How To Start Your Own FDC!

[Lorina]

I love reading all about your experiences so far! I have no experience or ideas in FDC so this has been a learning opportunity for me too!

Thanks once again for providing so much detailed information!

One question I want to ask is... how do you work out your wages? When working in an LDC, you get paid according to your position and your qualification. So how does it work in an FDC? Parents pay per hour? But even though will you make as much as you would working as a room leader in a centre?

,
L.A

[NorthLight36]

Yes, parents pay me per hour. The average fee for FDC in this area is $8 an hour, though some FDCs charge more and some charge a little less. I'm going with $8, so with 4 children I'll be earning $32 an hour. Which is actually better then what I'd been earning while working casually and is also a good deal more regular work! Of course, that's as high as my payrate will ever be, unless I decide to take in school aged children as well (which I'm not going to do to start with). So it'd be possible to earn more per hour in a centre, but since there are no job openings in my area, an increasing population boom and an increasing shortage of childcare places, I'm a good deal better off then I would be trying to work in a centre.

Add into that some of the really unpleasant experiences I had working in centres as a casual, including being scheduled to cover breaks an hour before the time I was told to come in and start work for the day, and I think FDC is also going to be an improvement in terms of stress levels. But that's more down to bad management at my previous job then anything to do with FDC.

[NorthLight36]

I should stress that the $8 an hour per child is only the average for this particular area. I know in some areas I've lived, FDC fees were as low as $4.50 an hour per child, so that's one of the other things someone looking to start an FDC should discuss with their council before deciding if they want to go through with the process.

[Lorina]

Thanks for clearing that up...

So basically regarding fees you charge per hour and whatever you charge per hour you receive as your wages... That's actually pretty good... It is more than a minimum wage diploma qualified room leader would be earning within an LDC centre. It's more than an ECT and director as well! However, I understand that you need to fork out the cost for your start up including resources, materials furnitures etc. So, earning $32 an hour seems reasonable as you need to cover costs of managing your service.

Centre's are charging over $100 a day and FDC's are charging $8 or lower. A big difference!

There have been quite a few discussions on this forum on really bad working conditions within LDC centres. It seems like it's getting worse regardless of the changes to the regulatory authority and NQF. Most of it comes down to staff and management so for these educators FDC seems like a good option to those who can afford to get started...

Thanks for answering all my questions!

Would love to hear how you went at those other FDC settings!

,
L.A

[NorthLight36]

No problem, L.A. I'll be happy to share my experiences at the other FDC settings after I visit them.

Yes, the difference in cost between LDC and FDC fees is startling. Even if a child is there for my full, extended hours (I'm open from 6:30am - 5:30pm as there are a lot of people, particularly at the local hospital and the city commuters who need the early start time), the cost would be $88 a day. Sometimes you really have to wonder where the $100+ the centres charge is going, because it certainly isn't going to the educators and often doesn't seem to be being put back into the centres either!

Yes, $32 an hour seems like a lot until you start factoring in on-going costs, doesn't it? After you factor in those, you start feeling less rich. Still, I'll be able to pay my rent, feed the cats (so they don't eat me) and myself and feed my coffee and books addiction, so I'm happy. It's a good alternative to working in a centre and having full control over things is lovely. I can't wait to get started.

~Ann

[NorthLight36]

Update on my progress: As part of my start-up requirements, I had to have a medical. This was reasonably trouble free and painless and was done by my GP in about 20 minutes on Wednesday morning.

I have my first orientation session on Tuesday at 1:30, then two visits to other FDC providers on Wednesday and Thursday. Then I have my final orientation session on Friday afternoon. After that, I'll have my final safety check and then I'll be good to start.

[Laiorwyn]

I'm going to be starting up a fdc soon. Haven't got everything I need yet, desperately looking for more role play toys (especially cars and tracks) and need outdoor equipment. I've got a good big area for it, and the garage is a devoted supply room. Lots of books and craft things, at least for a couple of months. But I'm so nervous and excited!

Last thing I want is to start and discover I need to spend a small fortune because I haven't got enough. Been on ebay a lot, and found some real gems. Is there anything you'd recommend as absolutely essential?

[NorthLight36]

Hi Laiorwyn,

What have you got for children's sleeping? You'll want really good cots and beds for older children. Portacots don't last and aren't comfortable for educators or children, so the lower cost isn't really going to save money.

As far as toys go, you should make sure you have dolls of various races, a toy kitchen, lots of craft supplies and a good spot for children to go when they want a quiet moment. You'll need toys suitable for babies as well as older children. Ride ons, bikes and play gyms are great for gross motor skills. Making your own play-doh is both cheap, great for fine motor skills and can be done as an activity with children. It's hard to define one thing as 'essential' without knowing what you have already.

Generally, I find http://www.teaching.com.au/home to be a great site for either buying equipment or just browsing to see what you might like.

~Ann

[Laiorwyn]

I have four beds (bellbirdkids) and a bouncer. Looking at cots, but want to get two matching cots. I'm a scrooge so will be going ebay. Actually, the majority by far came from ebay.

