PolicyAndPlay
Complete Step-by-Step Guide
Professional & Nursery Plus
Setting Up Your Facebook Page as a Childcare Setting
Topic: Social Media & Digital MarketingApplies to: Childminders · Nurseries · Pre-schoolsUpdated: 2025Reading time: ~20 minutes
A well-managed Facebook Business Page is one of the most powerful and cost-free marketing tools available to UK childminders and nurseries. Done correctly, it builds trust with parents, showcases your setting, and brings enquiries to you. Done incorrectly, it can create serious GDPR, safeguarding, and professional risks. This guide shows you how to do it right from day one.
📱 Why Facebook Matters for Your Childcare Business
Over 70% of UK adults use Facebook regularly, and parents of young children are among the most active user groups. A professional Facebook Page for your setting means:
Local visibility: Parents search Facebook for childcare recommendations in their area
Trust building: Seeing real posts and reviews before enquiring builds confidence
Word of mouth amplified: Happy parents share and recommend your page to friends
Free enquiries: Parents message directly through Facebook — no cold calling
Ofsted inspection evidence: A professional online presence demonstrates your commitment to your setting
Community connection: You become part of the local parent community
Business Page vs Personal Profile — this matters legally: Many childminders make the critical mistake of running their childcare presence from a personal Facebook profile. This violates Facebook's terms of service, creates serious GDPR risks (your personal friends can see your posts), and looks unprofessional to parents. Always use a dedicated Facebook Business Page.
📋 Before You Start: What You Need
A personal Facebook account (required to create and manage a Page — your personal details won't be visible to Page followers)
Your setting name and logo (or a professional profile photo)
A business email address (ideally not Gmail — something like hello@yoursettingname.co.uk looks professional)
Your Ofsted registration number (display this on the page)
A clear description of your setting and services
A written photo/social media consent form for parents to sign (see GDPR section)
20–30 minutes of uninterrupted time to complete setup
🔢 Step-by-Step: Creating Your Facebook Business Page
Step 1
Log in to Facebook and Create Your Page
Log in to your personal Facebook account. In the left-hand menu, look for "Pages" and click "Create new Page." You will not be creating a group or a personal profile — specifically choose "Page."
Page name: Use your setting's official name exactly as it appears on your Ofsted certificate (e.g. "Sunshine Childminding — Sarah Smith" or "Little Acorns Day Nursery")
Category: Type "Childcare" and select "Child Care Service" or "Nursery School" — whichever best fits your setting
Description: Write 1–2 sentences about your setting (you can expand this later)
Click Create Page
Step 2
Upload Your Profile Picture and Cover Photo
These are the first things parents see. Make them professional and welcoming.
Profile picture (square, 180×180px minimum): Use your setting logo if you have one. If not, a clear, friendly photo of your childminding space or front door works well. Never use a photo of a child as your profile picture.
Cover photo (820×312px recommended): A warm image of your outdoor space, your craft table set up for activities, or a seasonal display. Again, no identifiable children without explicit written consent.
Both images should look professional — avoid blurry or poorly lit photos. Natural daylight photos tend to look best.
Step 3
Complete Your "About" Section in Full
Parents read this carefully before making contact. Every field matters.
Business name: Your registered setting name
Username (vanity URL): Choose something clean like @sunshinechildminding or @littleacornsnursery — this gives you a clean Facebook URL to share
Description: Write 150–200 words. Include: what ages you care for, your Ofsted registration status, your approach to early years learning, your location (area, not full address), and a warm welcome. Mention EYFS and Ofsted compliance.
Contact details: Business email address and phone number. Do not use your personal mobile as the public-facing number unless you are comfortable with this.
