Going self-employed as a childminder?

See what’s inside Your paperwork

Walks you through the practical first steps of setting up the business side as a self-employed childminder so you're not guessing what to organise first.

See what’s inside Your pricing

Ready-to-use parent contract, fees policy, permission form and invoice templates to organise the paperwork you keep on file and hand to parents. A starting point to think through, not legal advice.

See what’s inside Getting found

Helps you work through hourly, daily and per-child rates with funded-hours top-ups, deposits and retainers built in so your fees actually pay properly.

See what’s inside Your words

Content templates to help you get found by local working parents and fill your spaces, the kind of thing you'd share in local family groups.

AI Copy Kit£14.99

Helps you write clear parent updates, listing descriptions and waiting-list replies without staring at a blank screen at the end of a busy day.

See what’s inside Money admin

A set of forms to help you keep deposits, retainers, monthly fees and funded-hours top-ups organised across all the families you care for.

Not sure where to start? See everything for childminder or browse all LaunchKit products.

Suggested starter stack

A sensible order to build up

The same tools, grouped in the order most people pick them up. You don’t need everything at once — start with the essentials, then add the rest as your business grows.

Start with

Your map for the practical business-side setup before you welcome your first children.

Add next

The parent contract, fees policy, permission forms and invoices you'll use with every family.

So your hourly and daily rates work with funded-hours top-ups, deposits and retainers.

Useful later

To keep deposits, monthly fees and funded-hours top-ups tidy across all your families.

To help local working parents find you and fill your spaces.

Start with the Startup Guide See all childminder tools

Common questions

Before you buy anything

Do I need to buy everything before I start?: No. Most childminders start with the startup guide to get the business basics organised, then add the parent contract and invoice templates and a pricing tool as they go. It's designed to help you build up your setup at your own pace.
Are these legal or compliance documents?: No. These are downloadable templates and guides to help you get organised and set up the business side practically. They are not a substitute for professional advice and don't replace registering with Ofsted or a childminder agency, DBS checks, paediatric first aid, the EYFS, ratio requirements or any other statutory requirement, which are things to look into and sort yourself.
Can I use these if I'm already childminding?: Yes. Plenty of childminders who are already working pick these up to tidy up their fees, parent contracts and invoicing rather than starting from scratch.
How do I receive the files?: They're instant digital downloads. After purchase you can download the templates and guides straight away and start using them.
Which should I buy first?: A good practical starting point is the startup guide, followed by the business documents for your parent contract and invoices and the pricing calculator to set your rates. From there you can add the other tools as you need them.

Start with the right tools

Get the admin side organised so you can focus on the work. Browse the tools built for childminder businesses.

Going self-employed in a related field

Thinking about going self-employed?

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Going self-employed

Going self-employed as a childminder?

Caring for children at home is your gift; organise your fees, parent contracts and invoicing before you welcome your first little ones, separate from the regulated side you'll sort yourself.

Instant digital downloads on currently available products · UK-focused templates and guides · Not a substitute for professional advice.

The work is one thing. The setup is another.

Setting hourly, daily and per-child rates that pay properly without underselling yourself to fill spaces fast
Working out how funded hours top up alongside paid hours, and explaining it to parents so nobody's surprised by the bill
Taking deposits and retainers to hold a space, and handling late-pickup charges, without awkward conversations
Writing a parent contract, fees policy and permission forms that are clear and consistent, a starting point to think through, not legal advice
Keeping invoices and tidy business records up together so tax time and chasing late payments isn't a scramble

What to sort first

Your get-set-up checklist

1
Sort how you'll price your spaces
Decide your hourly and daily rates, how funded hours top up against paid hours, and your deposit, retainer and late-pickup charges before you talk numbers with a parent.
2
Write your fees policy and parent agreement
Have a clear fees policy and parent contract so terms, payment dates and notice periods are agreed up front. This is a starting point to think through, not legal advice.
3
Set up your permission and record forms
Organise the permission forms and the everyday business records you keep on file so paperwork is consistent and nothing gets lost. These are a starting point to think through, not legal advice.
4
Get your invoicing sorted
Have clear invoice templates ready so billing parents each month, including any funded-hours top-up, doesn't eat your evenings.
5
Set up simple money records
Get a basic system for tracking what's coming in and going out so tax time isn't a scramble and late payments are easy to spot.
6
Look into the regulated and insurance side
Registering with Ofsted or a childminder agency, DBS checks, paediatric first aid, the EYFS and ratios are things to look into and sort yourself, and cover is a prompt to look into too. The templates don't replace any of that.
7
Make yourself easy to find locally
Plan how local working parents will find you and fill your spaces, through local family Facebook groups, word of mouth and online listings.

Recommended LaunchKit tools

Tools that help you get set up

See what’s inside Your paperwork

Walks you through the practical first steps of setting up the business side as a self-employed childminder so you're not guessing what to organise first.

See what’s inside Your pricing

Ready-to-use parent contract, fees policy, permission form and invoice templates to organise the paperwork you keep on file and hand to parents. A starting point to think through, not legal advice.

See what’s inside Getting found

Helps you work through hourly, daily and per-child rates with funded-hours top-ups, deposits and retainers built in so your fees actually pay properly.

See what’s inside Your words

Content templates to help you get found by local working parents and fill your spaces, the kind of thing you'd share in local family groups.

AI Copy Kit£14.99

Helps you write clear parent updates, listing descriptions and waiting-list replies without staring at a blank screen at the end of a busy day.

See what’s inside Money admin

A set of forms to help you keep deposits, retainers, monthly fees and funded-hours top-ups organised across all the families you care for.

Not sure where to start? See everything for childminder or browse all LaunchKit products.

Suggested starter stack

A sensible order to build up

The same tools, grouped in the order most people pick them up. You don’t need everything at once — start with the essentials, then add the rest as your business grows.

Start with

Your map for the practical business-side setup before you welcome your first children.

Add next

The parent contract, fees policy, permission forms and invoices you'll use with every family.

So your hourly and daily rates work with funded-hours top-ups, deposits and retainers.

Useful later

To keep deposits, monthly fees and funded-hours top-ups tidy across all your families.

To help local working parents find you and fill your spaces.