Helpful answers for childcare providers

Childcare Booking Software FAQs

Choosing childcare software raises a lot of questions. Find clear answers about bookings, registers, payments, parent communication, reporting, security, pricing and support.

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Getting Started

Who CoB is for and what bringing your setting onto the system involves.

What is Childcare Online Booking (CoB)?

Childcare Online Booking (CoB) is an online booking and management system for childcare providers. It connects parent bookings with session capacity, payments, invoices, live registers, child information, digital forms, reporting and communication, so administration does not need to be spread across paper records and unrelated tools.

Explore the complete CoB feature set.

What types of childcare providers can use CoB?

CoB is designed for breakfast clubs, after-school clubs, holiday clubs, wraparound care, nurseries, schools and organisations operating several childcare locations. Providers configure their own sessions, availability, booking rules, prices and access arrangements, rather than following one fixed operating model.

Is CoB suitable for a small childcare club?

Yes. A single-location club can use the same connected booking, payment and register tools as a larger organisation. The current subscription is priced per location, so prospective providers can compare the published price with their booking volume and administrative needs before deciding.

Can CoB manage multiple locations?

Yes. CoB supports organisations with one or several locations. Administrators can manage the wider organisation while location managers can be restricted to the children, parents, registers and sign-in information relevant to their location. Custom user groups can refine access further.

How difficult is CoB to set up?

Setup, training and ongoing support are included with the subscription. The CoB team helps configure the system around your locations and session structure, while branding options can align the parent-facing experience with your organisation. The amount of preparation depends on the data, rules and sessions you need to bring across.

Bookings & Capacity

Flexible session rules for regular families, occasional users and busy provision.

Can parents make one-off childcare bookings?

Yes. Parents can make ad-hoc bookings for available published sessions through their account or the CoB parent app. The provider controls which sessions are available, their prices, capacity and how close to the start time a booking can be made.

Does CoB support recurring or contract bookings?

Yes. CoB supports recurring contract bookings as well as ad-hoc bookings. Contract arrangements can cover a provider-defined term or booking period, while linked course sessions can be used where several sessions need to be booked together. Read about contract childcare bookings.

Can I control how late parents can make a booking?

Yes. Booking cut-off days and times are configured as part of session setup. This lets a provider accept last-minute bookings where operationally practical or close booking earlier where staffing, food preparation or transport needs more notice.

Can parents cancel bookings?

Yes, where the provider enables cancellation for that session. Administrators can set a cancellation cut-off day and time, so the parent-facing option follows the setting’s own cancellation rules rather than allowing unrestricted changes.

Can I set capacity limits for sessions?

Yes. Each session can have a capacity that controls the places available for parents to book. Capacity information also supports occupancy review and planning, while the provider remains responsible for staffing and operational decisions.

Can overlapping sessions share a capacity limit?

Yes. Sessions at the same club and location can share capacity where their times overlap. For example, two breakfast-club booking options that finish at the same time can draw from one practical place limit rather than each being treated as a separate room.

Does CoB include waiting lists?

Yes. Waiting lists can be enabled to help providers manage interest after a session reaches capacity. Staff retain control of availability and how a place is offered; the presence of a waiting list does not override the provider’s safeguarding, staffing or admission decisions.

Can parents select meals or activities when booking?

Yes. Additional session options can collect choices such as meals or activities during booking. Where meal information is configured, CoB can produce a meal report to support preparation and day-to-day organisation.

Can I add an unexpected child to a live session?

Yes. Authorised staff can add an unexpected or drop-in child to an electronic register when that option is enabled. The booking and any applicable fee can then be recorded, keeping the attendance record aligned with who is actually present.

Can I offer discounts and promotional codes?

Yes. Providers can configure options including sibling and staff discounts, early-booking offers, promotional codes and custom discounts. These controls allow promotions to reflect the setting’s commercial rules without changing the standard session structure.

Payments

Online cards, government-supported payment methods and account balances.

Can parents pay for childcare online?

Yes. Parents can pay online through their CoB account or parent app when online card payments are configured. Payments, invoices, statements and outstanding balances remain connected to the family account, reducing the need to match separate booking and payment records.

Which card payment provider does CoB support?

The current published CoB card-payment arrangement is Worldpay for Platforms, integrated with the booking system. Organisations with an existing legacy gateway should confirm migration and compatibility directly with CoB before making changes. Learn about the current Worldpay arrangement.

