Suggests ways to increase the effectiveness of the role of the director and middle manager in a day-care center: (1) define complementary roles; (2) let requirements of the center dictate responsibilities; (3) let positions reflect the strengths, and the individual needs, of each person; (4) keep each other informed; (5) present a unified front;…

Discusses relationship marketing as a technique for successful enrollment building. Describes components of relationship marketing: (1) ethical delivery of the promised program and making delivery evident to parents; (2) flexibility in programming to meet parents' needs; (3) attention to parents to make them feel special; (4) effective…

Reports child care trends based on surveys of child care organizations and consulting groups. Trends discussed include those which relate to (1) the demand for child care services; (2) employers' role in child care; (3) types of child care service; and (4) providers of child care. (SM)

Identifies strategies for effectively managing child care centers that are part of a larger organization. Advocates thinking at multiple levels to understand the perspective of upper management and staff. Suggests examining the culture of the organization, aligning oneself with strategic goals and objectives, and creating a positive platform for…

Describes common mistakes to be avoided by child care directors in early childhood catalog purchasing. Notes roadblocks to successful purchases, including failing to check out seller's reliability, comparing prices without including shipping costs or considering product quality, failing to anticipate needs, ordering from outdated catalogs, failing…

The key to achieving effective marketing of centers and services is to make messages creative, consistent, and continual. Creative marketing involves creating an awareness of the program. A consistent, identifiable image will create program recognition. Effective, continual marketing utilizes a mix of marketing methods on an ongoing basis to…

Describes the change strategies involved in moving a mediocre child care program onto the road to excellence. Highlights strategies focusing on changing staff perceptions of themselves and their practices with families, obtaining honest observations of staff, visiting other programs for inservice training, examining educational practices in terms…

Describes a linear process of decision making to enhance management skills of day care directors. Includes decision-processing flow chart compiled from several professional disciplines to help managers recognize flexibility of linear system. Provides analysis of flow-chart steps to balance both artistic and pragmatic considerations. (LBT)

Presents preliminary findings of a mail survey to child care directors regarding child care administrative software packages. Found that slightly more than half use a child care administrative software package. Their overall experience appears to be relatively problem-free, in contrast to focus group findings reporting several complaints.…

Identifies some of the major issues associated with liability and exposure in caring for mildly ill children and highlights some recommended strategies for minimizing liability. Examines issues related to preventing the spread of disease, administering medications, emergency medical authorization, and confidentiality. (KB)

Discusses the institutionalization of children in child care centers. Describes characteristics of institutions that tend to dehumanize individuals. Characteristics relate to (1) space allotment; (2) the use of time; (3) privacy; (4) personal property; (5) meaning and responsibility; (6) spontaneity; (7) security and safety; (8) individuals…

Describes a follow-up program for enrolling day care center prospects. Follow-up within the center utilizes contact management software and a prospect profile system to record information about potential customers. External follow-up includes a telephone call to confirm an appointment to the center or to provide additional information to the…

Describes several successful management strategies related to teacher salaries, parent participation, preschool curriculum, and separation anxiety in the day-care center environment. (PAM)

Presents a conceptualization for the competence of child care directors based on knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Describes the Illinois Director Credential, earned through validation of accomplishments in five competency components: general education, early childhood/school-age knowledge and skills, management knowledge and skills, experience,…

Day-care center enrollments, hours of service, and total capacity are used as the basis to calculate units of full-time care and full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment. FTE can be used as an accurate gauge for monitoring the success and performance of a day-care center. (PAM)