Inductions & Onboarding
      Back to home
      1. Hatching Dragons Knowledge Base
      2. Parent Partnership & Community Relations
      3. Inductions & Onboarding

      Policy: Family Onboarding Policy

      In this article, we'll summarise the key steps that we need to undertake to onboard new families into the system.

      Purpose

      This policy outlines the process by which Hatching Dragons Nursery Schools welcomes and integrates new families into our community. It ensures consistency in communication, compliance with regulatory obligations, and clarity for parents around the systems, expectations, and support available throughout their childcare journey with us.

      Scope

      This policy applies to all sales and customer service personnel, nursery managers, and members of the central operations team involved in the onboarding of new families across all Hatching Dragons settings.

      1. Initial Confirmation of Place

      Step 1: Quote and Deposit

      • The onboarding process begins when a parent signs the quote for their childcare place and pays the required deposit.

      • Deposits are paid via a secure payment link issued by the Sales team.

      Step 2: Deposit Recognition

      • The Finance Team verifies that the deposit has been received.

      • Once confirmed, the family is moved into the “School Operations” pipeline on HubSpot CRM.

      2. Booking the Onboarding Meeting

      Step 3: Scheduling the Onboarding

      • The Sales and Customer Service Team issues a HubSpot meeting link to the parent to book their 1-hour onboarding meeting with the relevant nursery.

      • This link must be tailored to the relevant school’s availability and delivered via email.

      3. Onboarding Meeting Requirements

      The onboarding meeting is a mandatory step and should be structured as follows:

      A. Information Collection from Parents

      Parents must be prepared to submit the following information, either before or during the meeting:

      • Child’s Medical Information
        (GP details, existing conditions, medications, immunisations, permissions for emergency treatment)

      • Dietary and Allergy Information
        (All known allergies, dietary requirements, food preferences or intolerances)

      • Cultural and Religious Background
        (Any faith-based practices or observances relevant to the child’s care)

      • Language Profile
        (Home language, additional languages spoken)

      • Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND)
        (Formal diagnoses, learning plans, support needs)

      B. Responsibilities of Customer Service Personnel

      The Customer Service Agent leading the onboarding must:

      • Have both EY Log and EY Man systems open.

      • Enter all information gathered into both systems, ensuring each child's profiles are fully complete and accurately reflect the submitted data.

      • Share the completed profiles with the Nursery Management Team for operational preparation and safeguarding planning.

      4. Reviewing Key Policies and Procedures with Parents

      During the onboarding meeting, the following policies and expectations must be explained in clear, parent-friendly language:

      A. Communications Policy

      • Explain that communication with the school occurs through the EY Log parent app.

      • Parents will be invited via email to set up their login.

      • Daily updates, learning journals, attendance, and direct messages will be accessible through this app.

      B. Fees and Finance Policy

      • Parents must register with GoCardless for monthly Direct Debit payments.

      • Clarify the expectations for fee payment (due on the 1st of each month).

      • Outline the late payment process and consequences, including surcharges and potential account holds.

      C. Settling In and What to Bring

      • Walk parents through the Settling In Handbook.

      • Highlight key items to bring on the first day (nappies, formula, change of clothes, labelled bottles, etc.).

      D. Complaints and Service Standards

      • Explain the Complaints Procedure, including how parents can raise concerns.

      • Set expectations for response times and resolutions, in line with our internal customer service standards.

      5. Final Checks and Confirmation

      • Once onboarding is complete, the Customer Service Agent must:

        • Confirm the child’s first day attendance.

        • Ensure the Nursery Manager has reviewed the full profile and is ready to support the family from day one.

        • Update the family’s HubSpot record to reflect the ‘Onboarded’ stage.

      6. Quality Assurance and Record-Keeping

      • A copy of the completed onboarding checklist and confirmation must be stored on the parent’s file.

      • HubSpot logs must reflect the date and agent responsible for onboarding.

      • Nursery Managers are responsible for flagging any gaps in information or readiness for the child’s first day.

      Review and Monitoring

      This policy will be reviewed annually by the Head of Customer Experience and Operations to ensure ongoing compliance with regulatory requirements and service excellence expectations.