There are two essential steps that any child care provider must take in order to help find prospective parents of children that will fill your vacancies:

1. Keep Your Information Up-To-Date
2. Market Your Business To Fill Vacancies

Keep Your Information Up-To-Date
To market your business to fill vacancies, you must make sure your information is accurate on 4C Council's referral database. Please regularly mail us your program updates using the Child Care Center Update Form or the Licensed Family Child Care Provider Update Form, or call in your updates to our Resource & Referral Department at (408) 487-0749.

Ultimately, the 4C Council's Referral process is driven by the parent's choice and the specific needs of the parent and child. We cannot guarantee that we can fill your vacancies. Also, several factors can determine child care availability, such as:

• Some areas of Santa Clara County have a greater supply of child care and/or a lesser demand
  
• How the parent perceives the quality of the program being offered
  
• The different types of programs being offered and the fees charged
  
• The special requirements of the family

Market Your Business To Fill Vacancies
One way to fill vacancies is to promote or market your program. Here are some ways to do that:

• Create a scrapbook to showcase the many positive aspects of your program to prospective parents.
  
• Share your child care experience and knowledge
  
• Show the credentials you have in First Aid, CPR, or Early Childhood Education. Be sure to include any other relevant programs or affiliations.
  
• Promote and explain your service to individuals and organizations that have contact with prospective clients, such as elementary schools, parenting classes, the YWCA, and such.
  
• Invite prospective clients to an Open House so they can see your program and get to know more about you.
  
• Advertise your name, business and telephone number in the phone book, weekly shopping paper and on bulletin boards. Also post your name at the pediatrician's office or the local library.
  
• Design a logo with the name of your program and have it printed on business cards, T-shirts, diaper bags, buttons, etc. You can also have it printed on peel off labels that you can stick on envelopes, letters, etc.
  
• Reminder: Check with your local city office for regulations on Hand Bill Permits, Signage Ordinances, or Regulations.

Contact the 4C Council for assistance in creating business cards and/or promotional fliers/brochures to advertise your business at (408) 487-0749.