Original text

If COVID-19 related restrictions forced you to close your childcare business or day camp, you’re probably looking forward to reopening your doors (although not nearly as much as the parents of your charges are).

As cities lift restrictions on business operations, reopening your childcare business—and staying open—will require a well-thought-out plan to protect the health of your employees, the children you care for and their families.

Whether or not to reopen your childcare business or day camp as soon as your local authorities allow is a decision that only you can make. Be sure to take federal, state and local health authority guidelines, as well as guidelines from licensing and accreditation bodies, into account as you assess your options. Now is a good time to get feedback from parents and employees to learn what expectations and concerns they have about reopening safely.

As you create a plan that will help you not only reopen, but stay open, here are some factors to consider:

• Whether your business model should change to stay competitive. For example, can you care for the same number of children while still practicing social distancing?
• The cost of additional health and safety precautions and supplies
• Where to access financing if you need money to retrofit or adapt your business
• How to maintain a safe environment for children, parents and employees
• Any accommodations your employees may need to return to work
• How to make parents feel comfortable leaving their children in your care
• How to market your reopening to build awareness

SCORE’s childcare and day camp reopening checklist covers all the relevant aspects you need to think about in order to develop a workable plan. It also includes plenty of resources for additional information and guidance.

With the safety of children in your hands, there’s a lot to think about when reopening your business in today’s environment. To get advice about creating your childcare or day camp reopening plan, contact a SCORE mentor online or in your community.