Lesson 15 : Requirements for establishment of child care center - Equipment, materials and supplies
Ordering equipment
Decisions about what, when and where to buy equipment are usually left to the director.
Equipment requisition: Directors usually develop an equipment request procedure. Staff members notify the director, the type of equipment that is needed or desired with justification for the need of the equipment and estimated cost. This information is helpful when final purchase decisions are made. The directors send their requisition to the vendors through request forms. The requisitions are processed through a central purchasing committee and the equipment is supplied to the center from the manufacturer or supplier. Teachers are also given permission to purchase items for specified amounts.
Purchase time line: Purchase of equipment occurs in three different time frames. They are
Start up
Supplementary
Replacement
It occurs in the beginning stages of center establishment.
It is the 2nd phase where purchase of additional equipment throughout the year takes place.
This phase helps maintain a constant supply of equipment that is in good repair and allows for adjustments in available equipment and materials as programme needs change or as new items come in the market.
It is the most expensive phase.
If this is spaced throughout a programme year both children and staff enjoy greater variety and a change of pace.
The budget also should include enough money for emergency replacements.
Sources of equipment:
Much of the equipment for early childhood education center is purchased from catalogs. If the dealers are reliable this arrangement is satisfactory. Most companies will put the centers on their mailing list and most major suppliers now have web sites. Example, website of ALPAKS KIDS WORLD is www. Alpaks.com which supplies educational tools for reasonable prizes. Other source of equipment is local retail outlets. Cooperative is another equipment source. (It is group buying which is very economical, the cooperative group buys in quantity at a wholesale price and sells items to cooperative members at just enough above cost to pay the comparative expenses.
Exhibit areas at state or national early childhood conferences provide greater opportunity to view a huge range of products.
Toy libraries are popular equipment sources in some areas.
Second hand shops, discount stores, antique shops are excellent sources of equipment or raw materials for pieces needed by the center.
Participants