Does CoB support Tax-Free Childcare?

Yes. Providers can record and reconcile Tax-Free Childcare payments in CoB. Under the government scheme, eligible parents use an online childcare account and the government adds £2 for every £8 paid in, subject to current eligibility and limits. Providers must be signed up to accept the scheme. Families should check the current GOV.UK Tax-Free Childcare guidance.

Can parents pay using childcare vouchers?

Yes. CoB can record childcare-voucher payments as a configured payment type. Childcare-voucher schemes are closed to new applicants, although some parents who joined by 4 October 2018 can continue while they meet the scheme conditions. Eligibility is outside CoB, so families should use the official childcare-voucher guidance.

What is the difference between childcare vouchers and Tax-Free Childcare?

Childcare vouchers are employer-supported schemes that closed to new applicants in 2018, while Tax-Free Childcare is a current government scheme for eligible families using an online childcare account. A family cannot normally keep receiving new vouchers after successfully applying for Tax-Free Childcare. CoB can record either payment method, but it does not decide eligibility or which option is financially better. Families should use GOV.UK guidance or obtain appropriate advice.

Can we record bank transfers or BACS payments?

Yes. A provider can configure payment types such as BACS or bank transfer. Because the money arrives outside the card-payment flow, staff reconcile it by recording the payment against the relevant CoB account. This is different from a verified automated instalment-plan service.

Can CoB track outstanding balances?

Yes. CoB keeps parent statements, invoices and outstanding-payment information connected to bookings. Financial reports and account views help administrators identify and follow up unpaid amounts without maintaining a separate balance spreadsheet.

Are card-processing fees included in the CoB subscription?

No. The CoB software subscription and card-processing charges are separate commercial arrangements. The payment provider charges for processing debit and credit card transactions; current published rates and terms should be checked on the CoB pricing page before purchase.

Registers & Attendance

Live information for the staff responsible for each childcare session.

Does CoB include electronic childcare registers?

Yes. CoB creates live daily registers from childcare bookings and supports digital sign-in and sign-out on a suitable device. Staff can see the children expected, record actual attendance and work with relevant operational information in one place. Learn more about CoB electronic registers.

Are registers updated automatically when parents book?

Yes. Confirmed bookings feed into the relevant daily register, so the expected attendance list reflects booking activity without staff retyping each child. Changes made through the system are kept with the booking and register workflow.

Can staff digitally sign children in and out?

Yes. Staff can record child arrival and collection digitally, including times and signatures where configured. Electronic records can then support attendance history and operational reporting, while providers continue to follow their own identity, collection and safeguarding procedures.

Can CoB record late collection fees or unexpected attendance?

Yes. Electronic-register options can let authorised staff add a child who arrives unexpectedly and apply configured late-collection or session fees. Keeping these actions inside the register workflow helps the attendance and account records reflect what happened.

Can I view historic attendance?

Yes. CoB retains attendance information recorded through electronic sign-in and sign-out, including times, notes and signatures where used. Authorised users can review and export relevant attendance history rather than relying only on the current day’s register.

Can different locations access only their own registers?

Yes. Location Manager access can be restricted to the children, parents, registers and sign-in information relevant to that location. This supports multi-site working without giving every operational user organisation-wide financial or administrative access.

Parent App & Communication

What families can do and how information reaches the childcare team.

Is there a mobile app for parents?

Yes. Parents can access the CoB app on supported Apple and Android devices, including more than one registered device. It connects directly to the same account, bookings and information used by the provider’s CoB system. Explore the CoB parent mobile app.

What can parents do in the CoB app?

Parents can make and review bookings, cancel where the provider allows it, pay online, add funds, review statements, resend invoices, add booking notes, update emergency contacts and authorised collectors, and manage enabled notifications.

Can parents receive push notifications?

Yes. Parents can enable push notifications on registered devices for booking confirmations, messages from their childcare setting and child sign-in or sign-out updates. The provider controls the messages it sends, while the parent controls notification permissions on each device.

Can parents add notes to bookings?

Yes. A parent can add a note to an individual booking and copy it to selected related bookings. The note appears on the live daily register so staff can see practical information such as a changed collection time. Booking notes do not replace emergency or formal safeguarding procedures.

Can childcare providers message parents?

