Taking care of the business side of your setting is essential to ensure you provide a high-quality environment and also run at a profit. It's never too late to brush up on your business skills and make your nursery even more of a success, as our feature on page 4 shows.
But, once you have a thriving setting, how do you prove your excellent standards to parents? The introduction of the Investors in Children award for early years quality assurance should help pave the way. On page 18 we look at some of the schemes you and your staff can undertake to gain that all-important recognition.
This issue is also packed with information for readers considering opening a nursery. Before you jump straight in, why not take time out to read about the experiences of other first-timers who recently started nursery businesses. The pitfalls they went through and lessons they learned before the children even arrived are detailed on page 15.
If that doesn't put you off, then turn to our start-up directory on page 35. It takes you step by step through the maze of writing up a business plan, gaining funding, acquiring and equipping a nursery building, marketing the setting and then recruiting high-quality staff to care for the children who will come through your nursery doors. Good luck!
