Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Original poster

How do I write a brochure?

49 replies

katymac · 07/02/2006 21:28

Umm that's it really - we have been asked for one for our last three children - so it is expected

Should I include a timeline eg what happened when?

Do I write first person or third?

I'm so cr*p at this

HELP!!!
tia

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
ThePrisoner · 07/02/2006 21:36

I don't understand what you mean by "brochure" - do you mean something about your business?

Original poster
katymac · 07/02/2006 21:41

A pack (I think) with policies, menus, history, and who knows what else

I think it's cos we are so big they expect it

I'm so bogged down with what I need to say

OP posts:
Original poster
katymac · 07/02/2006 21:46

Is this a misson statement? or an ethos? (or cr*p?)

It is our intention that children in our care are cuddled, loved and allowed to grow through playing, we have found the framework of ?Birth to Three Matters? seems to support our aims.

OP posts:
gigglinggoblin · 07/02/2006 21:47

are you a childminder or do you run a nursery? do you just want ideas of what parents want to see? brochure could be anything from one pice of A4 folded in half to a 20 page pamphlet like a school prospectus!

Original poster
katymac · 07/02/2006 21:53

I'm a childminder - I employ 3 other childminders and 2 assistants

I offer up to 9 f/t places

I have been giving out a newsletter, a menu and my policies - but this seems to be falling short of the expectations of my client base

OP posts:
Original poster
katymac · 07/02/2006 21:55

I think I also need to structure my fees a bit more (I just do an hourly rate - but I'm losing money on the children who come 10 til 2 or 12 - 3)

Maybe a prospectus is a better word?

OP posts:
Wordsmith · 07/02/2006 21:58

I'm a copywriter and wrote the parent info pack for Busybees childcare a couple of years ago(www.busybees.com and click on request parent info pack). It's basically a brochure with a folder at the back to hold info about the specific nursery (it's a big chain as you probably know) but might give you an idea as to what parents want to know. When I wrote it I was (and still am) a parent of a child at nursery so put a lot of what i felt into it. I also wrote their childcare vouchers info pack which can be downloaded from the site.

Katymac - you say you are 'so big' - how big are you? Could you afford to get it done professionally?

IME parents want to be reassured and given chapter and verse on a nursery's safety policy, see real menus (we've all seen what 'home cooked food' can mean) and feel that the staff will care for their child. Lots of great pictures will help (but be careful you get parents' consent before using them).

You'd also need to include info on your history and qualifications. And quotes from satisfied parents always help.

gigglinggoblin · 07/02/2006 22:02

i see. what about bundling up the menu and policies into a little booklet, put in a few pictures of the kids you have or have had in the past if you are allowed, a few staff pictures, nothing cheesy just names so parents know who they are. i get very confused by names at bursery and find it v helpful to have staff pics on the wall so i know who i am talking to (but i am rubbish with names and dp is worse!). timetable if you have a routine? ideas of activites you do? what you give at snack times etc

you can find a lot of school prospectuses online, if you did a couple of A4 sheets and folded them in half into a little booklet it would give the parents something to take away after they have been to see you. i wouldnt expect a booklet from a childminder but you have as many staff as the room ds is in at nursery!

Original poster
katymac · 07/02/2006 22:02

That's a real help wordsmith (particularily like the pictures stuff - I have children I can use photos of.......with written consent of course)

I could probably afford to have some help - maybe a couple of hundred or so - but it does need to be "right" so I may have to struggle on with it myself

I'm going to use quotes from all our OFSTED reports - I really do the homecooked meal homemade bread the whole bit...including getting special sausages made at the organic butchers - so I know what is in them

OP posts:
ThePrisoner · 07/02/2006 22:05

The bit where you said that "the framework of 'Birth to Three Matters' seems to support our aims' is something I would change - and would say that you support it because, I think, childminders are now supposed to demonstrate that this is what we do. (Did that make sense?)

The wording on my own stuff talks about "we" (even though I work alone) eg. we go for walks, we have lots of cuddles etc.

I have always given prospective parents written information about me - how long I've been minding, how old my own children are, relevant qualifications, general ideas of what we do during the day.

