Freedom251 › Early Childhood Education Software
Connect Childcare
What Connect Childcare is
Connect Childcare is nursery management software for early years providers handling administration, attendance, finance, child development, parent engagement, and daily operations. It includes enrolment, check-in, billing, payments, and lesson planning. iConnect records observations with photos, videos, notes, assessments, learning journals, and parent observations, while safeguarding tools cover medication, accidents, emergency contacts, digital registers, and permission settings. Connect Cashflow supports card payments, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Direct Debit, instant bank transfers, and HMRC Tax-Free Childcare through one checkout and ledger in ParentZone. ParentZone gives families updates, learning journals, payments, communication, and bookings. The software runs on Windows, Mac through Parallels, web browsers, Android, and iOS. Plans start at £50/mo, exclude VAT, and use fixed-term contracts. Setup is free; optional add-ons include Cashflow, SMS, and postcode lookups.
Who it suits
It suits independent nurseries, preschools, and multi-site nursery groups needing administration, child records, payments, and parent communication. Parents use the ParentZone app for updates and transactions.
What it does well
- Covers administration and attendance
- Detailed child development records
- Multiple payment methods
- Android and iOS parent app
- 24/7 online help
What to know first
- No free plan
- No free trial
- Plans exclude VAT
- Fixed-term contracts
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Connect Childcare | Management of multiple settings · Finance and admin · Communication · Reporting · StaffPlan included · Prices exclude VAT · Fixed-term contract | £50 a month |
| iConnect Daily | Daily operations · Enquiry management · Child development · Reporting · Prices exclude VAT · Fixed-term contract | £50 a month |
| ParentZone | Parent engagement app · Child updates · Daily events · Bills and payments · Bookings · Prices exclude VAT · Fixed-term contract | £50 a month |
| Multi-site Groups and Chains | Bespoke quote · Tailored plans for groups, chains, or franchises with 10 to 300+ sites | On request |
As connectchildcare.com lists them, read 7 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Verdict
Connect Childcare covers nursery operations, safeguarding, development records, payments, and family communication across desktop, web, and mobile access. Its fixed-term, VAT-exclusive plans should be considered alongside optional add-ons.
Facts from Connect Childcare's own pages
- Attendance and check-in
- Yes · connectchildcare.com, 22 Sept 2026
- Audience
- The software is aimed at early years providers including independent nurseries, preschools, and multi-site nursery groups. · connectchildcare.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Billing and payments
- Yes · connectchildcare.com, 22 Sept 2026
- Child development
- iConnect supports observations with photos, videos, and notes, assessments, online learning journals, and parent observations. · connectchildcare.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Company history
- The site says Connect Childcare has worked in partnership with nurseries since 2004. · connectchildcare.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Contract and fees
- The maker states that customers have a fixed-term contract, setup is free, and optional add-ons include Connect Cashflow, SMS text messages, and postcode lookups. · connectchildcare.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Enrollment management
- Yes · connectchildcare.com, 22 Sept 2026
- Family communication
- Yes · connectchildcare.com, 22 Sept 2026
- Free plan
- No · connectchildcare.com, 22 Sept 2026
- Headquarters
- Nelson, United Kingdom · connectchildcare.com, 19 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The company describes strategic partnerships with complementary software providers and says its partnership with Nuuri supports parent enquiries and pre-enrolment. · connectchildcare.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Lesson planning
- Yes · connectchildcare.com, 22 Sept 2026
- Mobile app
- ParentZone is a parent app for daily updates, learning journals, payments, and communication with a child’s nursery. · connectchildcare.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Mobile apps
- both · connectchildcare.com, 22 Sept 2026
- Payments
- Connect Cashflow supports card payments, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Direct Debit, instant bank transfers, and HMRC Tax-Free Childcare through a single checkout and ledger in ParentZone. · connectchildcare.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Platform compatibility
- The maker says Connect Childcare runs on Windows desktops or on a Mac using Parallels, while iConnect is a web app that works in supported browsers across a wide range of devices. · connectchildcare.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Connect Childcare offers nursery management software for administration, attendance, finance, child development, parent engagement, and daily operations. · connectchildcare.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Safeguarding
- iConnect supports medication logging, accident reporting, emergency contacts, digital registers, and permission-based access settings. · connectchildcare.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Security and compliance
- The company says it is hosted on ISO-certified infrastructure, holds Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus accreditations, is GDPR compliant, and meets PCI DSS standards. · connectchildcare.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Support
- Included support includes 24/7 online help, phone and email support, customer training, and guidance from onboarding and customer success managers. · connectchildcare.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Support hours
- Phone support is available 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, ticket responses 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday, and the online helpdesk and chatbot are available 24/7. · connectchildcare.com, 7 Oct 2026
Where Connect Childcare stands on Freedom251
- Early Childhood Education Software#39 of 86
- Child Care Management Software#7 of 15