Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/planning-all-aspects-of-program-expansion/5012935/
Expanding your early care and education center seems like a good idea. Parents tell you there are no centers in a nearby area that comes close to the quality you offer. The idea of having multiple locations is attractive. You can provide quality care to more families and, maybe, finally make some money in this business.What are the emotional costs of expanding your center? Many articles address the financial impact of center expansion. They discuss the cost of land, buildings, and operations; however, no articles discuss what happens emotionally to you, your staff, and your families when you decide to expand.
It seemed like such a good idea . . .
I owned a NAEYC accredited center in the city of St. Louis that served 250 children and their families. I had a staff of 55 teachers and assistant teachers. As children became school aged, their parents moved from the city to the country to avoid the city public schools. Families moved the brothers and sisters of these school-aged children into centers near their new homes. Many times I would see them in our neighborhood community and they would begin to tell me how there was nothing near their home that compared to ...