Yes. Providers can send one-way messages to registered parent devices through push notifications and use built-in email/mail-merge tools for wider communication. CoB keeps practical booking notes and provider messages connected to the relevant workflow instead of creating an informal two-way chat service.

Are booking confirmations sent automatically?

Yes. Booking activity can generate confirmation information for the parent, and the app can deliver enabled booking-confirmation notifications. Invoices and account records remain available through the parent account. Providers should confirm any separate reminder workflow they require during setup.

Medical, Allergy & Safeguarding

Keeping relevant child information visible without making blanket compliance claims.

Can CoB store children’s medical and allergy information?

Yes. CoB can store medical, allergy and other relevant child information for authorised users. Providers decide what information they need, who should have access and how it fits their policies, lawful basis, retention and safeguarding responsibilities.

Do medical and allergy updates appear on live registers?

Yes. Relevant medical and allergy information can appear on live registers, and changes made to a child’s account can be reflected for staff. Custom fields can also show additional information needed for the session, subject to the provider’s access and data-minimisation decisions.

Can CoB record accident or safeguarding information?

Yes. Providers can create forms for accidents, safeguarding concerns, behaviour notes and other records. Entries can include administrative fields and, where appropriate, information or signature requests shared with a parent. These tools support—not replace—the setting’s safeguarding policies and professional judgement.

Can parents update relevant child and collection information?

Yes. Parents can update information such as emergency contacts and authorised collectors through their account. Providers should maintain their own verification and change-of-collection procedures rather than treating any digital update as sufficient authorisation on its own.

Digital Forms

Flexible records for workflows that do not belong in a generic paper template.

Can I create my own childcare forms?

Yes. CoB includes a form library for creating templates that match a setting’s operational needs. Forms can cover areas such as accidents, safeguarding, behaviour, permissions and general records, with fields configured for administrators or parents as appropriate.

Can forms be shared with parents?

Yes. A form entry can be shared with a parent when their input or acknowledgement is needed. Shared items are highlighted in the parent account, while other fields can remain administrative only.

Can CoB collect electronic signatures?

Yes. A parent-facing field can request an electronic signature so a parent can review and sign a shared form. Providers remain responsible for deciding when that method is appropriate for the record and any additional verification their process requires.

Are completed form submissions stored for future reference?

Yes. Form submissions are kept in an organised library for authorised users to review. This supports consistent records and reduces loose paperwork, while the provider still controls appropriate access, retention and deletion practices.

See CoB digital forms and records.

Staff & Multi-Site

Role-based access for teams working across one or several provisions.

Can staff use CoB?

Yes. Authorised staff can use the functions appropriate to their role, including live registers and relevant child information. Administrators control access through user groups rather than requiring every team member to see financial and organisation-wide administration.

Does CoB record staff hours?

Yes. Staff can be assigned to sessions and sign in and out through the electronic-register workflow. Administrators can then review and export recorded time through the Staff Hours Report.

Does CoB manage staff rotas?

CoB’s published information confirms staff-hours recording, but does not establish a forward-looking rota-planning feature. If creating and publishing staff shifts is important to your organisation, ask the CoB team to demonstrate the current workflow rather than assuming hours reporting also provides rota scheduling.

Can different staff members have different access levels?

Yes. CoB uses user groups to control which menu options and functions a user can see. Custom groups can be created for a provider’s responsibilities, helping avoid unnecessary access while giving staff the tools required for their work.

Can location managers be restricted to one location?

Yes. The Location Manager group can be limited to the children, parents, registers and sign-in information relevant to that provision, without organisation-wide financial access. This makes the system practical for multi-site operators with local management teams.

Reports & Integrations

Useful exports and precise language about what connects directly.

What reports are available?

CoB includes a comprehensive range of financial, booking, attendance and operational reports. Examples include daily and weekly attendance, parent balances, outstanding payments, staff hours, meal requirements and information used to monitor sessions and locations. The range can evolve, so the FAQ does not rely on a fixed report count.

Can reports be exported to Excel?

Yes. Relevant data can be exported in CSV or Excel-friendly formats for further analysis, reconciliation or import into another system. An export is a deliberate transfer of data; it should not be described as a live two-way integration.

Can I report on attendance, outstanding payments and capacity?

Yes. CoB provides reporting and dashboard information for attendance history, account balances, outstanding payments and booking/session activity. Capacity and occupancy information can support planning, although staffing and admissions remain decisions for the provider.

Does CoB integrate with accounting software or a CRM?

