Business Settings & Configuration

Business Settings: Complete Configuration Hub

Watch the 4-minute walkthrough above to see how to configure your business settings on your mobile device.

Your business settings control tax deductions, invoicing rules, funded hours, and compliance records — all in one place. Get these right once and KinderStart handles the maths, the paperwork, and the audit trail automatically.

15:01

Business Settings Dashboard

Business Settings Overview

Settings are organised into four main categories. Each one addresses a critical part of running a compliant, professional childminding service:

Business Hero Card (Top of Screen)

Before diving into settings, you'll see your Business Profile Card:

• Business Name: Your registered childminding business name
• City: Your location
• Logo: Your brand logo (if uploaded)
• Primary Brand Color: The theme color used in your marketing materials

Tap the hero card to edit your business identity (name, logo, colors, bio)

The Four Setting Categories

1. General Setup

Term Dates

What it is: Academic year structure and school holiday dates

Why it matters:

• Determines when funded hours apply
• Affects invoicing for term-time contracts
• Syncs with local school calendars
• Used for holiday booking conflicts

What you configure:

• Academic year start/end dates (typically September - July)
• Half-term breaks (Autumn, Spring, Summer)
• Christmas, Easter, May Day breaks
• Bank holidays
• INSET days (if relevant to your operating calendar)

Common scenarios:

• Term-time only childminders: Use this to auto-calculate 38-week invoices
• Full-year childminders: Still useful for planning capacity during school holidays

Tap to open:

• Calendar view of all term dates
• Mark your own closures
• Sync with local authority calendar
• Export to share with parents

Storage & Data

What it is: Manage your 10GB media storage quota

Why it matters:

• Observation photos/videos consume storage
• Hitting quota prevents new uploads
• KinderStart Pro users get 10GB included
• Need to monitor and clean up old media

What you see:

• Storage Used: GB out of 10GB (e.g., 3.2GB / 10GB)
• Usage Breakdown: Photos, videos, PDFs, receipts
• Clean-Up Suggestions: Old observations that can be archived

Actions:

• View storage by child
• Bulk delete old media (with export first)
• Compress videos before uploading
• Upgrade storage if needed

KinderAssist Settings (AI Features)

What it is: Configure your AI assistant's behaviour and features

Why it matters:

• Control AI tone (formal, friendly, playful)
• Enable/disable GDPR anonymization
• Choose which AI features to use
• Manage data privacy preferences

What you configure:

• AI Tone: Formal (professional reports) vs. Conversational (friendly observations)
• GDPR Anonymization: Whether AI removes identifying details when generating content
• Enabled Features:
  • Observation suggestions
  • EYFS goal recommendations
  • Daily Diary Summary generation
  • Activity Planning ideas
• Data Sharing: Whether anonymised usage helps improve AI

Privacy controls:

• Toggle "Use my data to improve KinderAssist" (OFF by default)
• View what data AI has access to
• Delete AI history

2. Finances & Taxes

Invoicing & Payments

Consistent invoicing rules mean correct invoices every month, no payment disputes, and funded hours that reconcile to the penny against your LA claim.

What you configure:

Bank Details:

• Account holder name
• Sort code
• Account number
• Bank name (optional)
• Shows on all invoices

Funded Hours:

If you accept funded children, set up funded hours tracking. Configure the following:

• 15 Hours Free Entitlement: Which children qualify
• 30 Hours Extended Entitlement: Eligibility criteria
• Hourly Rate vs. LA Rate: The "top-up" parents pay
• Stretch Offer: Whether you offer 15/30 hours over 52 weeks (vs. 38 term-time weeks)

Holiday Billing:

• Your Holidays: Do parents pay retainer?
• Parent Holidays: Charge full fees or allow unpaid leave?
• Bank Holidays: Charge or don't charge?

Example configuration:

Your Holidays: 4 weeks paid per year
Parent Holidays: Up to 2 weeks unpaid with 4 weeks notice

Taxes & Compliance

Correct tax settings mean correct household expense deductions — reducing your tax bill and keeping HMRC claims defensible at audit.

What you configure:

Weekly Home Hours: This is the most critical tax setting. Enter the total hours your home is used for childminding each week.

