Child Care By Design Blog

Culture Is Not a Staff Problem—It's a Leadership System

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 19:33:30 GMT

When workplace culture begins to struggle, it's easy to focus on individual behaviours: a staff member who resists change, a team member who gossips, a difficult conversation that never seems to get resolved, or a general lack of accountability and teamwork. While these situations certainly affect culture, they are rarely the root cause. In many cases, culture challenges are actually system challenges.

Every Centre Has a Culture

Whether intentionally designed or not, every childcare program develops a culture. The question is: Is the culture supporting the vision of the organization, or is it developing by default?

Culture is created through daily interactions, expectations, systems, and leadership practices. It is not created by posters on the wall or values written in a handbook.

Culture Follows What Leaders Consistently Allow

Staff quickly learn what is expected, tolerated, and reinforced. When expectations are unclear, inconsistency grows. When accountability is inconsistent, frustration grows. When concerns are avoided, tension grows. Over time, these patterns become part of the culture—not because people intended them to, but because systems allowed them to continue.

Healthy Culture Requires Healthy Systems

Strong workplace cultures are supported by:

Clear expectations
Consistent communication
Regular feedback
Accountability processes
Leadership visibility
Shared responsibility

Without these systems, even great teams can struggle.

Looking Beyond the Symptoms

When culture challenges arise, leaders often focus on visible behaviour. The real opportunity is to look past the symptom and ask:

What system is missing?
What expectation is unclear?
What conversation has not happened?
What accountability process is inconsistent?

These questions often reveal the true source of the problem.

Building Culture by Design

Healthy culture does not happen accidentally; it is built intentionally through the decisions leaders make every day. The strongest childcare programs create environments where people know what is expected, feedback is normal, accountability is fair, communication is respectful, and teams work toward a shared purpose.

Culture is not something leaders hope for. It is something they create—and like every other part of a successful childcare program, it begins with strong systems.

The Hidden Cost of Running Your Centre From Memory

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 19:33:29 GMT

Most childcare leaders are carrying far more information than they realize. From upcoming deadlines and licensing requirements to parent concerns, staff follow-up, programming plans, maintenance issues, inventory needs, inspection schedules, and medical information—the list never seems to end.

Over time, many leaders become the sole place where all of this information lives. If someone needs an answer, they ask the director. If something needs to be remembered, the director remembers it. If something falls through the cracks, the director catches it. While this may feel like strong leadership, it comes with heavy, hidden costs.

The Cost of Mental Overload

The human brain was not designed to function as a filing cabinet. When leaders rely heavily on memory, important tasks are forgotten, follow-up becomes inconsistent, stress levels increase, and decision fatigue develops. Eventually, even highly organized people reach a limit and become completely overwhelmed.

The Centre Becomes Dependent on One Person

One of the biggest risks occurs when information exists only in someone's head. What happens when that person is sick, on vacation, in a meeting, or leaves the organization entirely? If critical information is not documented and accessible, the entire program becomes incredibly vulnerable.

Strong Systems Create Freedom

The goal is not to remember more; the goal is to create systems that require less remembering. Strong systems allow leaders to:

Access information quickly
Reduce duplicate work
Improve consistency
Delegate with confidence
Spend less time searching and more time leading

Documentation should support leadership, not create additional stress.

Questions to Reflect On

Take a moment to consider:

What information currently exists only in my head?
What do staff regularly ask me because they cannot access the information themselves?
What processes rely on memory rather than documentation?
What would happen if I were unavailable for a week?

The answers often reveal exactly where you need to strengthen your systems.

Moving Forward

Leadership should not depend on remembering everything. The strongest childcare programs create systems that support consistency, accountability, and accessibility.

When information is organized, documented, and easy to find, leaders gain something incredibly valuable: mental space. And that mental space allows leaders to focus on what matters most—children, families, staff, and the future of their program.

Parent Complaints Are Often a Systems Problem

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 19:33:28 GMT

Few situations create more stress for childcare leaders than parent complaints. Whether concerns involve communication, programming, behaviour guidance, policies, or daily routines, complaints can quickly consume a leader's time and energy.

