Running a Professional Service

From 2020 the number of funded Early Learning and Childcare hours for eligible 2 year olds also and all 3 and 4 year olds from 600 hours to 1140 hour per year. Childminders will be able to apply to become funded providers working in partnership with local authorities to deliver Early Learning and Childcare

Think about…

• The potential benefits to your business of working in partnership to deliver funded hours
• The additional requirements which may be set by your local authority, for example qualifications and evidence requirements for quality assurance.

You need to inform the HMRC the day you start your business either by telephone or the HMRC web site. Keep a record of your registration and your Unique Tax Reference (UTR) which will be sent to you.

Think about…

• The date you start your business will be the date you will be liable for recording income and expenditure.
• The methods you will use to record your income and expenditure and try to get into the habit of recording these regularly

Keep your paperwork up to date and in order. Find a system that works for you but avoid putting it all in a drawer to sort out later. Remember that all expenses associated with the business could be included in your tax return. This could reduce your taxable income.

Think about…

• setting aside some time each week for record keeping, as it can be daunting to try to do it all at once.

• The small items you purchase, such as foodstuff or replacement items can easily get lost from your accounts, so ensure you ask for and keep all receipts (this may also include some domestic bills)

• Using a record keeping app available for phones which may be good for quick input.

You will have secured public liability insurance for your business and made yourself aware of the scope and what is covered within this policy. A copy of this insurance should be available to be inspected and placed in file at your place of business

Think about…

• Regularly reviewing the contents of the policy and pay particular attention to the small print
• Reviewing your provider in the weeks/months before renewal as the cost of insurances can vary between providers

Be aware of the importance and benefits of having this contractual agreement between you and the parent(s) and carers. These not only set out expectations but can help in case of potential dispute. A copy of your contracts should be available and placed in an individual parent/child file at your place of business. Review your contracts after 6 months of working with a family, and renew your contract annually thereafter.

Think about…

• being open to on-going negotiation with parents but be mindful of the ethos of your business.

It is useful to revisit your pricing strategy when you start taking on children. You may have factored in additional costs such as replacing resources, training, tax and NI plus living wage in your initial calculations, but it is worth checking these again. The value of the service you offer can be measured in what you offer as well as how the parents, carers and children value you personally. The more professional, organised and knowledgeable you are, the more favourably parents will view your service and the more likely they are to recommend you to others.

Think about…

• Reviewing your charges within the first 6 months of being in business and annually thereafter
• How and when you will give notice to parents of any changes and when they will come into force. Any changes should be justified.

These requirements are set out by the Food Standards Agency and your local authority Environmental Health Dept. may inspect you. Your local authority website will have more information regarding these, however the links below set out general guidance

http://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/food-safety-standards/advice-business-and-industry/childminders

http://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/publications-and-research/legal-requirements-for-childminders-in-scotland

http://hub.careinspectorate.com/media/177298/nhs-setting-the-table.pdf

Think about…

• The benefits of providing meals and/or snacks and the various learning opportunities they provide
• How you will manage the requirements of your local environmental health department

SSSC Codes of Practice for Social Service Workers

If you have your family within the household, they will need to be aware of the sensitive nature of your business and accept the restrictions that running such a service from home could cause daily.

Think about…

• where possible, having set areas in your home, clearly assigned and defined for the purposes of your business.
• The potential impact on your own family, for example children having friends round to play

Most local authorities will have a Business Gateway which offers on-going support to local businesses. In addition to there is also childminding specific support available via membership organisations. Some local authorities also offer support and training for childminders.

Think about…

• researching local support agencies

You will have made it clear in your aims the hours you are available to mind children. As you start to take on more children you may be asked to reconsider these by the parents/carers in order to suit their family needs. In order to effectively meet the needs of others, you need time for yourself too. Remember to take into account non-contact hours when you are doing paperwork or cleaning for your business, but not looking after children

Think about…

• how flexible you are prepared to be
• making regular time for yourself to do the things you enjoy

Setting up a social media site is a quick and inexpensive method of advertising your business and communicating what you do. However you cannot share any personal information or photographs of children without consent. Be aware that setting up closed groups on social media sites does not necessarily ensure privacy if others can be tagged in them.

