Childcare Providers Business Support Information
This page is here to support childcare providers with their businesses. You can find information about how to make childcare cost effective for families, working with HRMC or Ofsted and much much more.
If you want to find out about claiming 2, 3 and 4 year old funding or using the Provider Portal visit our funding page.
For some really useful general information, please see below. Otherwise please view the Childminders or Group Providers pages.
With businesses hard hit with the COVID-19 pandemic, it is difficult to win back parents and even more difficult for them to trust in childcare once more. Social media can be a great online tool to boost communication with parents and raise awareness of your nursery. And the best part? It’s absolutely free!
Sharing news, pictures or videos with parents of your setting allows them to see the day to day activities taking place and is a great tool to promote your setting to potential new customers. You can highlight the safety measures you have put in place raising parental confidence. This article from the National Day Nurseries Association explains further.
When it comes to using using social media in the early years sector, it might not be the first thing that you think of when it comes to appealing to and engaging with parents that entrust you with the care of their children. Particularly due to the sensitive and confidential nature of the work that you do and adhering to Safeguarding Laws.
For £3.50, you can download this factsheet from the National Day Nursery Association which provides guidance when using social media on behalf of your setting and as a general user. To ensure that you are using social media in an appropriate way, this factsheet will provide:
- Information on safeguarding and social media
- What the law says about the use of social media in a childcare setting
- Tips and tricks on how to boost your setting's social media presence
These Facebook pages might help support you in making decisions about your social media strategy:
Here are some useful links to training:
- Marketing and social media for the early years by The Early Years Alliance
- Marketing and social media for the early years by EduCare
- Marketing for Early Years Settings
Information about the Early Years Inclusion Fund can be found on the Schools Information Portal.
The next Early Years Inclusion Fund panels are:
- For 2 year olds: Wednesday 5 May 2021 (the deadline for applications is Wednesday 28 April 2021 at 5pm)
- For 3 year olds: Tuesday 18 May 2021 (the deadline for applications is Tuesday 11 May 2021 at 5pm)
Please take the time to read through the information on the Schools Information Portal and familiarise yourself with the Request Form. If a child in your school / setting has an EHC Plan you should not apply for funding from EYIF.
School SENCOs are familiar with the E3 process for requesting additional funding for children with an EHCP. From 1 April 2020 PVI settings will also need to use the E3 process to apply for funding for children with an EHCP. The E3 request form is also now available to PVI settings and can be found on the SIP.
PVI setting SENCOS who would like some support with the new forms should contact their link practitioner from the Early Intervention Team.
If a claim gets put in for a child splitting childcare across more than one provider and one provider is funded and the other isn’t the provider in receipt of funding will take priority and receive the whole allocation of EYIF.
If a claim gets put in for a child splitting childcare across more than one provider and one provider is funded and the other isn’t the provider in receipt of funding will take priority and receive the whole allocation of EYIF.
Please see presentation slides for the Hempsall's Finding A Way Through COVID19 Virtual Business Training delivered on Wednesday 01 July 2020 to Day Nurseries and Pre-Schools.
The HMRC has created these videos to help support you and your business.
When the Families Information Service last surveyed parents, they told us that the cost of childcare was a big barrier to them. The Government has a number of schemes for parents that help to reduce that cost, are you promoting the funded places for 2, 3 and 4 year olds, the extended entitlement and tax free childcare with your parents?
Why not take a look at the Childcare Choices communications toolkit, you can use this free material to support your social media promotion or websites. Please work with parents to make sure they apply for and revalidate their extended entitlement codes by the cut-off point of the 31st March, 31st August or the 31st December.
Here is a reminder postcard that you can use with parents to remind them what they need to do and when.
The Nursery Milk Scheme is operated by the Nursery Milk Reimbursement Unit (NMRU) on behalf of the Department of Health. It entitles children under 5 years, who attend approved childcare facilities to receive 189ml (1/3 pint) of milk each day, free of charge. To claim this free milk, register your childcare setting using the NMRU online registration form.
Ofsted are the regulator of childcare for children aged 0 to 8 years old, if you have any queries about your childcare registration, please contact Ofsted directly on 0300 123 1231 or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. If you have any safeguarding incidents to report please contact Ofsted as soon as possible keeping records of these contacts.
The Derby and Derbyshire Safeguarding Children Procedures set out in detail how concerns about the welfare of children are looked into and gives information about local contacts, including where staff can get further advice and information. More information is available on the Policies and Procedures page.
What to do if you're worried a child is being abused is national guidance for practitioners that sets out the main steps to take to safeguard children.
PACEY is the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years, they are dedicated to supporting everyone working in childcare and early years to provide high quality care and early learning for children and families.
PACEY provides training, practical help and expert advice to practitioners. You can find a wide range of resources and training on their webpages.
Morton Michel is well known for their tailored childcare providers insurance policies. In addition to insurance, they offer a wide range of extra benefits to policyholders through their Childcare Club such as free Early Years training, free downloads including business forms and educational posters, savings on days out and discounts from selected suppliers.
The Early Years Business Zone is a great initiative that provides a dedicated, free to access, online resource that is tailored to the specific needs of early years businesses. Visit Early Years Business Zone to find out more.