Yet, many complaints are not actually caused by the issue being discussed. They are caused by gaps in communication and trust.

The Trust Factor

When trust is strong, parents are more likely to approach concerns with curiosity and collaboration. When trust is weak, even small issues can become significant frustrations.

Trust is built long before a complaint occurs. It develops through consistent communication, clear expectations, and positive relationships.

Common System Gaps

Many parent concerns can be traced back to system challenges rather than individual failures. These gaps often look like:

Inconsistent communication
Unclear policies
Differing staff responses
Lack of proactive updates
Missed opportunities to build relationships

Shifting the Focus

Instead of asking, "How do we handle this complaint?" consider asking, "What system allowed this concern to develop?" This shift often reveals the true opportunities for long-term improvement.

Creating Stronger Parent Partnerships

Strong parent relationships are intentionally built through:

Clear communication
Consistent expectations
Professional interactions
Responsive leadership
Ongoing relationship building

When these systems are in place, concerns become easier to navigate and trust becomes easier to maintain. Parent partnerships do not happen by accident; they are built through consistent, intentional practices every day.

The Real Reason Staff Accountability Breaks Down

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 19:33:27 GMT

When accountability challenges arise in childcare, it is tempting to assume the issue is motivation. We see it when staff aren't following through, tasks aren't being completed, and expectations aren't being met. However, accountability problems are often symptoms of something deeper.

In many cases, the issue is not accountability at all. It's clarity.

Accountability Requires Clear Expectations

Staff cannot consistently meet expectations that have never been clearly defined. To evaluate clarity in your centre, consider these questions:

Are expectations documented?
Are responsibilities clearly assigned?
Is success clearly defined?
Is feedback provided consistently?

When expectations remain unclear, accountability becomes difficult to achieve.

Accountability Requires Follow-Up

Even the best systems require monitoring. Many leaders establish expectations but struggle with consistent follow-up. Without follow-up, accountability quickly weakens, and staff learn that expectations may not actually matter. Remember: consistency matters more than intensity.

Accountability Requires Ownership

Healthy accountability is not about punishment; it is about ownership. When team members understand their responsibilities, have the tools they need, and receive regular feedback, accountability becomes a natural part of the culture.

Building a Culture of Accountability

Strong accountability systems include:

Clear role expectations
Written procedures
Regular communication
Ongoing coaching
Consistent follow-up

Accountability should never depend on a leader constantly reminding people what needs to be done. The goal is to create systems that support ownership throughout the organization.

Why Great Childcare Centres Don't Depend on Heroic Leadership

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 19:33:26 GMT

For many childcare owners and directors, leadership can feel like carrying the entire centre on their shoulders. They are the person who remembers the deadlines, follows up with staff, responds to parent concerns, solves problems before they become crises, and keeps everything moving.

While this level of dedication often comes from a genuine commitment to children, families, and staff, it can also create a significant risk for the organization. When one person becomes responsible for everything, the centre becomes dependent on that individual rather than the systems that support the program.

The Hero Leadership Trap

Many leaders unintentionally become the system. Instead of documented processes, there is memory. Instead of accountability systems, there are reminders. Instead of clear expectations, there is constant follow-up.

At first, this approach may seem efficient. Over time, however, it creates burnout, inconsistency, and operational vulnerability. The centre functions well only when the leader is present.

Strong Centres Are Built on Strong Systems

The most sustainable childcare programs do not rely on heroic leadership. They rely on:

Clear expectations
Defined processes
Accountability systems
Consistent communication
Shared ownership

When these systems are in place, leaders can focus on growth, mentorship, and quality improvement rather than constantly putting out fires.

Questions to Consider

Ask yourself:

What information currently lives only in my head?
What tasks require my constant follow-up?
What processes would continue if I were away for two weeks?
Where are staff dependent on me rather than the system?

The answers often reveal opportunities for improvement.

Moving Forward

Building strong systems takes time, but every system created reduces future stress and increases organizational stability. Great childcare centres are not built by leaders who do everything. They are built by leaders who create systems that allow everyone to succeed.

