School holiday day camp

Working parents and carers who need safe, enjoyable childcare in the school holidays. Some families may pay with childcare vouchers or Tax-Free Childcare if you are registered.

A fee per child per day or per week, often with sibling discounts and optional early drop-off or late pick-up. Profit depends on filling places against venue hire and staff costs.

• Confident and calm with groups of children
• Organising activities and staff rotas
• Clear communication with parents
• Safeguarding awareness

• Registration rules for childcare differ by age group, hours and nation, so check with Ofsted (England), Care Inspectorate (Scotland), Care Inspectorate Wales or your local trust in Northern Ireland
• Enhanced DBS checks (or the equivalent in Scotland and Northern Ireland) for everyone working with children
• Public liability insurance and employer's liability insurance if you hire staff
• Staff-to-child ratios, risk assessments, first aid, and allergy and medication handling
• Income is seasonal and bookings can be uncertain, so keep costs flexible
• Check the venue's own insurance and safeguarding conditions

Startup costs are typically around £1,000 to £4,000, depending on the venue, equipment, insurance and how many staff you need. Treat this as an estimate and get quotes for venue hire and insurance before you commit.

Monthly revenue is typically around £1,500 to £7,000, depending on how many children you take and how many days you run. Income is seasonal and bookings can be uncertain, so keep your costs flexible.

Check registration rules for your age group, hours and nation with Ofsted, the Care Inspectorate (Scotland or Wales) or your local trust in Northern Ireland. Also check enhanced DBS (or equivalent) checks, insurance, staff ratios, risk assessments and first aid.