A business plan provides an outline of your business, the market, and how it will be successful. It will help you get funding from investors, a bank or building society and keep you on track to make sure that you do become a sustainable business. A business plan should include the following areas:

• About you. Information about you and the business, including the organisation status.

• SWOT analysis. To show you know your strengths and what you may need to improve.

• Market. What the childcare market is like, and your competitors.

• Market research. Your research showing the need for your business and the demand you intend to meet.

• Consultation. Who you have spoken to and how you did this.

• Project proposal. What you are proposing to offer. Materials, resources (including staffing) as well as your fee structure need to be recorded here.

• Quality Assurance. Your knowledge of what good quality childcare is.

• Monitoring and evaluation. What you will monitor and evaluate.

• Equality. How you'll make sure your setting is accessible, non-discriminatory and meets the needs of everyone.

• Administration and equipment. What equipment, tools and materials you'll need to start up and keep going.

• Transport. Vehicle requirements and their costs.

• Promotion. How you will spread the word and advertise.

• Registration. The registration requirements including premises, and the costs of these.

• Costs and cash flow forecasts. Cost breakdowns of all of the areas including buildings, fixtures and fittings, insurances, recruitment, equipment.

• Skills audit. The number of staff you require for each job role and the qualifications, experience and skills they'll need to have.
  

• Staff operation. The hours staff will work and their pattern of working hours.

• Financial control. How you'll make and receive payments.

• The future. How you'll make sure that the setting will remain sustainable.