The enrolment fee is a one-off charge that reflects the quality and regulatory support behind tiney. This guide will help you explain it confidently during home visits and early conversations with prospective families.
What's the enrolment fee?
It's a one-time admin fee that families pay directly to tiney when they enrol with you. It covers registering the family, setting up their account, and giving them access to the tiney app and family benefits.
From 1st March 2026, the fees are:
Contract type | Enrolment fee |
Standard childcare contracts | £65 |
Wraparound care only (before and/or after school for school aged children) | £35 |
Short-term contracts (under 1 month) | £35 |
Funded hours only (contracts paid for only with local authority funding, with no additional paid hours) | £0 |
Key point: The enrolment fee is completely separate from any settling-in fees or deposits you may arrange directly with families.
When should I mention it?
Early. Bring it up in your first phone call or at the start of your home visit. This keeps things transparent and avoids any awkwardness later.
Don't wait until contract signing to mention an extra cost.
How to introduce it to families
Here's a simple way to explain it:
I'm part of tiney, the country's biggest Ofsted-registered childminder agency. They're my regulator, and they provide all the quality assurance and family benefits you'll get as a parent. There's a one-off enrolment fee that covers your registration and access to those services. For standard childcare it's £65. I can send you more info, or you can get in touch with tiney directly if you have questions.
Why this works:
You're straightforward, not apologetic
You position it as standard (just like nursery enrolment fees)
You offer resources instead of getting into the details yourself
You redirect billing questions to tiney
Resources to share with families
When you mention the fee, offer to send:
The one-page explainer – covers what the fee includes and why it exists
The tiney family pack – a full guide that includes the enrolment fee alongside everything else families need to know
If they have questions, they can contact tiney directly:
Phone: 020 4579 9034
Email: community@tiney.co
Common questions and how to respond
Why do I pay tiney and not just you?
"tiney childminders are part of a quality-assured network, which provides tooling and support that enables running a highly professional childminding setting. Your childminder gets professional oversight, yearly inspections, and you get family support services that aren't available with independent childminders. The enrolment fee covers the cost of central admin that tiney does to onboard your family onto the platform."
Why don’t other childminders charge this?
“The enrolment fee covers the admin that tiney does to get your family set up on their platform - like registering your details, setting up your contract, and giving you access to the app. Because I'm with tiney, you also get added benefits like 24/7 GP access and family support services."
"That seems expensive"
"I totally understand. It's actually in line with what most nurseries charge for their admin fees. And it's a one-off, so there are no surprises after this. You also get full transparency through the app, benefits like free GP appointments for your entire family, and the peace of mind that comes with annual inspections."
A few things to keep in mind
Don't apologise for the fee. It signals you think it's unfair, which plants doubt in the parent’s mind.
Don't offer to waive or discount the fee. Unless the family is experiencing financial difficulties, we can't adjust the fee.
Don't get into detailed billing discussions. If parents have complex questions, point them to tiney's support team. That's what we're here for.