We recommend that providers consider the following when setting up or expanding childcare:
- Consultation and market research
- The need for childcare and early years in your area
- Business and financial planning for new childcare
- Ofsted standards and regulations
- Fee and wage averages in the area
- Accessing funding to support new childcare development
- Offering free funded early years education places
We produce information about childcare needs within the Cambridgeshire Education Organisation Plan. In addition, we identify where we require new places in the Cambridgeshire County Council Early Years Market Position Statement.
Specialist support is available to help you with the following:
- business and financial planning
- cash flow forecasting, budgeting, and monitoring
- funding and sustainability
- marketing and promoting your service
- staff recruitment and management
- premises issues
- employer-supported childcare schemes
- trustee and committee roles and responsibilities
- charity status and constitutions
- management structures/governance
- supporting parents to afford childcare.
Cambridgeshire Early Years Service has produced a toolkit Getting it Right from the Start to support new and new-to-Cambridgeshire providers in setting up their business.
To access this support, please telephone 01223 706 133 or email earlyyears.service@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
