the easiest ways to network. There are many local and national organizations that provide the perfect opportunity to make connections with fellow child care business owners. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), The National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC), and The Canadian Child Care Federation are good places to start.
Conventions, Seminars, and Continuing Education
Child Care Conventions and seminars are an excellent place for child care providers as well as administrators, owners, and directors of early care and education programs to network. Many of them even provide early childhood education credits for those needed continuing education. ChildcareExchange.com provides a national calendar of child care conferences and conventions for child care professionals.
Online Communities and Forums
The internet is one of the easiest and fastest means of connecting with other childcare providers and daycare business owners. Websites like the community and forums such as those created by Daycare.com, OwnADaycare.com, and About.com allows providers to discuss related topics, to collaborate, and to share resources.
State Networks
Networking within state networks can prove very valuable for childcare providers. State networks and their local child care resource & referral (CCR&R) partners help families, child care providers, and communities find and offer affordable, quality child care. According to the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACRRA), there are more than 700 child care resource and referral partners in every state and most communities in the nation [NACRRA website, 2009].
The Public Library
The public library is an important mechanism for connection between the community and the knowledge, literacy and education they require. Some libraries have Preschool Partnership Networking Groups. In this type of networking, youth services librarians work closely with local preschool patrons and community preschool and daycare providers.
Daycare Donation Networking
For those who own nonprofit daycare centers, it is prudent to get involved in donation networking. Donation networking websites like The Giftberry Network at Giftberry.org help bring nonprofit organizations and companies (or individuals) interested in donating together. This green (paperless) site is an exceptional network platform for giving and is just another example of the importance of community, connectivity, and collaboration.
It is important to follow up with new contacts either through email or a phone call. The point of networking is to make connections and building lasting, mutually beneficial relationships with others in field of early childhood education. Networking is definitely worth the time and effort and can help daycare businesses succeed.
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