How to Make a Child Care Business Plan: A Simple Guide

jen@childcarebydesign.ca (Jennifer Bulmer) — Mon, 13 Dec 2021 18:51:11 GMT

Anyone with a passion for child care has the potential to start a successful daycare center . Not only will you help enrich children’s lives by providing a safe and welcoming learning environment, but you can even turn that passion into a profitable business.

Now, the idea of running your own business focused on caring for children might seem appealing, and in many ways it is, but it’s also important to understand how to do it right. From creating your business, developing a business plan, to ongoing care—there’s a lot to consider.

The business plan you create is designed to turn unorganized and vague ideas into tangible processes and strategies that serve as the guideline needed to establish and expand your child care business.

Simply put, if you want to operate a successful daycare business, you need to start with a daycare business plan.

So, what should you include in yours? And what does it take to create a child care center business plan? Let’s find out.

What Does a Successful Daycare Business Require?

You’re about to make dozens of decisions as you create your business plan. It’s important to understand what makes a daycare business successful to help guide these decisions.

The three primary elements that create a successful daycare are:

Full enrollment
All fees are collected on time and in full
Revenue exceeds overall costs-per-child

Daycares that manage to achieve all three elements are essentially guaranteed to operate successfully. Keep these three focuses in mind as we proceed to discuss the specific decisions that you’ll need to make.

Must-Have Elements for Your Child Care Business Plan

Successful businesses throughout all industries have taken plenty of time to create plans and strategies that help them continually reach the next level of growth. Now, it’s your turn to make the ideal business plan for daycare in your area.

Your business plan must include the following sections:

Mission statement: Craft a compelling mission statement that encapsulates the childcare philosophy embodied by your policies and procedures. This mission statement doesn't necessarily need to be public, but it can be a great addition to sales brochures and websites.
Licensing information and other regulations: You will likely require some form of licensing depending on where you live. There may be additional regulations, legal requirements or restrictions that you should also be aware of. Thoroughly research licensing requirements and all applicable regulations and include them in your business plan so that it’s readily available. Describe any steps that you’ll have to take to obtain licensing and meet other requirements.
Comprehensive business description: Get specific. We know you’re starting a daycare, but have you thought about which type of daycare layout you’ll be using, which child care program type you'll be offering, or which child care software will work to manage your daily activities? Describe the specific area and demographic that you’ll be targeting, including hours of operation and other vital details.
Specific policies and procedures: Many businesses can delay crafting specific documents until later, but childcare needs to start by thinking about how they will be caring for children. Craft policies that dictate how children are educated, enriched, disciplined. Additionally, create billing policies that can be made abundantly clear to new parents, and definitely consider purchasing liability insurance
Market analysis and advertising strategy: Does the area you have in mind actually need a new daycare center? Parents typically want a daycare center that’s close to their homes, so consider how many residences are nearby as compared to other existing daycare centers. Next, craft a detailed childcare marketing plan that discusses specific campaigns and mediums, including brochure design, website development, pay-per-click advertising, and social media advertising. See our blog post on tips to market your childcare business

Does all of this sound too intimidating? Don’t worry, you can handle it. Take it one step at a time, there’s no due date. We also offer childcare training courses and coaching sessions for anyone looking for added guidance with business plan creation.

Plan Ahead to Ensure Ongoing Success

A business plan allows you to think about starting a daycare in a practical and tangible way that goes beyond the excitement of running your own business centered on your passion for childcare.

Consider creating a business plan an essential step before you proceed, since the document itself will help guide future decisions.

Are you interested in learning how to create a business plan for a childcare business? We offer childcare training through private coaching sessions and on-demand training courses for anyone looking to craft an ideal business plan.

Book a discovery call today to see how we can help you turn your passion for childcare into a profitable and sustainable business.

2 Effective Tips To Market Your Childcare Business

jen@childcarebydesign.ca (Jennifer Bulmer) — Mon, 06 Dec 2021 23:36:30 GMT

Childcare marketing is a vital aspect of operating a childcare program. You constantly need to attract prospective parents and earn their business to keep your childcare centre operating and expanding. While true for all businesses, childcare centres must always be marketing since children are guaranteed to age out of their services.

