Administrative tasks can consume hours of precious time during the day of a childcare center leader — time that is better spent connecting with children, staff and families. From managing enrollments to maintaining communication with parents and ensuring compliance, the responsibilities are numerous. This is where childcare management software can help.
Childcare management software is designed to meet the specific needs of your business by automating administrative tasks so you can focus on what matters most — educating the children in your care.
Selecting the right software can transform your business and quality of education you provide. So how do you choose the one that best fits your needs? Let’s answer some questions to help you make the best choice.
How do your business goals align with childcare software?
Start by identifying the pain points at your center. Talk to staff about which administrative tasks take up most of their time and where they think automation could most benefit your program.
Consider speaking with your families to see which features they find most helpful. From these conversations, make a list of must-haves and nice-to-haves. This list will start to narrow down possible vendors and guide you moving forward.
For example, Molly Hichens, a second-generation owner of three preschools in Virginia, knew that staying competitive with neighboring centers meant evolving with the times. That meant integrating technology into her daily operations to streamline processes and improve communication without losing personal connections.
That’s why her centers use a childcare mobile app, which is handy when your staff needs to update schedules or look up emergency contacts while on-the-go with students.
“Using a family communication tool is imperative to staying competitive and adding value to your program,” Hichens said. “Not only does it bridge home and school, but it promotes communication and school engagement.”
What is the user experience like with the childcare software?
Once you have narrowed down your software search to a few vendors, request a demo to see how it works. Ensure the software solves your business problems and is user-friendly for both staff and parents.
During the demo, make sure you can see yourself using the program and that there is an obvious flow to how it works. The same goes for testing a childcare mobile app to make it easy for teachers to share photos, developmental milestones and daily updates with families.
Does the childcare software manage all business operations?
Understand everything the software can do and any additional costs you might face. Will there be extra charges for accessing customer support or staff training?
Check if the software covers all parts of running your business, including tracking child attendance, easy access to family information, handling schedules, keeping records, communicating with families, and billing and processing payments. These tasks can consume time that could be spent with the children.
What support options are provided with the childcare software?
If you have a question, is there someone to talk to who can resolve your issue promptly? A strong support team is an essential feature to look for in a software provider. Ask about the availability of live customer support, online support resources, training webinars, and the implementation process.
Also inquire about the history of the company, its experience with childcare management software, and its customer base. Having reliable support and a knowledgeable provider can make a significant difference in your experience.
Ready to get started?
“While it takes the investment of time and money to put your company’s data into a new software like Procare (and train your team on it), the payoff is priceless knowing you get the information you need to make key decisions for your business at a moment’s notice,” Hichens said.
To explore how much time and money you could save by automating your administrative tasks with childcare management software, check out the Procare Cost and Time Savings Calculator to learn about the potential savings of using automation in your childcare center.
About Procare Solutions
For more than 30 years, Procare Solutions has been helping early childhood educators simplify operations and create meaningful connections with families, so they can focus on what matters most — the children. That’s why over 37,000 customers choose Procare. We are proud to be a leader in childcare management software.
For more information, visit ProcareSolutions.com