Website: Link to your PolicyAndPlay website or your main setting website
Hours: Your childminding hours — be accurate, as parents will message based on these
Ofsted Registration Number: Include this in your description — it builds immediate trust and allows parents to verify your registration
Step 4
Configure Your Essential Privacy and Security Settings
Go to Settings & Privacy → Settings → Privacy on your Page. Configure the following:
Who can message your Page: Set to "Anyone on or off Facebook" — you want parents to be able to contact you easily
Page visibility: Set to "Public" — your Page should be discoverable by any parent searching for childcare in your area
Reviews: Enable reviews — positive parent testimonials are powerful social proof
Direct messaging: Turn on — set up an auto-reply for when you're unavailable (e.g. "Thank you for your message! I'll reply within 24 hours during childminding hours.")
Profanity filter: Turn on in Page Settings → General → Page Moderation. This prevents inappropriate comments on your posts.
Step 5
Add a Call-to-Action Button
Below your cover photo, Facebook lets you add a prominent action button. For a childcare setting, the best options are:
"Send Message" — for parent enquiries (most effective for generating leads)
"Call Now" — if you prefer phone enquiries
"Contact Us" — links to your website contact form
Click "Add a Button" below your cover photo and select your preferred option. "Send Message" tends to generate the most enquiries from parents who are browsing Facebook at times when they cannot make a phone call.
Step 6
Make Your First Three Posts Before Going Public
An empty page looks abandoned. Before sharing your page with anyone, create at least 3 posts so it looks active and welcoming.
Post 1 — Welcome post: Introduce yourself and your setting. What makes you special? What ages do you care for? What's your childminding philosophy? Include a warm photo of your setting (no children unless consented).
Post 2 — About the space: Show your childminding environment. The craft corner, the book nook, the garden. Parents want to see where their child will spend their day.
Post 3 — Your approach: Write about how you support EYFS learning, your outdoor play philosophy, or a typical day with you. This positions you as knowledgeable and professional.
Step 7
Get Your First Reviews
Reviews are the single most powerful thing on your Facebook Page. After publishing, ask current parents (if you have them) or colleagues who know your work to leave a review. Even 2–3 genuine reviews make a huge difference to how new parents perceive your setting.
Send a direct message or email to parents asking if they would be willing to share their experience
Make it easy — share the direct link to your reviews section
Respond to every review, positive or negative, professionally and warmly
Never offer incentives for reviews — this violates Facebook policy
Step 8
Share Your Page and Grow Your Audience
Share your Page from your personal Facebook profile with a short announcement: "Excited to share that [Setting Name] now has a Facebook page! Please follow for updates, activity ideas, and availability."
Add your Facebook Page link to your email signature
Add it to your PolicyAndPlay website
Include it in your parent welcome pack and parent contract
Join local Facebook parent groups (not to advertise directly, but to be a helpful presence — check group rules first)
Ask current parents to share and recommend your page to friends looking for childcare
📸 GDPR and Photography: What You Must Know
UK GDPR applies to photographs of children: Under UK GDPR, photographs of identifiable children are considered personal data. You cannot post photos of minded children on Facebook — or anywhere publicly — without specific, written consent from their parent or legal guardian. This is not optional and is not covered by your general childcare contract. Violating this can result in a formal complaint to the ICO (Information Commissioner's Office).
🖊 What a Valid Photo/Social Media Consent Must Include
A separate photo consent form (or a clearly labelled section in your parent contract) must cover:
Explicit permission to photograph their child during childcare activities
Exactly where photos may be shared: e.g. your closed parent WhatsApp group, your Facebook Business Page, your website, or learning journey records only
Whether their child can be identified by name in captions or posts
That consent can be withdrawn at any time
How long you will retain photos
A parent/guardian signature and date
Even with consent, never post photos that could compromise a child's safety (showing their school uniform, their home address in the background, or their full name alongside location information).
Practical Photography Rules
Only post photos of children whose parents have given specific written Facebook consent
Never tag children in photos — even with consent
Never include a child's full name in a public post or caption
First name only is acceptable if consent specifically permits it
When in doubt, crop photos to show hands, activities, or outcomes — not faces
Beautiful photos of art, nature tables, sensory trays, and outdoor spaces perform extremely well on Facebook without any GDPR risk
Review and renew consent annually
✍️ What to Post: A Content Strategy for Childminders
Consistency is more important than frequency. Aim for 3–4 posts per week. Parents follow your page because they find it useful, warm, or reassuring — not because you post every hour.