Having a childcare marketing plan helps you set realistic goals and increases your chances to succeed in business. Anyone looking to start a childcare business should create a robust marketing plan as part of creating their overall daycare business plan.

Don’t worry if you don’t have any marketing experience, you can accomplish a lot on your own and you can consult with professional marketers whenever you need it. You can absolutely learn how to market your childcare services.

Today, we’re going to provide a few marketing tips that you can use to develop a marketing plan for a childcare centre. Consider how you can start including these tips in your current marketing campaigns or include them in your new overall strategy.

How Do I Attract Parents to My Daycare?

Child care marketing is the primary way that you are going to attract new parents to your daycare. Everyone hopes that word-of-mouth will help them build their business and keep them from having to worry about marketing, but that’s rarely the case. Even for those businesses that do develop a good reputation and regular referrals, it’s still essential to constantly market your childcare services.

Below are a few daycare advertising ideas focused on helping you catch the attention of new parents and ultimately create new customers.

Have a Robust Online Presence

A daycare business must absolutely have a comprehensive online presence. Parents are going to want to obsessively research everything they can find about you - give them plenty to learn.

There are plenty of moving pieces involved in setting up an online presence. The major pieces that you need to focus on are:

A well-designed website that professionally represents your daycare
Publicly available policies and procedures that ensure the safety and protection of children under your care, which can be pages on your website
Profiles on a minimum of two social media platforms and you must include Facebook
Explore any neighborhood-focused apps that are popular in your area
A regularly updated blog that showcases your child care expertise and photos of your child care facility

Design an Amazing Sales Brochure and Business Card

A sales brochure is arguably the most important piece of advertising that you’ll have. Most parents check out multiple daycares at the same time and collect their brochures. Visiting so many of the same locations often causes the daycare centres to blend together, leaving them with your brochure to remember who you are and why you deserve their business is an easy way to showcase your value.

Don’t cut corners on your sales brochure. It’s worth hiring a professional copywriter to write it, and a professional designer to do the rest. You will probably also need to hire a professional photographer to take pictures of your child care facility for the brochure as well.

Host Periodic Open Houses

Open houses are a great way to invite parents to check out your facility beyond a simple walkthrough, and become more familiar with the child care programs. Open houses allow you to form a deeper connection with parents and further explain your credentials, experience, and daycare center policies. You can use your online presence to help advertise open houses.

You Must Continually Market Your Business

Marketing is an ongoing part of running your child care business, and one of the easiest ways to highlight the valuable services you provide.

Creating a marketing schedule for your childcare centre ensures your potential customers understand the value you provide. Take advantage of powerful marketing tools like blogs, social media posts, signage, and a website to boost your visibility online.

Are you looking to explore new child care advertising ideas? Discover industry marketing best practices by connecting with our team of childcare training specialists .

How to Open a Childcare Centre

Wed, 27 Oct 2021 19:25:44 GMT

Are you considering opening a new childcare centre or adding another location to your existing business?

Whether you’re a parent who sees a need or a career professional moving to their next career phase, opening a centre isn’t easy. The good news is that since most parents work outside the home, childcare is always in demand.

In the last 11 years, I have opened 8 childcare centres. That’s why I’ve created this guide to provide you with the steps you need to take to open your own centre.

The Advantages of Starting Your Own Childcare Business

Emotionally rewarding: There is nothing more rewarding than being part of the journey of a child’s success. Seeing children reach milestones and learn skills and knowing you are part of that success. Having your own business also offers flexibility with your own family and life vs. working for someone else. As my own boss—I am very understanding when I need time off. ;)
Financial freedom: You are in control of how much you work in the business and the value of your time. You determine your own income.
Child care: One of the best parts of opening my centres was having FREE child care for my own children. Saving me $110 000 in childcare fees.
Quality child care: There are owners of programs that focus on quality and those that don’t. In my career, I worked for many that didn’t invest in the program. Opening my own centres allowed me to determine Educator wages and raises, how much to invest in toys and equipment to create my vision of a high-quality childcare program and a workplace culture I could be proud of. What you dream can be the reality when you own your own centre.