How to calculate:

Monday: 8am-6pm = 10 hours
Tuesday: 8am-6pm = 10 hours
Wednesday: 8am-6pm = 10 hours
Thursday: 8am-6pm = 10 hours
Friday: 8am-5pm = 9 hours
────────────────────────────
Total: 49 hours per week

HMRC Deduction Brackets:

• 1-10 hours: 10% of household bills deductible
• 11-25 hours: 20% deductible
• 26-50 hours: 30% deductible
• 51-75 hours: 40% deductible
• 76+ hours: 50% deductible

Based on your hours, KinderStart calculates how much of your rent, gas, electricity, water, and council tax to claim as business expenses.

Making Tax Digital (MTD) Status:

• Enrolled: You submit quarterly digital tax reports to HMRC
• Not Enrolled: Annual Self-Assessment only
• Mandatory from Jan 2026 for childminders earning £30k+

Other tax settings:

• Tax Year: April-April (UK standard)
• Business Structure: Sole trader (most childminders) vs. Limited company
• VAT Registered: Most childminders are NOT VAT registered (childcare is VAT-exempt)

3. Legal & Paperwork

Contract Templates

What it is: Reusable contract agreements for different care types

Links to: Full guide at Contract Templates

Quick summary:

• Create templates for standard, term-time, or flexible care
• Pre-filled clauses for payment terms, notice periods, holidays
• Assign templates to children during onboarding
• Update templates without affecting existing contracts

From Business Settings, tap to:

• View all contract templates
• Create new template
• Set default template

Consents

Signed consents protect you legally, satisfy GDPR, and give Ofsted the documentation they expect.

Types of consents:

• Photography & Video: Taking photos/videos of the child
• Social Media: Posting anonymized child photos online
• Outings: Permission for local trips (parks, libraries)
• Excursions: Permission for further trips (farms, museums)
• Emergency Medical: Seeking medical treatment in an emergency
• Sunscreen Application: Applying sunscreen
• Nappy Cream: Applying barrier cream

Consent status:

• ✅ Granted: Parent signed consent
• ⏳ Pending: Request sent, awaiting signature
• ❌ Declined: Parent refused consent

Actions:

• Send consent requests to all parents
• Renew expired consents
• View consent history
• Download signed consent forms (Ofsted)

Ofsted requirement: Parents must give written consent for photography, outings, and emergency medical treatment. KinderStart's digital consent forms fulfil this obligation.

4. Operations

Daily Operations

Completed safety checks give Ofsted a timestamped record of your daily compliance routine.

What you configure:

Morning Safety Check Routine:

• ☐ Risk assessment: Check indoor play areas
• ☐ Risk assessment: Check outdoor areas
• ☐ Temperature check: Indoor environment suitable
• ☐ Equipment check: No broken toys/furniture
• ☐ First aid kit: Stocked and accessible
• ☐ Fire extinguisher: Accessible and in date
• ☐ Emergency exits: Clear and unlocked

Daily Log:

• Mark each item as complete
• Add notes if issues found (e.g., "Broken toy removed")
• KinderStart records the timestamp automatically
• Ofsted can review daily logs during inspection

Safety Check Schedule:

• Daily: Indoor/outdoor risk assessment
• Weekly: Fire drill check, escape route clear
• Monthly: First aid kit stock, equipment maintenance
• Quarterly: Fire drill practice

Role-Based Access

KinderStart adapts Business Settings based on your team role:

Childminder (Full Access)

• See all four categories
• Edit all settings
• Manage team members
• Export data

Co-Childminder (Limited Access)

• See all categories
• Edit most settings
• Cannot change billing/tax settings
• Cannot manage childminder's account

Assistant (Restricted Access)

• See only relevant settings:
  • Daily Operations (safety checks)
  • Consents (check child permissions)
• Cannot edit business-wide settings
• Cannot access financial settings

Permission indicator: If you're an assistant without full access, you'll see a note: "Relevant settings for your role" at the top of the screen.

Updating Settings: Step-by-Step

Changing Your Weekly Home Hours

1. Open Business Settings
2. Tap "Taxes & Compliance"
3. Tap "Weekly Home Hours"
4. View current hours (e.g., "35 hours - 30% HMRC deduction")
5. Tap "Update Hours"
6. Use calculator:
   • Enter hours for each day
   • KinderStart sums the week
7. Review new HMRC percentage
8. Tap "Save"
9. Confirmation: "All future expense deductions will use 40%"

Effect:

• Finance Dashboard updates household expense calculations
• All new expenses logged use new percentage
• Past expenses remain unchanged (historical accuracy)

Adding Bank Details

1. Open Business Settings
2. Tap "Invoicing & Payments"
3. Tap "Bank Details"
4. Enter:
   • Account Holder Name: "Jane Smith"
   • Sort Code: "12-34-56"
   • Account Number: "12345678"
   • Bank Name: "HSBC" (optional)
5. Tap "Save"
6. Preview invoice to see bank details appear

Security: KinderStart encrypts bank details — only you can see them. Parents see them on invoices. KinderStart never stores your online banking passwords.