Lessee - I have:
- 150 books, half and half paper vs. board books
- 3x different kinds of construction/blocks, all small stuff, so getting my hubby to cut some branches up for the back yard.
- Soft Toys
- Some older style dolls with different clothing sets. All white, unfortunately.
- Heaps of craft. I'm the queen of recycling, so lots of newspapers, bottles, containers, cardboard tubes, egg cartons, etc. as well as paint, paper, stickers, glue, some pegs and other random crafting stuff. Going to bulk it out when I have more cash.
- Some baby toys, a walker, fine motor activities and colourful singing toys.
- Gardening equipment, gloves, watering cans etc. for a vege patch with the older kids.
- Play brooms, mops, vacumes, etc. for role play. Limited kitchen supplies, but working on that (once again, eyes open on ebay XD) I'm going to convert a used tv cabinet into a kitchen for indoors.
- It's a tile floor, so some rugs.
- 1x 4 seater toddler table.
- A kitchen for outside. I'm going to have a mud kitchen, not a sandpit. The mud kitchen is currently paved in the middle with ferns and other shade loving plants growing on the outside, so I thought I'd put some more dirt in there with some small beat up pots and pans, tin cups and old cuttlery.
- Some girls dress ups.
- a few musical instruments. I want to make a lot of musical instruments on the go, as craft before the music and movement group times.


It's a work in progress. I don't have a lot of gross motor activities yet, but I'm going to keep an eye out for everything. There's 2 months before I open, so I want to make sure everything's perfect.

[NorthLight36]

You look pretty good, so far. But I really, really advise getting some dolls of other genders and races. For one thing, it counts towards meeting the multicultural requirement of the framework and the framework is as much of a requirement for FDC as it is for LDC.

If you're not going to have a sandpit, then I strongly, strongly advise getting a sand and water table. Big W has some for around $18. Not all children are going to want to play with mud.

Get some more unisex dress ups as well and I think you'll be reasonably well set. Whoever manages FDC in your area will have more NSW related advice and requirements.

Also, what have you done to baby proof?

~Ann

[Laiorwyn]

Nothing yet. I'm planning on a trip to bunnings one weekend soon to get everything. I'll also need to organise asthma/anaphalaxis qualifications, then I'll have all the paperwork I need. It's a big 2 story house, so I don't have to worry about too much about upstairs, and only the kitchen/spare toilet is downstairs. There's a built in cupboard I'll be putting cleaning stuff in and that will be baby proofed.

On a side note, hubby wants to be creative and make a jungle gym type set up with tyres, including a big old spare tyre for a sand pit. I'll use a tarp to stop things pooing in it.

I have animals (allowed but need to lock them up and make sure the kids can't touch them) That's the last thing we'll have to do. Feeding the animals can be part of the daily routine.

[NorthLight36]

I've two cats myself, but children will only be allowed to look at them through a window. Both of my felines are timid and a bit unpredictable around strangers and small children, so that's for everyone's safety and comfort. And here in Victoria contact with family pets isn't allowed in any case.

You'll need a baby gate for the stairs, if there isn't a door that can be locked to prevent children wandering up them.

While baby proofing, don't forget to get covers for the door jams. I got mine off ebay for about $6 and they can prevent a nasty injury. I speak from experience, having lost the fingernail on both my little fingers as a child from getting them jammed in door jams twice before I was four. I was nearly 10 before they grew back and trust me, that's not something you want to explain to a parent.

St Johns is the best for asthma and anaphalaxis and will often hold both courses together at a discounted rate. They'll also keep your certificates on record and post out new copies if you ever lose them for free.

~Ann

[Lorina]

Gum tree is another option of finding cheaper items as well as St Vincent De Pauls and other op shops. Especially for dress ups you can use second hand clothes. Op shops even have a few good second hand toys which can be purchased on the cheap. However if you are purchasing anything second hand please make sure that they are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before allowing the children to play with them. Also, you need to check parts, edges, make sure everything is intact and safe. Also you know how councils do those massive residential clean-ups every couple of months or so, sometimes you can find some great treasures!

,
L.A

[NorthLight36]

Also, I'd be extremely careful about buying cots second hand. If you really can't buy them new, don't buy them off ebay unless they're close enough for you to inspect them for any damage/missing pieces in person. And even so, buy new cot mattresses. You don't know what illnesses/bodily fluids/other contaminations the mattress has been exposed to.

Also, when buying new and in bulk, it never hurts to explain you're starting a home childcare and ask politely if you can get any sort of a discount. It's how I got my ergonomic cots without paying a month's rent for them.

~Ann

[Laiorwyn]

Thanks! I'll keep my eyes out... And also look for new cots. =)
Thankyou soo much for your help, I'll keep an eye out for any more advice too, always helpful.

[NorthLight36]

You're welcome, Laiorwyn.

I had my visits to other FDC educators today. It was a very interesting experience.

One of the educators was on the more rural outskirts of town and liked to provide a very naturalistic experience, involving a lot of gardening, plant life, insects and fish and the majority of her equipment was made of wood. Children also had free access to her outdoor undercover area and she'd chosen to only have 3 to 5 year olds. I liked her programing, which was very focused around being led by the wishes of the children, but I did feel that having so much wood, combined with the educator's dislike of putting children's art on the walls, which were also paneled in dark wood, left the children's environment somewhat under stimulating.