Think about…

• investigating the privacy settings for any social media you are using
• setting up an open site with general information to promote your business, but a private method of communication with parents with regard to their children.
• the benefits of using this form of communication and marketing but balance this with the need to keep children safe.

All of your marketing material and online advertising should reflect the professional approach to the service provided.

Think about…

• the need for confidentiality, sharing images and the necessity for consent to use these in advertising.
• The value of word of mouth as a marketing tool and how your behaviour can influence this.

SSSC Codes of Practice for Social Service Workers

Creating a buzz and getting people talking is all important in a business. The more active you are in promoting the positive aspects of what you offer the more interest you will create. This requires constant reviewing of what you have done, are doing and plan to do. Remember that pictures speak a thousand words but be careful of permissions to publish on any advertising.

Think about…

• what makes you stand out from the other childcare providers in your area. Why should parents and carers choose you over anyone else? Highlight this and use it as a unique selling point.
• Using testimonials from parents within your regular marketing strategy.
• how you will attract visitors to your social media regularly and encourage them to share the information with others.

Each local authority publishes a list of childcare providers in the area, Contact them to find out how to get your business included on the Family Information Service list. Childminding and early years organisations such as SCMA or CALA also provide information about local childminders and your service and inspection reports will be publicly available on the Care Inspectorate website.

Think about…

• how you want your potential customers to find out about you

Many childminders describe their jobs as “looking after children”. By doing this they may give a message to others that the job in not as valued as it should be. You should be careful not to undersell or over sell what you offer.

Think about…

• How you describe the various aspects of the job and how these demonstrate the complexities of what you do.

• Regularly asking others what they think of your services and make adjustments to ensure that your business is promoted in a positive light.

If you can show parents and carers that you are constantly reflecting on your own skills and knowledge and are looking at ways you can improve these, you are likely to be more valued for the work that you do. The Care Inspectorate will be looking for evidence that you are doing this You are your business and you will need to invest in yourself to maintain and improve it.

Think about…

• Including costs of training within your pricing structure
• Including training costs as a taxable expense (if you self fund)
• Contacting your local authority Early Years team, local training providers and colleges to see what training is available and what help may be available to you to help fund these courses , for example Individual Training Account (replaces ILA in Oct 2017) or part time SAAS funding.

Late and/or overdue payments may occur and it may be necessary to hold direct conversations with parents/cares regarding this. Childminders report this being an aspect of the business they had not fully considered before starting their business,

“…being assertive in dealing with contracts, payment and lateness issues, …for me, this has been the hardest thing to deal with…” (Childminder)

…I have definitely been too accommodating. I assumed that if I was professional but helpful, parents would be appreciative. …I really wish I had been stricter with parents from the outset as it’s really difficult to change the way you work with a family once a relationship is underway.“ (Childminder)

Think about…

• setting regular dates to review and renew your contracts with parents to provide a good opportunity to discuss any issues.
• How you might approach parents/carers if this situation arises

SSSC Codes of Practice for Social Service Workers

Many childminders value the support they get from other childminders. Many areas have local networking groups or attend local community groups. You can find information regarding these from childminding and early years organisations such as SCMA or CALA or at your local authority

Think about…

• The potential benefits to you and the children in your care of attending local childminding groups

You can regularly review your own skills and knowledge to help you create a personal development plan. This should highlight what skills and knowledge you need to do the job well. As you are unlikely to have a job description you can refer to the SSSC codes of practice, and other national guidelines to help you identify your strengths and areas for improvement

Think about…

• Setting dates in your calendar to review your own skills and knowledge
• Asking other people (children, parents etc.) for feedback
• Setting goals for your own development and gathering evidence to show you are achieving these.

SSSC Codes of Practice for Social Service Workers

As a childminder you are expected to follow the guidance for provision of care contained within the National Health and Social Care Standards (revised 2017)

In addition to these other frameworks and guidance are available to you which you can use to enhance your provision for children. A working knowledge of these will help demonstrate your practice.

Consider
• which national guidance are most relevant to your childminding business
• how you might use this guidance to help provide evidence of best practice

These include:
Pre-Birth to Three: Positive Outcomes for Scotland’s Children and Families

Curriculum for Excellence

Building the Ambition

Playwork Principles

Codes of Practice

Wellbeing Indicators

National Health and Social Care Standards