Starting up and running your own baby or toddler class is an exciting milestone. Being aware of all the necessary legal info and regulations can be a bit daunting at first, but we’re here to guide you through step by step!
Below are all the essentials you need to consider when starting / running your baby or toddler class.
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The essentials that you need to legally run your baby and toddler class
Tax and National Insurance
When starting up your own business, one of the first steps is to ask yourself whether you want to set up as a limited company or a sole trader.
The difference?
Sole traders operate as individuals, making this the simplest option in terms of setup and administration. Profits are taxed as personal income, and you pay National Insurance on them above a certain threshold.
Limited companies are more complex, with more upfront costs in setting them up, but they can be more tax efficient. Another advantage is that the structure helps limit your personal liability and protect you as an individual.
The best choice for you depends on several factors, including on your attitude to risk, business size and income, and long-term goals. If you’re unsure, talking to an accountant or business advisor is always a good idea.
Once you’ve decided which route to go down, you will either need to set yourself up as a self-employed sole trader by visiting gov.co.uk (via their set-up wizard) or register as a limited company with Companies House.
Insurance for venues and equipment
Public Liability Insurance is essential for all baby and toddler class providers. It covers you if someone is injured or their property is damaged while attending your classes – especially important when working with children.
Most public venues will have their own insurance, but as a class provider you still need your own policy in place to protect yourself and your clients. If you’re providing a venue yourself, being fully insured is vital.
Professional Indemnity Insurance and Employers’ Liability Insurance (if you have employees) might be needed in certain circumstances. You might also want to think about Equipment Insurance if you use toys, mats, musical instruments, etc in your classes.
Chat to your insurance provider for bespoke advice, or the Institute of Children’s Activity Providers is a great source of information on this subject.
T&Cs & Privacy Policy
All businesses big or small need terms & conditions and a privacy policy in place. This is where you set out your payment terms and refund policy etc, as well as inform your clients about how you’ll be using their data. Don’t be daunted about having to write these from scratch! There are plenty of helpful templates out there: see our guide to what to include, or check out Happity’s own privacy policy.
Data protection & GDPR
As a class provider you’ll be handling sensitive information about your clients, so will need a basic understanding of GDPR to ensure you’re handling personal data in the correct way. Ask yourself:
Am I collecting and storing data securely?
Is the data I’m storing up to date?
How would I handle a data breach?
How will I handle the data of clients that do not wish to be contacted?
If you are collecting, processing, storing or using clients’ personal data (such as names, contact details or payment information), you may need to register with the ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office). Check out their website for detailed guidance, or sites like KoffeeKlatch are a really useful source of advice on policies, contracts and GDPR.
Wanting to take photographs of your classes for marketing and social media purposes? Parental consent forms are really important to ensure you get the correct permissions from families who appear in your content before you share it. Happity’s booking system has a built-in feature to collect consent (or opt out!) at the point of booking: see our how-to guide or upgrade to Membership to activate this.
DBS checks and safeguarding
If you want to work with children or young people, a DBS check is a must! You apply through the government website for either a basic or an enhanced check (the latter is more expensive but more comprehensive).
You’ll also need to do Safeguarding training to ensure your organisation is protecting young people from harm. Your local council should list local safeguarding training providers near you, or charities like the NSPCC offer online courses you can do at a time of your choosing.
Qualifications for your class type
If the activity you are running / planning to run requires expertise (e.g. fitness instructor, baby massage, coach or consultant) then you need to have a qualification in order to run that activity. You can find lots of training courses for these online. Why not browse classes on Happity for inspiration on what other providers do?
Franchises
A key early decision is whether to operate on your own or as part of a franchise. If the activity you want to run is a part of an already established franchise, then you must apply through their website. Most franchises require an initial investment, but there are a lot of benefits to joining too! Find out more about some of the UK’s biggest and best franchises here.
Other issues to consider
Music licensing and copyrighted materials
If you’re planning to play recorded music during your classes, you may need to get a music licence from the PPL (Public Performance Licensing).
You’ll also need to clear permission for any copyrighted materials you want to use in your classes; for example, if you intend to read a book aloud to your baby & toddler group and you are a for-profit business (rather than an educational / not-for-profit organisation), you will need to apply for permission from the relevant publisher (see individual publishers’ websites for guidance, but NB it can take up to 16 weeks for a response). In general, books where it is more than 70 years since the author’s death are out of copyright and in the public domain, but there are exceptions, so it’s always worth checking first!
Venue safety and risk assessments
It’s important to ensure that any venues you use are safe, accessible and have all the facilities that your clients need to make them feel welcome and comfortable. Before using the venue, check the fire exits and accessibility of entrances. Will people be able to push buggies into the venue, or is it stairs access only? These are key things your class attendees will need to know!
Looking for a venue for your classes? Happity Members can use our Venue Finder (details of this and other Membership benefits here)
Once you’ve confirmed your venue, you’ll need to carry out a risk assessment to ensure it’s safe to run your activities there. See Happity’s guide How To Carry Out Risk Assessments For Baby And Toddler Classes for more information.
Before people attend, make sure that your class listings and welcome information is clear and concise, so that clients know exactly what to expect when coming to your class.
Find out more about how to get the most out of your Happity listings, including the benefits of Membership
First aid training
While not an obligatory regulation for running your baby or toddler group, it is still better to be safe than sorry. You can find plenty of baby and child first aid courses listed online; many charities or non-profit organisations offer this training (such as Red Cross or St. John’s Ambulance). Daisy First Aid or the NCT are also great ones to check out.
Food hygiene
Depending on your business, you may need a food hygiene certificate (e.g. if you have prepared the goods yourself). If you supply food in your classes on an occasional and small-scale basis, it’s unlikely you’ll need to register, but it’s a good idea to check with food.gov.uk. However, it’s good practice (if you want to offer tea & cake) to regularly check for allergies among your participants (this could be something you ask parents when they register initially).
Do you have any other questions for those already running baby or toddler classes?
The perfect place to get in touch with like-minded individuals working in your field is the Happity activity provider Facebook group.
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