Who it’s for · Childcare and nurseries

An AI business advisor for childcare and nursery businesses

Registration and inspections, staff ratios, background checks, fees and filling your places, with advice for where you’re based.

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Then from $19 a month
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Questions founders like you ask Wren

Wren answers with your business, where you’re based and your numbers in mind, and ends each answer with a next step you can add to your plan.

“How do I get registered or licensed for childcare?”
“How should I set my fees?”
“How do I fill my places?”

Your first 12 weeks

A typical starting plan. Yours is built from your answers in setup, so the steps, order and providers change with your stage, location, time and budget.

Week 1
Prove people will pay Strategy
Talk to 10 local parents about what they use now, the hours they need and what they pay.
Week 1
Write a one-page plan Strategy
Fill in a Lean Canvas: customer, problem, offer, channels, revenue, costs and your unfair advantage.
Week 1
Check your name and protect your brand Legal & setup
Search the trademark register and company register for conflicts before you print anything.
Week 1
Choose a structure and register the business Legal & setup
Choose between sole proprietorship (simplest) and a limited company (protects personal assets and is what investors expect).
Week 2
Register for taxes Legal & setup
Register with your tax authority for a business tax ID.
Week 2
Open a business bank account Money
Keep every business payment out of your personal account from day one.
Week 2
Licences, permits and checks Legal & setup
Register or get licensed with your childcare regulator before you care for children who aren’t your own (Ofsted in England, your state licensing agency in the US).
Week 2
Create your brand basics Brand & web
Pick a logo, two colours and two fonts, and write them on one page so everything stays consistent.
Week 3
Set up bookkeeping Money
Connect your bank feed to accounting software so transactions sync automatically.
Week 3
Get contracts and policies in place Legal & setup
Write a parent contract: hours, fees, notice, late pick-up, sickness and holidays.
Week 3
Get the right insurance Legal & setup
Get childcare or childminder insurance with public liability; it is often required for registration.
Week 3
Choose where you’ll work Space
Working from home is fine early on. Use a virtual office for a professional registered address and mail handling.
Week 3
Launch your website Brand & web
Show subjects, ages, availability, prices, your qualifications and your background check.
Week 3
Protect your privacy and safety Legal & setup
Use a business address instead of your home address on your website, invoices and listings: a virtual office, mailbox service or coworking address.
Week 4
Set up how you get paid Money
Sell lesson packs or monthly plans paid in advance instead of charging per session.
Week 4
Set up booking and client management Operations
Use childcare software for enrolment, attendance, invoicing and daily updates to parents.
Week 4
Claim startup credits and perks Money
Before paying for email, accounting, website, booking or marketing tools, check a deals marketplace for a discount or free months.
Week 5
Pick 3 numbers to track every week Strategy
Track active students, sessions per student per month, and retention after 8 weeks.
Week 5
Get found locally Getting customers
Claim and complete your Google Business Profile: categories, hours, photos, menu or services and a booking link.
Week 5
Pick two social channels and a posting rhythm Socials
Use local parent Facebook groups, Instagram and community WhatsApp groups.
Week 6
Plan your launch Getting customers
Offer a free assessment week and a referral discount for parents.
Week 6
Find a mentor and a peer group Programs
Book a free session with a business mentor or advice centre near you.
Week 7
Land your first 10 customers Getting customers
Tell local parent groups, schools and nurseries about your places and opening date.
Week 8
Track every lead in a simple CRM Getting customers
Log every conversation with a next step and a date.
Week 8
Start an email list Getting customers
Collect emails from your website, checkout and events.
Week 10
Work out what it costs to win a customer Getting customers
Add up last month’s marketing and sales spend (ads, tools, freelancers, events, and a fair value for your own time) and divide by new customers won.
Week 10
Review your pricing Strategy
Price by session or day, and check what local providers and government-funded hours pay.
Week 11
Collect reviews and testimonials Getting customers
Ask happy customers within 48 hours of a great moment, with a direct link.

Licences and rules

Childcare is licensed or registered almost everywhere (for example Ofsted in England, state licensing in the US), with rules on ratios, background checks, first aid and premises.

Wren flags when a step needs a licence, registration or a qualified professional, and says who to check with where you’re based. It gives general guidance, not legal advice.

Numbers to watch

Track active students, sessions per student per month, and retention after 8 weeks.
Add up last month’s marketing and sales spend (ads, tools, freelancers, events, and a fair value for your own time) and divide by new customers won.
Track the share of students who continue into the next term.
Customer value over time: average monthly spend × gross margin × average number of months a customer stays.

Log your main number (children enrolled) in each weekly check-in, and Wren tells you what it means and what to do next.

Providers Wren may suggest

For each step, Wren picks the three best fits for your business and location from a directory of 300+ providers. Some that often come up, depending on where you’re based:

Child Care Aware of AmericaLicences, permits & checks
CheckrLicences, permits & checks
brightwheelBooking & client management
ProcareBooking & client management
FamlyBooking & client management
WyzantBooking & client management
Ofsted childcare registrationLicences, permits & checks
DBS checks (GOV.UK)Licences, permits & checks
CalendlyBooking & client management
Acuity SchedulingBooking & client management
SCOREAccelerators, incubators & mentoring
MicroMentorAccelerators, incubators & mentoring

Listings aren’t endorsements. Providers can’t pay to be recommended.

Questions

Does a childcare business need to be licensed?

Childcare is licensed or registered almost everywhere (for example Ofsted in England, state licensing in the US), with rules on ratios, background checks and premises. Wren flags what usually applies where you’re based and who to check with.

How do I fill my childcare places?

Tell local parent groups, schools and nurseries your opening date, run an open day so parents can see the space, and ask your first families for referrals. Wren tracks enrolments in your weekly check-in.

How does the free trial work?

Answer the setup questions, choose Starter or Pro and add your card. Nothing is charged for 14 days. We email you 3 days before your trial ends, and you can cancel any time before then in one click so you’re never charged.

Other businesses Wren helps

Every plan is built for the kind of business you run.

Start your plan this week

Start your 14-day free trial

Then from $19 a month
Cancel before it ends and pay nothing
Sign up with Google or email