How to Maximize Your Childcare Program’s Enrollment Potential
Creating a seamless enrollment process for your childcare program is pivotal for fostering trust with parents and ensuring a positive experience for both families and staff.
Here are 6 strategies to optimize the enrollment journey, from attracting prospective parents to building lasting relationships that contribute to the overall success of your childcare program.
1) Craft an appealing brand image
The first step in attracting parents to your childcare program is to create a compelling and appealing image. Any communications sent to prospective families need to be consistent with your program’s values and brand. Be sure to highlight unique details, such as qualified staff, an engaging curriculum, and a nurturing environment, to set your childcare program apart from the competition.
The Manager platform on CareDay helps you streamline communication to your prospective families through scheduled messages that can be sent out to families who have toured your facilities in the past.
2) Streamline your enrollment process
Parents are busy and the more simplified your enrollment process can be, the better! Whether you require an entry application, fees, or just a signed contract, having a clear process with defined steps will help your enrolling parents (and you!) organized.
CareDay implements an online enrollment system that allows parents to download required program and state documents, upload completed forms, and pay fees digitally. Streamlining this process not only saves time for parents but also ensures that all required information is captured accurately in one place.
3) Host open houses and community events
Organize open houses and other events to showcase your childcare program's facilities and programs. If your program’s enrollment naturally ramps up around the beginning of the school year, plan an open house during the summer to get prospective parents excited about your program and thinking about enrolling! This provides an opportunity for parents to experience the environment firsthand and ask questions. Having knowledgeable staff available during these events can build confidence in your program's capabilities and commitment to quality childcare.
CareDay’s Event Portal allows you to create events that your current and potential families can register to attend! This can range from utilizing your facility to host a Kid’s Night In event or a Fall Fest at a local park. Set the price (or keep it free) and easily organize registrations and head counts!
4) Provide clear communication and documentation
Establish clear lines of communication with parents from the initial inquiry through enrollment and beyond. The number one parent satisfaction complaint across childcare programs is communication, so keep it consistent and easily accessible!
A big stress point for family and childcare providers is communicating transitions to new classrooms. Many factors go into when a child might move to a new classroom, including age, developmental readiness, and enrollment space in the other classroom. Having all this information at your fingertips to plan out transitions and communications with parents is vital so parents and teachers have enough of notice before the move!
CareDay gives you the ability to auto-schedule each child's journey through your program from day 1 until they are aged out of your program, which is extremely helpful for transition notices and more. As your enrollment shifts, you can easily adjust children’s schedules to fill holes, change schedules, transition earlier or later as needed, or end their time at your program.
5) Build trust through relationships
Foster trust by building strong relationships with parents. Regularly touch base with families to update them on their child's progress, share anecdotes about their daily activities, and seek feedback. A child’s day-to-day information should be communicated daily. Set quarterly or twice-a-year conferences where parents can schedule a time to talk outside of pickup and dropoff. Illness communications should be timely. Program updates and events should be shared at least monthly. Again, consistency is key! Building a partnership with parents leads to increased satisfaction, positive word-of-mouth referrals, and long-term enrollment.
CareDay has many different ways for you to keep up with your communication!
Emails and texts sent through CareDay are available for reference on the parent mobile app
Staff and parents can easily communicate throughout the day via chat on the parent mobile app
Events are visible and available for registration on the mobile app and web portal
Daily activities are logged by staff and shared in real-time with parents on the mobile app and web portal
6) Look ahead and plan for future enrollment
Knowing your program’s enrollment availability will prepare you for parent questions during tours and for when current families become pregnant with their second (or third+) child. Most parents start looking for childcare 4-6 months into their pregnancy with some inquiring even before becoming pregnant! That means you need to be prepared with as accurate information as possible when looking into your future enrollment. Being able to confidently offer a spot in 10 months is the BEST feeling for you and extremely comforting to that family knowing their childcare is secure.
Using CareDay’s program scheduler, you can accurately project up to 12 months of your program’s enrollment! It will automatically pair your part-time children to show exactly what space you have in each room each month, taking the guesswork out of your enrollment.
Conclusion
Optimizing your enrollment experience for parents is not only beneficial for them but also crucial for the growth and success of your childcare program. By implementing these strategies, childcare program owners & directors can create a positive and welcoming environment that attracts families and establishes lasting relationships within the community.