🎨 Activity and Learning Posts
Seasonal crafts and sensory activities
EYFS learning in action (describe what the children explored, link to a learning outcome)
Outdoor play and nature discovery
Book recommendations for different ages
Messy play setups and results
Science experiments suitable for early years
🏡 Setting and Environment Posts
Your setting decorated for a season or theme
New resources you've added
Your garden or outdoor learning space
Your reading corner or book collection
Your craft station set up for the week
A glimpse of your homemade nutritious lunches
📚 Educational and Helpful Posts
EYFS milestones explained for parents
Tips for encouraging speech and language at home
Screen time guidance for different ages
Books worth reading together
Holiday activity ideas parents can try at home
How to support your child's transitions (starting school, etc.)
📣 Business and Updates Posts
Spaces available (a genuine, non-pushy update)
Holiday dates and closures
New policies or updates to your service
Your Ofsted rating (especially after a positive inspection)
Training you have completed
Parent testimonials (with permission)
The 80/20 rule: Aim for 80% helpful, educational, or warm content — and no more than 20% direct promotion of your business (availability, pricing, etc.). Pages that constantly advertise feel like adverts. Pages that consistently inform and inspire feel like trusted community resources — and they attract far more enquiries.
🚫 What NEVER to Post on Your Childcare Facebook Page
These posts put your registration, your professional reputation, and the safety of children at risk:
Photos of children without written parental consent — includes group shots, partial images, silhouettes that are identifiable
Children's full names — never use a child's surname on social media
Your home address — you can say the area (e.g. "based in Headingley, Leeds") but never the full address on a public page
Details of specific children's behaviour, challenges, or diagnoses — this is a serious confidentiality breach
Complaints or negative comments about parents — even anonymised, this looks deeply unprofessional
Personal political views or controversial opinions — keep the Page entirely professional and neutral
Information about incidents or accidents — these are confidential childcare records
Anything negative about Ofsted, your local authority, or competitors
Unverified medical or health advice — if you share health tips, always recommend parents consult a healthcare professional
Late-night, clearly tired or distressed posts — draft posts in advance and review them before publishing
🛡 Safeguarding and Your Online Presence
Social media and safeguarding intersect directly. Your Facebook Page is part of your professional childcare practice and should reflect your safeguarding commitment.
Never accept friend requests from parents on your personal Facebook profile — keep professional and personal accounts separate
Communicate with parents through your Page messaging function, not through personal Facebook Messenger
If a parent shares a concern about their child in a Facebook message, respond appropriately and follow your safeguarding procedure — a Facebook message is a safeguarding disclosure if it raises welfare concerns
Do not allow parents to post photos of minded children in your comments — moderate and remove any that appear
Do not accept personal messages from children or teenagers who have been in your care
Regularly review and update your Photo and Social Media Consent records — if a family withdraws consent, remove their child's images promptly
Your Online Safety Policy (included in your PolicyAndPlay library) should reference your social media approach
💬 Responding to Enquiries and Reviews Professionally
Responding to Enquiries
Set a target of responding to all messages within 24 hours on working days. Use Facebook's automated response feature for out-of-hours messages. When responding:
Be warm, professional, and helpful
Provide key information (current vacancies, ages you accept, general hours)
Invite them to a phone call or show-round — don't negotiate fees in writing on Facebook
Follow your usual enquiry process from that point
Responding to Reviews
Always respond to reviews — positive and negative. This shows parents you are engaged and accountable.
Positive reviews: Thank the reviewer warmly and specifically. "Thank you so much, [first name] — we loved having [child's first name] with us and it means the world to hear this."
Negative reviews: Respond calmly, professionally, and never defensively. Acknowledge their experience, apologise that they didn't have a positive outcome, and invite them to contact you privately to discuss. Never argue in public comments.
Fake or malicious reviews: Report these to Facebook. Do not engage with them publicly.
