Child care directors are responsible for overseeing the staff and the day-to-day operations of a daycare facility for children who are not yet old enough for formal schooling. The majority of directors have been promoted from a teaching position within the facility. Larger daycare centers may also have an assistant director on staff.

Administrative Duties of a Daycare Director

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A daycare director completes the majority of administrative tasks involved in running a child care center. This can include such tasks as processing enrollments, keeping attendance and health and safety records, ordering supplies and keeping billing records. The director is also responsible for keeping all students' files up to date, including medical and emergency contact information, and records of any behavioral incidents. In some daycare centers, it is the director who makes the menu for the school's snacks or lunches in accordance with federal school lunch program guidelines.

Managing Daycare Staff

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A daycare director is in charge of the hiring, training and supervision of staff, which may include teachers, assistant teachers, student teachers or interns and possibly auxiliary staff such as kitchen help or bus drivers. It is the daycare director who makes the work schedule and ensures guidelines for ratios of staff to student are met. He often conducts teacher evaluations, observing the teacher in the classroom and rating his or her performance. The director also assists staff in setting and working toward professional goals.

Instructional Duties for Daycares

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Directors are responsible for overseeing the curriculum used in the center. This means either developing or reviewing teachers' lesson plans or choosing curriculum to be implemented center-wide. The day care director may provide in-house trainings for the staff. He often fills in for teachers or assistants when there is no substitute available. In some centers, the director is also teaches a specific number of hours per day or week as a part of the regular schedule.

Communicating With Parents

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It is the director who first meets with parents to introduce the daycare center and explain the center's policies, fees, regulations and curriculum. The director deals with parental concerns and questions and is responsible for conveying any policy changes to parents. He must talk with parents regarding behavioral concerns, injuries or other incidents that occur during the school day. It is also the director who bills and collects payment for services.

Compliance Duties

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The daycare director is the person who accepts responsibility for ensuring that the organization is in full compliance with all licensing and safety regulations. He must update licensing paperwork and schedule any needed inspections. The director also keeps records on all staff members to ensure the records are in compliance with licensing and continuing education requirements. The director institutes fire and disaster preparedness drills as required by law. He writes policies and plans for dealing with various types of emergencies in the daycare.