Setting up a creche in a private home is anything but child's play

If you're thinking of starting a family in the next five years, join the queue for a creche place now. "Parents who have moved into new housing estates in west Dublin are crying on the phone to me because they can't find a childcare place anywhere," says Martina Murphy who runs Nippers Nursery at Castleknock, Dublin, 15. As PRO for the National Childrens' Nursery Association (NCNA), Murphy believes provision for a creche should be a mandatory condition of planning approval in all new housing developments. "When politicians come canvassing they should be hit hard with this issue," she says.

Setting up your own creche is one answer to the problem of supply and demand. But anyone under the illusion that a creche can be set up in the front livingroom, should think again. It's a lot more complicated. Running a creche or nursery school is a commercial enterprise and planning permission, fire regulations and health board notification all come into the equation.

Planners will consider the size of the premises, what provision there is for drop-off parking and whether neighbours will be inconvenienced. Hours of operation are normally limited to Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and permission is granted on the proviso that the premises complies with the Childcare Act 1991 and subsequent amendments and additions and is registered with the local health board.

Nikki Darling and Valda Sheridan operate Little Feat Montessori Creche from the garden level of the Sheridans' large period house in Clonskeagh. The first port of call for Nikki and Valda was an application for planning approval and change of use for the house. The Sheridans live in the main part of the house and the garden level is leased to Little Feat Creche on a strictly commercial basis.

The application was turned down at first because of reservations over the entrance but the Sheridans and the Darlings, hellbent on running a creche together, won the case on appeal. Nikki and Valda chose the house in the first place because, being large and detached, it was unlikely to attract objections from neighbours on grounds of noise or cars coming and going.

Registration with the local health board, now essential, was not a requirement back in 1993, although Nikki Darling welcomes the restrictions imposed by the 1996 Childcare Act, saying they are very good for the future of children attending childcare. "There were some very seedy places out there before the regulations came in," she says.

Fire-proofing the premises was one of the biggest jobs they had to do. All the floors upstairs and down had to be sealed, three fire exits provided and hydrants and extinguishers fixed in easily-reached locations. Fire protection must be approved by the local fire officer before any pre-school facility can go ahead. Little Feat have regular fire drill which they document in a fire prevention manual.

Safety governs most of the regulations covering childcare facilities and it is based on common-sense. Child-proof locks, handrails at child height, thermostatically controlled water, socket covers, low level windows made safe - these are all outgoings that will be recouped once the creche is up and running. Outside play areas need to be enclosed and should have ground covering that will cushion falls. Many creches use small pebbles because children can't run too fast on this type of surface. When the Clonskeagh creche opened for business there was a nice lawn at the back for outdoor play, which turned into a mudbath in a matter of weeks. They replaced this with pebbles laid on well-drained ground, with a membrane under the gravel to keep dust to a minimum. Good sturdy swings and slides from a reliable manufacturer are sensible long-term investments. An essential booklet for anyone thinking of starting a creche is the explanatory guide to requirements under the Childcare (Pre-School Services) Regulations 1996, available from the Government Publications Office at Molesworth Street, Dublin 2 at a cost of £3.

Barnardos have also compiled a useful information pack - Establishing a Day Care Service - which is available for £25 from the National Childrens' Resource Centre at Christchurch Square, Dublin 8. Alternatively, it can be read at the centre on weekday mornings 9.30 to 1.00 p.m.

It is a good idea to invite the local health board inspector to call and give advice on the regulatory aspects of converting the house to a pre-school facility. Once registered, the inspector will call "from time to time" to confirm that the rules are being followed.

You will also have to register the business with the tax office. Insurance will be essential and the cost of this will vary depending on child numbers and whether they are attending full or part-time. Employees liability insurance will be another insurance outlay. Like any other business, a creche will only survive if it makes a profit so plan finances carefully. Some Area Partnerships have funding for the provision of childcare facilities so this is worth checking out. One bonus of running your own creche is the saving in childcare costs. With five small children between the two families, the Darlings and the Sheridans are saving about £1,500 a month by running their own pre-school. Apart from play equipment, books, music and an easy-clean kitchen, you will need an entrance lobby with storage for coats and a change of clothes for each child, a rest room with sleeping facilities for under twos and separate activity rooms for each age level. Nappy changing facilities, a toilet and hand-basin for every 10 children and a separate washroom for adults are also health board requirements.

Toys and books are not a huge initial expense according to most creche owners, and can be bought at any reliable wholesaler. Little Feat bought the bulk of their equipment at Little Tikes and the Early Learning Centre (the latter is not wholesale but pre-school groups get a discount). If you plan to have a Montessori class for the older children (and parents increasingly look for this) expenditure could go up alarmingly. Kitchens have to be modified to fit statutory requirements. If food is being bought in from outside the supplier must be registered with the health board. Employment grants might also be available. Many creche owners say their biggest ongoing headache is sourcing and keeping well-trained staff. There are several colleges offering courses in childcare and Montessori teaching up to degree level, but graduates are often snapped up as childminders in private homes.

Currently causing staffing problems in officially-run creches is the recent trend for two or three households to combine, forming an unofficial creche in one of the houses. According to Nikki Darling, unofficial nannies are getting around £200 into their hands each week, a sum which few creches could afford to pay on top of PRSI and tax deductions. Training for either yourself or the person managing the creche is usual. Nikki Darling is a qualified social worker and her partner Valda joined up for a course in childcare and creche management.

Do your research. Existing creches have such long waiting lists they will gladly give advice to a potential competitor. Joining an affiliated association such as the NCNA gives access to a network of like-minded people and membership is often used as a value yardstick by parents.