The other educator was in town and actually only a few blocks from my house. Her set up was more like mine, with a lot of bright colours and more conventional equipment, except she doesn't do a lot of art work unless the children insist on it and she has portacots for sleeping children as she prefers to rent all her equipment rather than buying it. There felt like there was a lot more for the children to do here, and the amount of colour felt a lot lighter and more inviting. What was particularly interesting is that is educator has gone basically paper free and emails her daily records and observations to parents.

Two very different experiences, with two lovely women, that gave me a lot to consider in my own programming.

~Ann

[Lorina]

Hi Ann,

Very interesting to read about your experiences! I was actually talking to my sister in law the other day about how some early childhood settings are so obsessed with making every aspect of their setting natural from the floors to the walls and everything in between. First off buying wooden products is very expensive! For less than half the price you can buy the same product in plastic or foam or another type of material. Also just because a setting is full of wooden furniture doesn't make it a natural environment so to speak.

I feel that children should be exposed to natural objects that can extend on their learn and bring out their curiosity... Adding sea shells, tree log blocks, pebbles, stones, leaves, sticks, grass, feathers, having indoor plants, a pond,etc, a veggies patch, worm farm, etc. is much more meaningful and can be incorporated into play and experiences which really creates a sense of nature. A natural environment should promote natural items that the children can touch, feel, observe, smell and not just wooden furniture.

I'm just saying that it's more meaningful to have natural experiences for children to interact with rather than sit on... I just get a little antsy when some centres are completely against any furniture that is brightly coloured or plastic or kiddy. These are young children they need to have a splash of colour in their lives!

Also my sister in law pointed out, centres may buy wooden furniture to promote more of a natural setting however did they stop to think how much nature is actually being destroyed by chopping down trees to create this furniture? I swear I'm not a wooden furniture atheist I just don't see anything wrong with having plastic here and there...

Have you thought about what you are going to do in regards to programming, obs or daily records? Are you doing individual portfolios?

,
L.A

[Laiorwyn]

I love bringing nature into the childcare setting. I'm trying to get wooden furniture, but have no problems with painting or decorating it. I'm going for a mostly neutral colour palette though, so I can make displays that won't be an eyesore. If you look at some pictures of fdc's online, they've got primary colour squares on the floor, primary colours on the walls, biiig bold BRIGHT pictures, hangings, decorations etc. and you can't see what the kids are doing cause your eyes have been burned out. I want to make it colourful but not offensive. I am a little restricted by very small wall space and a landlord that doesn't want holes in her walls (pictures) and what appears to be cheap paint that comes off if you use bluetac, but I've come up with ways around that. I also have a little back porch I'll be having fun with, and will be doing gardening and animal husbandry with the kids that are interested, while the others have freeplay.

Programming will be done loosely, with morning activities based on a theme but all activities the kids have shown interest in, afternoon being based on family input and child interest. I will have portfolios, but only loosely based on showing the childs development - portfolios aren't necessary, as long as your documenting their progress, which will be done in other ways. I want the parents to get a keepsake - an "Omg that is so my kid" thing they can keep and show their child when they're growing up. I'm going to have a private facebook group for daily communication with the parents. Still in planning but I like the idea of keeping pages reflecting the childs interest on the wall. I live with a camera in my hand, always writing notes and have a pretty good memory for what kids say, so I'm pretty confident about being able to document everything.

Also, Using wooden furniture is only a problem because the production of wood is so poorly managed. Illegal logging is huge but only because legal tree farming/logging isn't enough to meet demand. I've said it once and will say again - if I ever won lottery I'd be getting acreage in WA and growing trees. Thousands and thousands of them.

[NorthLight36]

I agree, L.A. The children will get plenty of time with nature here with me - by spending time outside and with the things that we bring inside. I can't help but feel like 'chairs' made from wood with the bark still on is more about making a statement then it is about supporting the children's learning.

Funny you should ask about programing L.A, since I was writing out the program for the first week using the Learning Outcomes based Curriculum Plan from this site just last night! It's hard to plan for the first week, when you don't yet know who'll you'll be getting, but I have a loose plan that'll let me meet all the learning outcomes while being focused on helping children get to know each other and bond. We'll also be starting on the Kimochis Social-Emotional learning program, since the first lessons and activities are all based around introductions and using people's names.

I'll be doing learning stories for my obs and a reflections of our day which, to save paper, I was thinking of emailing to the parents an hour or so before pick up time. Still thinking about portfolios.

~Ann

[NorthLight36]

Big news. I've had my second orentation session, which was basically all about medication forms, enrollment forms, accident and illness forms... You get the picture. It was an important and useful, but very long two hours. After that, I took care of getting my family day care insurance taken care of with Family Day Care Australia.

Now I have my final safety check on Wednesday morning, then, and here's the big news, an interview with my first client and her 13-month-old daughter who's looking for a place for three days a week.