Barnsley Early Start and Family Services

Funding

Most new businesses need some sort of funding when starting up, although sometimes they are self funded by the owner. The amount of funding and length of time you'll need funding support for will depend on your speed of growth and how well your business is managed. Where businesses need external funds it's necessary for them to plan well and develop a funding strategy.

Funding can be from private finance or public finance. Private finance is investment by the owner, friends, family, private investors and business loans. Public finance is government funds to meet new initiatives, or funding provided by charities.

There are many ways for not-for-profit organisations to get grants and funding from a range of sources. The South Yorkshire Funding Advice Bureau (SYFAB) is a useful place to start - providing help, advice and training for fundraisers.

Finance

For your childcare business to be successful you'll need to plan your finances. Knowing your costs will enable you to plan your fee structure.

You'll need to consider all of the costs below.

Staffing

Unless you're a sole trader, staffing is likely to be your biggest cost. You'll need to include things such as:

  • wages
  • National Insurance contributions
  • pension contributions
  • holiday pay
  • sick pay

Premises

These costs will include your rent or mortgage, business rates, utilities and security maintenance.

Insurance

If you employ staff you'll need to have employer's liability insurance. All registered childcare businesses must also have public liability insurance. You may also want to take out insurance for equipment, children's personal belongings, personal accidents for employees and children, plus others.

Administration

This includes things such as telephones, postage and website maintenance, but also Ofsted registration fees.

Activity and materials

Consumables should be included here but not large pieces of equipment and furniture. Include costs for visits and outings, entertainers and stationery.

Marketing

The advertising of your business, and the costs of designing and printing brochures and leaflets.

Volunteers

Providers other than childminders must obtain an enhanced disclosure and barring service (DBS) check for volunteers if:

  • They are aged 16 and over.
  • They work on the premises on which childcare is provided and children are present. 

You need to include the cost of recruiting and checking suitability, as well as training, any volunteers.

Transport

All transport costs need to be itemised, including any mileage payments to staff for training. Vehicle maintenance, tax, MOT, insurance and licences for transporting children also needs to be detailed here.

Capital costs

Capital purchases when you're starting-up can be large. These are normally for the purchase or refurbishment of premises and for the purchase of large equipment. You need to make sure you include the depreciation of equipment as part of financial planning. This is so that over the lifetime of the piece of equipment you've saved enough money to buy a new one. You can find out more about capital allowances and depreciation.

For more information

Call us on 0800 034 5340 or

Setting your fee structure

The fees you charge for childcare in your setting can have a big effect on take up of your service. If your prices are too high it can reduce sales, whilst if you don't charge enough it can affect how sustainable you are. 

You'll need to know your break-even point - when your income from sales covers all the costs of the business. You can work this out as the number of places that your childcare business has to have filled in order to break even.

A break-point is when the number of children you can care for with your current number of staff has been reached, and to provide care for any more children you need to employ another member of staff and increase your outgoings to allow you to increase your income.

Income projection

Childcare business income is generally from three sources: parental fees, funding or grants (2, 3 and 4 year old funding) and fund raising. You'll need to predict your income accurately, including when you expect customers to pay you. You'll need to decide if you will take payment in advance, and if you'll take payments weekly or monthly. You'll also need to identify grant funding income and when this will be received, such as Early Education Funding.

Resources

You can use our example resources to help you with finances:

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