What should I include in my terms and conditions? This is a question our class providers often ask when they’re starting out.
When running your own business, it’s important to have clear written guidelines and procedures in place, so that families (as well as any class teachers you might employ) are aware of expectations and responsibilities right from the get-go. The more detail you can give, the more you avoid any misunderstandings or issues down the line.
Legal speak putting you off? Don’t be intimidated! We’ve got you covered, with our concise guide to what to include.
* Disclaimer: while the Happity team have put together this guidance after doing extensive research from reliable sources, we’re not a law firm! We always recommend seeking your own advice on legal matters.
What to include in your T&Cs
Every business is different, so there’s no ‘one size fits all’ template for this, but it’s good practice to include brief statements on the following areas.
The essentials:
Key business info
Start by outlining briefly who you are and what you do – your registered company address (if applicable), and your contact details.
Safeguarding
All class providers should have a safeguarding statement or policy outlining the actions that will be taken if there are concerns about a child’s (or carer’s) wellbeing. While ideally class providers would have a separate safeguarding policy in place, it’s a good idea to include a statement in your T&Cs about it. This should cover the fact that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, and that all adults should be alert to any concerns about the safety and welfare of a child, in the class environment or elsewhere.
Need more tips on safeguarding training and policies? Read our blog The Beginners Guide: All The Legal Bits When Starting Your Baby Business.
Bookings & refunds
This is your opportunity to outline your approach to offering refunds or transfers to an alternative date or venue, and what happens in the event of a class cancellation. Make sure you mention here in what circumstances (if any) refunds will only be given, and how much notice is required (a minimum of 24 hours is common, for example).
This section might include your policy on siblings attending (i.e. whether or not they need their own ticket), and whether you hold waiting lists, etc. You could also mention your policy on illness here; for example, you might request that they avoid attending if their baby is unwell, or within 48 hours of any sickness or diarrhoea.
Social media / photo permissions
If you’re planning to take photos during your classes for use on your social media channels or in your general marketing, you’ll need to make parents or carers aware of this when they book, and give them the option to opt out.
The best way to do this is at the point of booking: if you’re using Happity bookings, simply turn on the button to enable photo consent, located on your Dashboard under Bookings > Update your booking legals.
Behaviour
While some class providers and franchises have their own separate Behaviour policy, it’s sensible for everyone to include a statement in their T&Cs about the kind of behaviour you expect from children (and their adults!) during sessions. This should make clear that parents or carers are responsible for checking their child’s behaviour in the case of a difficult situation.
See our blog How to: deal with a ‘disruptive’ child in your baby or toddler class for more advice on dealing with behaviour issues in your classes.
Health and safety
A key element of your T&Cs is a liability disclaimer, which makes clear that participants take part at their own risk and as a class provider, you accept no responsibility for any loss, damage, expense or injury incurred by class attendees or their carers. (Of course, you will still need liability insurance for your classes: see this blog for more detail).
The ‘nice to haves’ (if applicable to your classes!):
Equality and diversity
While not strictly essential in your T&Cs, it can be nice to include a statement about your classes being an inclusive environment in which all families feel safe and welcome, and no individuals or groups face discrimination or harassment. While this would hopefully never be the case in a baby or toddler class, it could also make it clear that violence, threatening behaviour, harassment or abuse are unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
Privacy
While it’s best practice to have a separate Privacy policy (see Happity’s blog on what to include in this) downloadable from your website and at your booking checkout, you may want to link out to it in your T&Cs and include a statement along the lines of ‘Your privacy and personal information are important to us. Any personal information that we collect from you will be dealt with in line with our Privacy Policy, available here’.
Hygiene
This could form part of your Health & Safety statement or be a separate clause, but if you serve food and drink in your classes, it’s a good idea to include a section on food hygiene. This should make clear that all food and snacks provided will be prepared in accordance with the relevant food hygiene and safety regulations, remind parents / carers of their responsibility to inform you of any allergies, and include a liability disclaimer.
And if you give your mums and dads a cuppa at the end, it’s wise to include a hot drinks policy here, in which you state what safety precautions you have in place.
Lastly, if there’s anything else you think it’d be useful for your families to know before attending your classes, include it in your T&Cs. While not all carers will read them when they book, it’s good to cover yourself. And it doesn’t have to sound like a legal eagle has written it – your tone can still be friendly and approachable, in fact it’s better if they still sound like you!
Remember, Happity Members can add or edit their T&Cs via the Happity Dashboard by going to Bookings > Booking Settings > Update your Booking Legals (see screenshot below):
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Whether you want help reaching more families, need a booking system, or are just getting started, we’re here to support your journey.
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If you liked this post, you may also like:
How To Carry Out Risk Assessments For Baby And Toddler Classes
Why Do You Need Insurance For Your Baby And Toddler Group? – Early Years Alliance
The Beginners Guide: Breaking Down What’s In A Privacy Policy
