Part-week day program in a hired hall

Families, clients using funded plans (check eligibility), and sometimes community or charity grants.

A session fee per person per day, with a small group of regulars. Revenue grows by adding days or places as demand builds.

• Running group activities and keeping people engaged
• Calm, respectful communication with clients and families
• Planning menus, rosters and transport

• Whether your clients' funding requires you to be a registered provider, check before you promise anything to families
• Worker screening or police checks for everyone helping, check your state's rules
• Public liability insurance, plus cover for the venue's requirements and professional indemnity
• Food handling rules if you serve meals, check with your local council
• Safe supervision, first aid and an emergency plan for each venue

Startup costs are typically around $5,000 to $20,000, depending on venue hire, equipment, activities, insurance and any transport. These are estimates, so check each venue's requirements and insurance needs before you commit.

Monthly revenue is typically around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on how many clients attend, how many days you run and how they are funded. These are estimates, and about 15 hours a week is a typical minimum.

Check whether your clients' funding requires you to be a registered provider before promising anything to families. Also check worker screening rules in your state, public liability and professional indemnity insurance, food handling rules with your council, and first aid and emergency plans.