Daycare Management Course

Lesson 1 • The Childcare Industry Landscape

Covers the types of childcare settings, market demand, and stakeholder roles. Provides context for all subsequent management decisions.

Lesson 2 • Roles and Organisational Structure

Defines the director, lead teacher, aide, and support staff roles and their reporting relationships. Clarifies accountability at each level of the centre.

Lesson 3 • Licensing and Regulatory Compliance

Introduces mandatory licensing processes and ongoing compliance obligations. Grounds students in the legal baseline every daycare must meet.

Lesson 1 • Assessing and Documenting Child Progress

Introduces observation, portfolio, and standardised assessment tools. Enables staff to track development and communicate findings to families and regulators.

Lesson 2 • Developmental Milestones by Age Group

Reviews cognitive, language, motor, and social milestones from infancy through school age. Provides the developmental lens for all programming choices.

Lesson 3 • Daily Schedule and Routine Design

Teaches how to build predictable, developmentally appropriate daily routines. Connects scheduling decisions to children's emotional security and learning outcomes.

Lesson 4 • Curriculum Frameworks and Models

Compares play-based, project-based, and structured curriculum models. Equips managers to select and implement frameworks suited to their centre's philosophy.

Lesson 1 • Medication Administration and Health Records

Establishes safe procedures for administering medication and maintaining health documentation. Protects children and limits centre liability.

Lesson 2 • Emergency Preparedness and Response

Guides creation of emergency action plans for fire, severe weather, lockdown, and medical crises. Prepares staff to respond quickly and communicate with families.

Lesson 3 • Health and Hygiene Protocols

Defines handwashing, sanitation, diapering, and illness-exclusion procedures. Reduces disease transmission and meets regulatory hygiene requirements.

Lesson 4 • Facility Safety Standards and Inspections

Covers indoor and outdoor safety requirements, equipment standards, and routine inspection checklists. Establishes the physical safety baseline for the centre.

Lesson 1 • Workforce Planning and Job Design

Covers staffing ratio analysis, role definition, and job description writing. Aligns hiring plans with enrolment projections and regulatory requirements.

Lesson 2 • Orientation and Onboarding Programmes

Designs structured onboarding that covers policies, safety, and classroom expectations. Reduces early turnover and accelerates new-hire competence.

Lesson 3 • Legal and Compliant Hiring Practices

Addresses lawful interview questions, background check requirements, and employment eligibility verification. Protects the centre from discriminatory hiring claims.

Lesson 1 • Managing Underperformance and Discipline

Provides a progressive discipline framework for addressing policy violations and poor performance. Balances accountability with fair treatment and documentation.

Lesson 2 • Coaching and Mentoring Techniques

Introduces observation-based coaching cycles and peer mentoring structures. Builds a supportive learning culture within the teaching team.

Lesson 3 • Staff Retention and Wellbeing

Identifies drivers of childcare staff turnover and evidence-based retention strategies. Promotes staff wellbeing as a prerequisite for quality child care.

Lesson 4 • Professional Development Planning

Teaches how to assess staff training needs and build individualised development plans. Connects staff growth to improved child outcomes and retention.

Lesson 1 • Enrolment and Intake Processes

Covers inquiry handling, tours, enrolment paperwork, and fee agreements. Creates a welcoming first impression and sets clear expectations from day one.

Lesson 2 • Handling Complaints and Difficult Conversations

Provides a structured approach to receiving, investigating, and resolving family complaints. Protects relationships and prevents escalation to regulatory bodies.

Lesson 3 • Building Community and Family Involvement

Designs events, volunteer opportunities, and advisory structures that deepen family engagement. Strengthens the centre's community ties and enrolment stability.

Lesson 4 • Family Conferences and Progress Sharing

Prepares staff to conduct structured family conferences using child assessment data. Strengthens the home-centre partnership around each child's development.

Lesson 1 • Accounts Receivable and Payroll

Establishes systems for collecting tuition, managing delinquent accounts, and processing payroll accurately. Maintains cash flow and staff trust.

Lesson 2 • Daycare Business Models and Revenue Streams

Examines tuition, subsidy programmes, grants, and ancillary revenue sources. Provides the financial context for all subsequent budgeting decisions.

Lesson 3 • Budget Development and Management

Teaches how to build, monitor, and adjust an annual operating budget. Connects budget decisions to enrolment levels and staffing costs.

Lesson 4 • Financial Reporting and Audit Readiness

Introduces income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow reports for childcare operations. Prepares managers for internal reviews and external audits.

Lesson 1 • Strategic Planning for Childcare Centres

Guides directors through mission alignment, SWOT analysis, and multi-year goal setting. Translates vision into actionable operational priorities.

Lesson 2 • Expansion and Programme Diversification

Explores adding classrooms, opening satellite sites, and launching new programme offerings. Equips directors to evaluate and execute growth opportunities responsibly.

Lesson 3 • Marketing and Enrolment Growth

Covers digital marketing, referral networks, and community visibility strategies. Builds a sustainable enrolment pipeline to support financial stability.

Lesson 4 • Quality Assessment and Improvement Systems

Introduces quality rating tools, self-assessment cycles, and improvement planning. Drives measurable gains in programme quality and regulatory standing.