Original poster
katymac · 07/02/2006 22:12

TP you're right is this better?
It is our intention that children at Walnut Corner are
Cuddled, loved and allowed to grow through
playing, we support the framework of ?Birth to Three Matters? as it seems to match our aims.
GGG - thanks for the idea of photos of staff - I like that

This could be as long as War & Peace

OP posts:
LoveMyGirls · 07/02/2006 22:21

katymac, have you got or thought about a website? im just thinking about the cost of printing out and giving away something so big? (well not sure how big its going to be but it sounds like you want to include a lot of stuff) if you had a website you could add as much as you wanted. then just have a little leaflet (one A4 sheet folded into three) that you give out with comments from ofsted and parents with pictures of staff and your website address and telephone no.

just an idea.

Original poster
katymac · 07/02/2006 22:25

LMG

walnutcorner.co.uk (see!!!)

But I need to add to it

OP posts:
Original poster
katymac · 07/02/2006 22:31

Off to bed - I'll be back tomorrow

Thanks for the ideas

OP posts:
LoveMyGirls · 07/02/2006 22:32

oooohhhhhhhhhhh yeah i do think i remember you saying now. if i was you (and i cant talk because my dp is constantly nagging em to write more stuff to put on mine, but MN distracts me!!) i would put your effort into your website and just do a little leaflet just to save on printing costs.

ThePrisoner · 07/02/2006 22:38

I'm not sure that you can say that the Birth to Three Matters "seems to match our aims" as OFSTED are saying that these are the standards which childminders should be working to. ie. we will now have to prove that we do work to these standards, not that they match yours (even if they do). As far as OFSTED are concerned, the B23 Matters is now our bible.

Original poster
katymac · 08/02/2006 07:04

Bummer - I was so releived when B23 came out - it matched my philosophy so well - I had been considering giving up before that because I didn' like the way we were expected to work

I'll have to think about it a bit more then

OP posts:
ayla99 · 08/02/2006 09:37

I've got a 30 page handbook I give out to parents. Its done in publisher if you want me to email you a copy?

HellyBelly · 08/02/2006 09:39

Hi Katymac

I always give our brochures to parents even though it's all detailed on my website - don't reckon many parents would fancy reading my policies at length at a PC . I have one main brochure I show them on their visit and a slightly smaller version I let them take home. This is my layout (most pages are same as my website). Both brochures are the same apart from the bits in bold are NOT in the parent copy:

Front Cover (my logo at top, 'Policies and Procedures' in the middle and my contact details nearer the bottom)
Welcome Page (The words from my home page welcome note and the words 'please have a look at my brochure to find out more about what i have to offer!' with a little picture at the bottom)
About Me
Photocopy of Certificate (note on saying original is on display in hallway) Certificates Copy of Public Liability Insurance (note on saying original is on display in hallway) CRB's
Facilities & Activities
Photo's (same as photo gallery on website - have permission)
Meals
Times & Fees
Help with Costs
Policies (this goes on forever!)
Car Insurance Schedule and Certificate MOT Certificate Page saying 'References & Compliments' The actual references Emails received complementing meOfsted Report

Original poster
katymac · 08/02/2006 17:34

It's heading for a 9 page booklet plus a contract addendum, current menu & current newsletter

Does that sound too big?

I thought to use those floppy folders with a see through front with a welcome page at the front

What do you think?

Intro
History
Training
Network
Food x 3 pages
prices
ofsted info

OP posts:
HellyBelly · 08/02/2006 18:07

I use those from Asda - sounds same as what you've mentioned - cheap and look good imo! If not putting policies in, maybe put a note in somewhere saying to come to you to view policies in detail (or refer to your website but I can't remember if you have them on yours?)

Your list sounds good to me! Maybe some pics could be included if you have permission?

HellyBelly · 08/02/2006 18:08

maybe i should decrease the size of my brochure to parents as it must be costing me a fortune

ThePrisoner · 08/02/2006 18:28

Katymac - I hope I didn't make it sound as though you shouldn't mention B23, I was just nit-picking over fine details in the way that something should or shouldn't be worded!

Putting your own philosophy down is great. Perhaps OFSTED cribbed it from your website??!

Original poster
katymac · 08/02/2006 20:28

S'OK we have been doing the same all day finally came up with

It is our intention that children at Walnut Corner are cuddled, loved and allowed to grow and learn through play. We aim to put into practise the framework of ?Birth to Three Matters? which encompasses all our values at Walnut Corner.

Is that OK D'ya think?

OP posts:
ThePrisoner · 08/02/2006 21:14

Sounds good to me! Please write on the bottom of your brochure "The Prisoner says this is OK!!"