Home-Based vs Commercial Facility

You must first decide which type of childcare centre you wish to start before you take any concrete steps. There are two options, each with benefits and drawbacks:

Home-based facility: You won’t have to worry about finding a location, paying additional rent and other bills, or completely furnishing a new facility. Simply put, with a home-based operation you will have significantly decreased startup and operating expenses with a home centre. However, regulations dictate how many adults must be present per child. Combined with obvious size limitations, a home-based centre will have a firm growth cap. The good news is that once you reach that cap, you can then explore a commercial location.
Commercial facility: Opening a commercial childcare centre has significantly higher startup costs than a home-based centre, but you will have a much higher limit on how many children you can care for. Additionally, commercial settings tend to help generate additional trust with parents.

Many businesses start as a home-based centre and then move into a commercial facility as enrollments increase.

9 Steps to Starting your Childcare Business

Now, let’s dive into the actionable steps you need to take to answer this common question:, “how to open a childcare centre?” The below steps will help you understand the entire process:

Learn about childcare licensing : You’ll need to research all applicable licensing requirements and regulations for a child care business within your area. Keep in mind that cities and states/provinces can both have requirements that you must follow, and the licensing process could take longer depending on your jurisdiction.
Create a comprehensive childcare business plan: All new businesses will greatly benefit from a business plan. Visit local government websites to learn about any legal, health and safety and staffing requirements. Having a child care centre business plan will ensure that you’ve covered all of your bases. You can find dozens of business plan templates online to help get you started.
Find the best location: If you’re starting a commercial business, find a location near a suburb that’s popular with new families. Make sure that you’re on a major road and that it’s easy to reach the parking lot.
Get insurance: You will likely be required to carry childcare insurance and it’s worth doing anyway. This type of insurance helps cover you in case of an accident at your program. Read the fine print carefully and select the plan that provides affordable comprehensive coverage.
Prepare the facility: You’ll need toys, equipment, and furniture throughout the childcare facility. You also need to establish all of your utilities and Internet accounts before opening.
Write policies, standards and procedures: Written policies, standards and procedures help onboard new employees and provide clarity for parents. Remember, policies are the rules you need to follow, while standards and procedures provide the how. Our Policies & Standards product includes 100 pre-made policies and standards, giving you everything you need to get up and running fast. And if you decide to work with a childcare coach , they can help you build the systems that provide the clarity needed to successfully onboard staff.
Hire Childcare Staff: Look into the childcare background check requirements, and recruit employees with a clean background check and a clear interest in childcare. Experience in childcare is always preferred.
Pick the best daycare software: You will need some management software to streamline onboarding new children, communicating with parents, and managing finances. There are several solutions out there to choose from.

Market your business: You’re now ready to open your business! It’s time to start marketing. Create a brochure, website, and social media presence. List your business on the local directory websites. Running paid ads on social networks that target your area is typically an effective way to reach parents and potential customers

It’s Time to Start Your Daycare Business

Are you ready to get started? You will gain a competitive advantage by receiving childcare training to ensure that you are providing the best care possible and prepare you for operating the new business.

After you’ve been trained, it’s time to get started opening and marketing your new business.

Need help getting started? Get in touch with a qualified childcare coach today to learn more about the steps you need to take to open your own daycare business.

Introducing Our Conference Speakers

Wed, 29 Sep 2021 13:51:07 GMT

Daniel Hodgins

Daniel Hodgins is an exceptional international presenter and author of two popular released books titled: Boys: Changing the Classroom, Not the Child and GET OVER IT: Relearning Guidance Practices. As a consultant, he has a unique grasp of children and family issues learned from over 36 years of experience working as a teacher, director, educator, and parent in both The private and public sectors. In addition to his work as a Consultant, Daniel has worked as a Director of a Child Development Centre; A Teacher in a Parent-Child Cooperative Nursery School; a teacher in elementary school, and most recently as coordinator of early childhood education at Mott Community College, in Flint, Michigan. He has given keynotes, seminars, and presentations in over 48 states, Canada, Europe, and Asia.

