How Technology Is Changing How We Run Childcare Centers

Technology is changing childcare centers, but it’s truly for the better. From improved relationships to tracking developmental milestones, technology is making it easier for childcare centers to succeed and make a difference in the lives of children and their parents. To better understand how technology is changing how we run childcare centers, let’s take a look at the major areas that technology is influencing.

Communication

It’s an ever-connected world, and parents want just that when looking at a childcare center. Yes, they want to know that their children are happy and safe while they’re away at work. But it’s also a special moment to get a text message with a photo of their child’s activities. Calendar functionality also makes it easy to communicate important events at your childcare center. This way children show up for pajama day on the right day and parents know when to expect field trips and other deadlines you need to communicate. iCare Software features iCare Ding, which enables childcare centers to text parents simply by using the web-based application to take a photo or supply an update. Additionally, iCare’s calendar gives you options to track internal events such as staff appreciation day as well as notify parents of important events.

Development tracking

Childcare software makes it simple for teachers to track developmental milestones. While paper records can do the same thing, it’s more difficult to reference these milestones on paper. With a beginning of the school year report, you can easily track how a child is doing learning along their milestones for their age. iCare’s journal makes it easy to document and track what a child is learning throughout the year. The journal is also easy to share with parents, so they can follow along with their child’s development. You can provide quarterly and annual reports to help parents understand what their child is learning.

Administration

Administration for childcare centers has never been easier than it is with childcare software. Track attendance within your childcare software and your automatically billing can bill clients correctly without you having to manually send those invoices. Direct deposit also makes it easy for parents to pay tuition without having to think about it. This makes for happier parents as it’s a great service to them to simplify their lives.

Relationship improvements

Some childcare centers may feel like they’re always looking for new clients to fill the parents and students who cycle out of their center. But with improvements to technology, you can better showcase the importance of your center and the value you bring the family on a regular basis. As you have more open and constant communication with parents, you might see an increase in your retention rates. This is because parents who feel a strong connection to their child’s teachers and childcare center are less likely to shop around for other childcare centers. If you’re avoiding adding technology to your childcare center, now’s the time to take another look at how it can improve your childcare center. Schedule a demo of iCare Childcare Software to learn more.