Software has become a big part of early childhood education and care (ECEC). From workforce management to documentation, payments to health & safety, it's hard to figure out the best childcare apps for your centre.
But don't worry.
We have a guide that gives you the 3 best apps for childcare providers, educators, children & families.
So let's get into it.
1. OWNA | All-In-One Childcare App
OWNA is an All-In-One Childcare Management System that does Documentation, Compliance, Parent Communication & CCS in one app.
Multiple apps can quickly take over your service if you let them, and it may lead to inefficiencies in how you work.
That's why all-in-one solutions have become the most popular type of software in ECEC.
By combining all of your processes into one single interface, you can make sure that all of your activities talk to each other.
For example, your CRM can feed information from waitlist into enrolment, enrolment details into parent communication, and parent communication into documentation.
Instead of having to input data several times, all-in-one solutions help you save time and - in the case of OWNA - money.
At just $1.39 per child/month, Australian-owned-and-made OWNA lets childcare providers manage:
CCS & Payments
Documentation
Parent Communication
Workforce Management
Compliance, Health & Safety
Enrolments & Waitlists
But don't take the price point as an indicator of budget software.
OWNA took home the gold when comparing all-in-one softwares in a recent independent survey, and is currently the fastest-growing childcare app on the market.
2. erly | Childcare Accounting & Workforce Management
All-In-One Business Management Software that tailors workforce management & accounting to the childcare sector
Workforce Management is the process of managing your staff. Whether it's educators, cooks, office staff or cleaners, providing a central point for your team to sign in/out is a basic need for all teams.
A traditional workforce management software allows managers to create rosters, staff to sign-in/out with ease, and HR to retrieve timesheet data to put into payroll - which is where the accounting part comes in.
But what else can they do?
Some services opt for basic platforms that are not specific to industry - such as Deputy - and feed this into an accounting platform like Xero. However, there is a solution that can be tailor-made for ECEC.
erly is a sister platform to OWNA, and feeds all information directly from your CCMS into your accounting and workforce management system.
With advanced rostering functions, its own payroll & an extensive suite of business management tools, erly is the perfect platform to attach your childcare management to your business management.
erly is a great solution for multi-centre providers looking for advanced workforce and business management solutions, so you can keep everything secure in one database, whilst allowing for direct integration into your childcare management system.
3. Penelope QIP | QIP & Self-Assessment App
QIP & Self-Assessment Software for NQS Compliance
Creating and updating your Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) or Self-Assessment Tool is an essential part of your service.
And it shouldn't go neglected.
A QIP should be extensive, yet easy to follow, and for that you need an app that allows you to go in-depth but stay organised at the same time.
And that's where Penelope QIP comes in.
Penelope allows directors and leaders to add an unlimited amount of collaborators, so that you can co-create your QIP with your team.
It's dashboard lets you see everything at a quick glance, whilst opening up areas for improvement that can be tagged to NQS standards, specific team members, or your own custom tags.
By putting the power in your hands, Penelope QIP allows you to critically reflect on your service and identify areas of improvement in a way that works for you.
Penelope QIP is FREE for all OWNA Customers, too!