Question for home Daycare Providers. How did you get clients.

[April411]

So I'm thinking about starting a home daycare but there are some things that I'm concerned about. One is how I will get clients. I thought I could put up a sign in the front yard and also hand out cards/brochures but I don't know how effective this would be. I don't really know anyone who needs childcare (and is willing to pay a decent wage). So how difficult was it for those of you with a home daycare to obtain clients? How did you do it?
Thanks!

[April411]

Anyone?

Perhaps I should have posted this in the childcare providers tribe. It's just that the thread is so long and there are so many conversations going on already that I didn't want my question to get buried.

[tpintsch]

My son was one of the first children in an in home day care setting about 3 years ago. Once he was there, it was like an avalanche of children came in. His provider had to turn so many people away after a while. Word of mouth is what did it in this situation. People really appreciate in home day cares. I preferred it over everything else. So whichever way you bring in your first few kids, you will soon have a lot more to follow.