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Being a Family Child Care Professional
Family child care is a special profession for those who love young children. As a profes
sional family child care provider, you must balance the skills required to care for children
with those required to operate your business. Here are some tips that will keep your family
child care business as healthy and successful as possible:
• Learn the child care regulations for your area, and follow them.
• Join your local family child care association.
• Sign up with your local child care resource and referral agency.
• Join the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
• Find good professional advisers (such as a tax professional, insurance agent, and
lawyer). • Participate in training to acquire and improve your professional skills.
Additional Resources
Redleaf Press (www.redleafpress.org; 800-423-8309) publishes resources for family child
care professionals. Redleaf Press offers the following publications to support your business:
• Starting a family child care business:
Family Child Care Business Planning Guide
• Promoting your business:
Family Child Care Marketing Guide, 2nd edition
• Creating contracts and policies:
Family Child Care Contracts and Policies, 3rd edition
Sharing in the Caring: Agreement Packet for Parents and Providers
The Redleaf Complete Forms Kit for Family Child Care Professionals
• Keeping accurate records and filing your taxes:
Family Child Care Record-Keeping Guide, 8th edition
The Redleaf Calendar-Keeper: A Record-Keeping System for Family
Child Care Professionals
Family Child Care Tax Workbook and Organizer
Family Child Care Tax Companion
• Reducing business risks:
Family Child Care Legal and Insurance Guide
• Managing your money and planning for retirement:
Family Child Care Money Management and Retirement Guide
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