Setting Up Funded Hours

1. Open Business Settings
2. Tap "Invoicing & Payments"
3. Scroll to "Funded Hours Configuration"
4. Toggle "I Offer Funded Hours" to ON
5. Select types offered:
   • ☑ 15 Hours Universal Entitlement
   • ☑ 30 Hours Extended Entitlement
   • ☐ 2-Year-Old Funding (if applicable)
6. Enter "Your Hourly Rate": £6.50
7. Enter "Local Authority Rate": £4.50
8. Top-up auto-calculated: £2.00/hour
9. Toggle "Stretch Offer":
   • ON: 15/30 hours spread across 52 weeks
   • OFF: 15/30 hours only during 38 term-time weeks
10. Tap "Save"

Effect:

• When creating contracts, "Funded Hours" option appears
• Invoices auto-deduct funded hours
• Finance Dashboard shows LA funding separately

Common Settings Scenarios

Scenario 1: Increasing Your Hourly Rate

Goal: You want to raise your rate from £6.00 to £6.50

Steps:

1. Update Contract Templates with new £6.50 rate
2. For existing children:
   • Open each child's contract
   • Edit hourly rate
   • Request parent re-signature
3. Give parents 4 weeks notice (as per your contract)
4. New invoices reflect higher rate

Timeline:

• January 1: Announce rate increase (email/letter)
• January 31: New rate takes effect
• February 1: First invoice at £6.50/hour

Scenario 2: Taking Summer Holiday

Goal: You're closing for 2 weeks in August, parents pay retainer

Steps:

1. Open Business Settings → "Invoicing & Payments"
2. Confirm setting: "Your Holidays: Paid by parents"
3. Mark dates in "Term Dates" as "Childminder Holiday"
4. KinderStart generates August invoices automatically:
   • 2 weeks retainer (full fees, no care provided)
   • 2 weeks normal fees
5. Send notification to all parents: "Summer holiday dates confirmed: August 12-23"

Invoice shows:

August 2026 Invoice

Week 1-2 (Aug 1-11): Normal childcare - £260
Week 3-4 (Aug 12-23): Holiday Retainer - £260
────────────────────────────────────────────
Total: £520

Scenario 3: Ofsted Inspection Tomorrow

Goal: Ensure all settings are inspection-ready

Checklist:

1. ✅ Business Settings → "Business Profile": Logo, name, address current
2. ✅ "Bank Details": Accurate (shows on invoices)
3. ✅ "Weekly Home Hours": Matches actual working hours
4. ✅ "Contract Templates": At least one comprehensive template
5. ✅ "Consents": All children have signed consents (no pending)
6. ✅ "Daily Operations": Last 7 days of safety checks completed
7. ✅ "Term Dates": Current academic year configured

Ofsted will ask:

• "How do you calculate business expenses?" → Show Weekly Home Hours with HMRC percentages
• "Can I see a blank contract?" → Show Contract Template
• "Do parents consent to photos?" → Show Consents screen with all ✅
• "How do you ensure daily safety?" → Show Daily Operations logs

Export & Backup

From Business Settings, export the following:

Full Settings Backup

Format: JSON file Contains:

• All configuration settings
• Contract templates
• Consent templates
• Term dates

Use case: Moving to new device, backup before major changes

Settings Summary Report

Format: PDF Contains:

• Business identity (name, logo, address)
• Financial settings (bank details, billing rules)
• Tax settings (weekly hours, HMRC percentages)
• Operational policies (holidays, payment terms)

Use case: Share with accountant, Ofsted inspection

GDPR Data Export

Format: ZIP (JSON + PDFs) Contains:

• All settings
• All children data
• All observations and diary entries
• All invoices and expenses

Use case: Parent requests their data, changing software

Next Steps

After configuring Business Settings:

1. ✅ Review each category to ensure accuracy
2. ✅ Test invoice generation with dummy data
3. ✅ Share billing policy PDF with new families
4. ✅ Schedule quarterly settings review
5. ✅ Train assistants/co-childminders on relevant sections