Opening child daycare a longtime dream of owner

    Estafania Franco said she’s always had a passion for children and owning her own business.
    With next week’s opening of Rainbow Playhouse LLC, she’s seeing her dream come true. Her daycare space is filling up with toys and other items, as she readies for the youngsters.
    Franco is owner/operator of  the new daycare in Imperial, set to open Feb. 1 at the Imperial United Methodist Church. A room on the southeast side of the building is ready for her daycare services.
    She also works mornings at Rainbow Promise Preschool, also located at UMC, and plans to continue to do that.
    Hours at Rainbow Playhouse will be Mondays through Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and on Fridays from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
    In the summer months, she’ll take children Mondays through Fridays from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
    She will accept children age two to 13, and can care for up to 10 children including two after-school youths.
    Her childcare business is operated separately from the preschool, she said. She is renting the room for her business.
    She plans to add additional staff as warranted.
    Since August, she has worked at Rainbow Promise Preschool, and also has a year of experience at Little Sunshine Preschool & Daycare in Imperial.
    In between the two preschools, she took early education classes through Mid-Plains Community College.
    Franco started the process of establishing her business last May and had a number of  requirements to meet in order to open, she noted.
    She received a Conditional Use Permit from the city to operate the daycare business in a residential area, and has finished paperwork and had successful inspections from the NE Department of Health and Human Services and the State Fire Marshal’s Office. She completed legal paperwork to form an LLC.
    “I’m really happy it’s finally happening. I’m excited to start this new journey,” she said.
    She and her husband, Adolfo Ramirez, live in Champion.
    Franco said if parents want to register their children with her, they can call 308-883-0489. She will also give tours of the daycare area.