📈 Growing Your Page Over Time
Post consistently — 3–4 times per week is better than daily bursts followed by silence
Use photos in every post — posts with images receive significantly higher reach than text-only posts
Ask questions to encourage comments: "What's your child's favourite outdoor activity this season?" — engagement increases reach
Share your posts to relevant local parent Facebook groups (check rules first — many allow childcare provider posts)
Go Live occasionally — a short 5-minute live video of your reading corner or your garden setup generates strong engagement
Celebrate milestones — your 100th follower, your 1-year anniversary, a positive Ofsted inspection — these posts get shared
Link your Facebook Page to your Instagram if you use it — Meta allows cross-posting to save time
Your biggest growth tool is existing parents: Happy parents who share and recommend your page are worth more than any paid advertising. Make it easy for them — put your page link in your parent newsletter, your WhatsApp group, and your welcome pack.
✅ Dos and Don'ts: Facebook for Childcare Settings
DO
Use a Facebook Business Page (not a personal profile)
Get written photo consent before posting any images of children
Keep your Page professional, warm, and consistent
Respond to all messages within 24 hours
Display your Ofsted registration number in your About section
Link your Page to your website
Post at least 3–4 times per week
Enable and actively manage reviews
Keep professional and personal Facebook accounts completely separate
Use your Online Safety Policy to govern your social media approach
Get consent annually and when families join your setting
Draft posts in advance and review before publishing
DON'T
Post photos of children without specific written Facebook consent
Use your personal Facebook profile for childminding business
Share children's full names, addresses, or school details publicly
Post details of incidents, accidents, or behavioural concerns
Accept parent friend requests on your personal profile
Discuss individual children or families — even anonymised
Share political views or controversial opinions from your Page
Ignore or argue with negative reviews
Post when you are emotional, frustrated, or exhausted
Leave a new Page with zero posts before sharing it publicly
Use a child's photo as your Page profile picture
Neglect your Page for weeks at a time — consistency is everything
📅 Sample One-Week Posting Schedule
Use this as a template to get started. Adapt it to your setting and season.
Day
Post Type
Example
Monday
Weekly theme reveal
"This week we are exploring the seaside! Here's our invitation to play…"
Tuesday
Educational tip for parents
"Did you know that playing with sand supports this EYFS learning goal? Here's why messy play matters…"
Wednesday
Activity or craft photo
Photo of a beautiful craft setup or activity tray (no children required)
Friday
Weekend activity idea
"Here's a simple activity you can try at home this weekend with items you already have…"
Time-saving tip: Use a free scheduling tool like Meta Business Suite to write and schedule a week's worth of posts in one sitting on a Sunday evening. This takes approximately 30 minutes and means you never miss a week even when childminding days are busy.
📚 Sources and Official References
This guide has been compiled from the following official sources. Platform features and regulations are subject to change — always verify current requirements at the official sources below.
Source
What It Covers
UK GDPR (UK General Data Protection Regulation)
Legal basis for photo consent, personal data handling, and data subject rights. ico.org.uk
Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) — Photography and Data Protection Guidance
When photographs constitute personal data; consent requirements. ico.org.uk/for-the-public
Meta (Facebook) — Pages Terms of Service and Community Standards
Business Page vs personal profile rules, content moderation, review policies. facebook.com/terms
EYFS Statutory Framework 2024 — Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements
Social media use in the context of childcare practice. gov.uk/government/publications/eyfs-framework
NSPCC — Online Safety and Safeguarding Guidance for Childcare Settings
Safeguarding children online; safe communication with families. nspcc.org.uk
PACEY — Social Media Guidance for Childcare Professionals
Practical guidance for childminders using social media professionally. pacey.org.uk
Disclaimer — Important: This guide is produced by PolicyAndPlay for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal, regulatory, or professional advice. Social media platforms regularly update their features, terms, and settings — always refer to Meta's current official guidance. UK GDPR requirements are subject to legislative change — always verify current obligations with the ICO or an appropriately qualified data protection professional. PolicyAndPlay accepts no liability for any loss, claim, regulatory consequence, or platform action arising from reliance on this guide.