A daycare director creates a safe, nurturing, and educational environment for young children, typically preschoolers. He is expected to provide a physically safe environment that includes child development toys, games, books, and activities that educate and inspire children’s creative thinking skills. He might also be in charge of a well-trained staff with the necessary experience to meet these care and educational needs.
To ensure the facility’s safety, the daycare director should make sure that all of the furniture and fixtures are childproof. This includes putting up security devices and locks all over the place. Local and regional regulatory agencies frequently impose guidelines for many security measures, which may be inspected for compliance. The daycare director checks the required fire and carbon monoxide detectors on a regular basis to ensure their reliability.
Toys and games are typically chosen based on child development guidelines to ensure that they do not contain small parts that are easily removed or pose a risk to small children. The daycare director is generally expected to inspect the available playthings for safety concerns on a regular basis. If there are any industry recalls or warnings, he should be informed right away and take the necessary precautions.
A daycare center’s staff is frequently required to meet a set of criteria before being hired. Before employees are hired, the daycare director must ensure that they have passed thorough background checks for criminal activity and have completed first-aid certification classes. He usually conducts personal interviews with job applicants to ensure that they meet his high standards for communication, teaching, and activity leadership. If the center serves meals to the children, at least one member of the staff should be trained to prepare snacks and meals that follow dietary guidelines and meet the needs of healthy childhood development.
A daycare director usually communicates with the children’s parents on a regular basis, in addition to his staff and the children. During the drop-off and pick-up of the children, there are informal exchanges. In private meetings, more formal discussions about learning or behavior issues can be held. Employees and parents are usually involved in general discussions about policies, procedures, and activities. Interviews with parents and children interested in learning more about the facility are required during new enrollment periods.
A daycare director’s job also includes a lot of management and administrative work. He is in charge of creating and presenting a budget for approval to a board of trustees or owners. Local and regional agencies usually require regular reports and expect licenses to be kept up to date. The director is typically in charge of generating service invoices and paying bills related to the facility’s operation. Personnel administration, public relations, advertising, and promotion are also his responsibilities.
The education and training required for the position of daycare director varies greatly. Some places only require a high school diploma and work experience. Others require a childhood development associate’s or bachelor’s degree. Childcare certifications are available through junior colleges and adult learning centers in some areas.