CoB provides CSV and Excel-friendly exports that can be used with compatible accounting or reporting workflows. That is not the same as claiming a live accounting-system or CRM integration. Confirm the exact import format and process required by your chosen software during the demo.

Does CoB sync with school management systems or external calendars?

No direct school-management-system or external-calendar sync is confirmed in the current public product information. If this is essential, ask the CoB team to check the named system and required data flow before you purchase.

Security & Data

Factual access controls and a clear division of data-protection responsibility.

How does CoB protect access to childcare data?

CoB provides individual user access, configurable user groups and location-based restrictions so staff do not all need the same view. Providers should ask for current hosting, backup, technical-security and certification information during procurement, because those details are not fully documented on the public product pages.

Is CoB GDPR compliant?

CoB provides access controls, records and processes designed to support childcare providers with their UK GDPR and data-protection responsibilities. No software makes a provider automatically compliant: your organisation remains responsible for its lawful basis, transparency, data minimisation, access, retention and wider policies. Refer to the ICO accountability guidance.

Where is parent and child data stored?

The exact current hosting country, infrastructure and backup arrangements are not specified in the public product information reviewed for this page. Organisations with procurement, contractual or data-residency requirements should request the current technical and data-processing documentation directly from CoB before committing.

Support & Training

Help with initial configuration and ongoing use of the software.

Is training included?

Yes. Training is included with the current CoB subscription, helping administrators and staff understand the configuration and workflows relevant to their provision. Additional training needs can be discussed as the organisation grows or changes how it uses the system.

Is ongoing support included?

Yes. Ongoing support is included with the subscription rather than sold as a separate feature module. The public site offers phone and email contact; confirm any service-level or response-time requirement contractually rather than relying on an old average.

How do I contact CoB support?

The published contact options include telephone on 01364 582017 and email at sales@childcare-online-booking.co.uk. Existing customers should use the support route supplied with their account for product-specific requests.

Are help videos and documentation available?

Yes. CoB publishes a collection of help videos and documentation alongside included training. Ask the team to show the resources that apply to administrators, location managers and register users during onboarding.

Do I pay extra for software updates?

No. Ongoing product updates are included in the current subscription. If a future request involves bespoke development or services outside the standard product, confirm its scope and cost separately with CoB.

Pricing

The current published subscription model and what sits outside it.

How much does Childcare Online Booking cost?

The current published price is £59 + VAT per location, per month. This replaces the percentage-of-bookings model shown in older FAQ copy. Pricing can change, so use the current CoB pricing page as the authoritative source when requesting a quote.

Is there a setup fee?

No setup charge is included in the current published offer. Setup assistance, training and support form part of the subscription rather than being presented as separate mandatory add-ons.

Is there a long-term contract?

No. The current pricing page describes a monthly subscription with no long contract and the option to cancel when needed. Review the current service terms before subscribing for notice periods and other contractual detail.

Are all features included?

The current offer states that all standard functionality is available to customers, including the parent app, push notifications, bookings, electronic registers, reports, payment management, custom forms, updates, support and training. Your configuration can still vary according to which functions your setting enables.

Are there additional fees?

Standard product functionality, support, training and updates are included in the published subscription. Card-processing fees are separate and charged under the payment-provider arrangement. Ask for written confirmation where you need bespoke services, migration work or another non-standard requirement.

Growth, Scalability & Demo

Adding provision, adjusting configuration and evaluating CoB safely.

Can CoB grow with our childcare provision?

Yes. CoB supports both single- and multi-location organisations, and your team can add and configure sessions as provision changes. Discuss expected booking volume, locations, access groups and reporting needs during the demo so the proposed setup reflects your growth plans.

Can we add additional clubs or locations?

Yes. Additional locations can be added to a multi-site organisation and managed with location-specific access. Because the current subscription is priced per location, check the commercial effect before expanding the account.

Can features be configured as our requirements change?

Yes. CoB includes configurable options for areas such as booking rules, capacities, waiting lists, contracts, promotions, registers, reports, vouchers and parent access. This public FAQ summarises those choices rather than reproducing the system’s full technical switch list.

Can I try Childcare Online Booking before committing?

Yes. CoB offers a free 30-day demo configured around your provision, giving you time to explore the workflows and ask questions before subscribing. A screen-sharing walkthrough can also help your team review the areas most important to you.

Request your free CoB demo.

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