Church daycare is a proven way to meet the needs of children and families in your community. Read on to learn about launching a child-care program through your congregation.
Many churches searching for the “perfect” outreach ministry may find it nearby. It’s in the children sitting on their knees or snuggled by the people they want to reach. That’s because the most important decision employed parents make is choosing who will care for their children while they work.
Why should you consider a church daycare center? In Early Childhood Ministry and Your Church, authors Kathleen Seaton and Linda Rothaar state, “A healthy congregation is one in which there is an awareness of the real needs in the community, respect and love for all people, and a gospel-driven drive to serve others.”
Michele Marr, communications director of St. Matthews Episcopal Church in Newport Beach, California, says 12 desperate parents call every week inquiring about daycare. So her church is praying about and researching the possibilities of opening a facility. “With so much publicity about child abuse,” says Marr, “parents tend to prefer a church daycare because it feels safer.”
What better way to meet local families’ needs than inviting them into a church-sponsored daycare?
Reach Out Via a Church Daycare
Church daycare facilities have a sense of mission. Robin Reed directs Carpenter’s Kids, a preschool for nearly 400 children under age 6. Her church, South Haven Baptist of Springfield, Missouri, considers its facility a congregational ministry.
“Families need to have a place where they can feel unconditional love,” she says. “They want an environment where their children’s total needs are met—spiritual, physical, emotional, and academic.”
Smaller facilities find that size doesn’t limit their outreach. Gayle Beeler, of Grace Evangelical Free Church in Longmont, Colorado, purposely involves her 30 preschoolers in community activities. Whenever the children are out and about, others notice that these children attend a church-sponsored daycare. It’s another way to let people know about your church.
Deciding to Launch a Church Daycare
When deciding whether a church daycare is right for your congregation, consider these issues:
What are your community’s needs?
How many child-care facilities exist nearby? What needs do they meet in terms of hours, ages, and philosophy? Research the information to make a sound decision. Then present your research in a congregational meeting.
Does your congregation have a sense of mission for a daycare?
Beeler worked at a public facility before approaching her pastor about opening a church daycare. She was delighted when the congregation latched onto the vision of this outreach.
What is the daycare capacity of your building?
Classroom space doesn’t necessarily constitute a daycare center. What are the licensing requirements in your state and community? Each state has regulations for employee qualifications, space needed per child, insurance requirements, and more.
Some insurance companies require training and safeguards for sexual abuse. Call your department of social services for licensing information. Also check with your local council of churches to see if other congregations have faced difficulties obtaining a license.
How will the daycare affect your congregation?
Will you have a separate area for the daycare, or will you use Sunday school classrooms? Renting to an outside party can cause problems in sharing space, time, and materials. This is why most directors prefer a facility to be operated by the church. Cooperation is important when rooms are used for Sunday school, church clubs, and daycare activities.
What ages of children will you serve?
Will you provide primarily infant and preschool care? Or will you also have an after-school or summer program for older children? What hours will you operate? Tailor your programs for the typical working schedules and commute times in your area.