Cara Milne

Cara Milne is the owner of M-Powered Planning Ltd, an award-winning business that has been promoting positive and valuable roles for people who are vulnerable for over 18 years. Cara provides training and consulting that is innovative and practical for both agencies and families. Cara’s books and training seminars encourage staff and families to see the strengths of their existing services, and simple strategies that create positive changes in the lives of children and adults with developmental disabilities. Cara’s positive and energetic approach supports both common sense and sustainable change. Cara is the proud author of the popular book Building Community; Practical ways to build communities for people who are vulnerable. Her second highly anticipated book Noticed, Known and Missed; Strategies to support purpose and connection was just launched in December.

Gigi Schweikert

Gigi Schweikert is CEO of Lightbridge Academy overseeing 60 open centers in seven states. Gigi is an international thought leader in early Childhood Education and supervision. With 30 years of experience and 18 published books, in three languages, Gigi has appeared on CBS, NBC, Fox, and The Wall Street Journal Lunch Hour News. Ms. Schweikert has been quoted in The New Times, Entrepreneur, and Forbes.

Ms. Schweikert was the former Director of the United Nations Childcare Centre. Gigi developed and managed on-site employer-sponsored Childcare programs for Fortune 500 companies including, Johnson & Johnson, Bank of America, and SC Johnson Wax. Gigi was the host of the TV show, “Today’s Family,” but her greatest accomplishment is being the mother of her four children.

Enrich & Inspire Conference 2021

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 14:02:41 GMT

Our Enrich & Inspire Conference - was on October 15th, 2021

At our Enrich and Inspire Childcare conference 2021, we aligned with industry experts to bring you a packed conference full of information that will improve your knowledge, skills and confidence in your professional career. Register now , to receive access to all the interview-style sessions to watch at your convenience. Read on to learn more!

Empower. Educate. Grow.

You came into this career with big ideas and bigger dreams. It's time to make them a reality. If you are a frontline educator, a Childcare director, or a business owner, the topics covered in our virtual conference are for you! We have hands-on workshops that will help you develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to thrive, and develop a more focused approach to classroom management and programming. We want to help you grow your organization by forging stronger relationships with staff & parents. This virtual conference will also include PDF handouts with tips and hands-on problem-solving workshops. Check out all the amazing speakers who attended our virtual conference!

What is Enrich & Inspire?

Success in the early Childcare sector begins with community. Knowing that you aren't alone in the struggles and challenges you face. Collaborating with peers, colleagues, and mentors to develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to thrive.

That's the core of the Enrich & Inspire Conference—our direct line to some of the foremost leaders in childcare, including our very own Jennifer Bulmer.

Why Register For Enrich & Inspire? Benefits of Enrolling Include:

Gain lifetime access to all conference material
15 one hour interview-style keynotes with key insights, including:
Overcoming challenges.
What works (and what doesn't).
What their career has taught them.
Actionable industry knowledge.
PDF handouts with simple tips for developing soft skills
Intuitive, hands-on problem-solving workshops
Self-service courses to enrich your childcare programs
Professional development coaching with Jen on both a singular and ongoing basis.

Uplevel your skills and own your role. Find your confidence, and discover talents you never even knew you had.

Find the inspiration to take the next step in your professional journey, whatever that may be.

Who Should Attend?

Frontline Educators

Learn what to do when feeling disconnected or undervalued
Collaborate with a community of like-minded professionals
Find the confidence to make your voice heard and build better relationships.
Develop a more focused approach to classroom management and programming.

Childcare Directors

Become a leader that inspires their employees.
Learn how to bridge the gaps between the people in your program.
Develop soft skills for better communication, culture, and accountability.
Take ownership of your position and pursue continuous improvement.

Owners

Build a truly collaborative culture that keeps everyone on the same team.
Grow your organization by forging stronger relationships with staff & parents.
Discover the building blocks to build effective, sustainable childcare programs.
Support directors, educators, and administrative staff with a truly connected experience.