Creche, day mother or aftercare centre
Care for young children or after-school learners at a safe, registered place, with meals, play and homework time.
- To startR3 000 to R30 000
- First randabout 3 months
- WhereIn person
- Effort Hard
Is this for you?
Best for
Caring, organised people with childcare training, suitable premises and the patience to complete registration.
In South Africa: Strong in townships and towns.
What you need
- A phone is enough to start
- Works on everyday data
- No camera needed
- No cold selling
- At least 30 hours a week · age 18+
- Nursing or caring for people (competent or better) or Teaching or tutoring (competent or better)
The money
What it can earn
- Pocket money
- A top-up
- A second income
- Can become a full income
Part time, this can become a meaningful second income once you have regular customers.
What people charge
No reliable SA figure yet
We found no published South African price list we trust for this, so we do not quote a rand figure. Ask three sellers near you what they charge before you set yours.
Costs to plan for
- Start-up
- R3 000 to R30 000
- Every month
- Food, educational materials, helpers' wages, cleaning, electricity.
- Payment fees
- Monthly EFT or debit order.
- Margin
- Depends on child numbers and staff.
How it is paid: Monthly fee per child. Our viability score for it: 68 out of 100 (how we score).
How to start
Test it cheaply Before you spend
- Ask 15 parents near you what they pay now and what they wish was different
- Visit your local Department of Social Development office for Form 11
- Success signal: six families commit before you open
First week Days 1 to 7
- Get Form 11 and the norms and standards from your DSD office
- Check your premises against the safety list
- Write a simple business plan: hours, fees, daily plan, staff
First month Days 8 to 30
- Apply for child-protection clearance certificates
- Start registration and the municipal health certificate
- Sign up your first families
By three months Days 31 to 90
- Pass the assessment visit
- Add aftercare or a holiday programme
Registration and premises come first; a day mother with up to six children can start sooner. First income usually takes 30 to 180 days. A day-by-day version for your situation is in the full plan.
Creche and aftercare: from a small, safe group to a registered programme
24 short lessons with scripts, templates and rand prices to copy. R149 once-off, and the first lesson is free.
See what is insideCustomers and demand
Who pays
Working parents in your area.
Safe care and learning while parents work.
Is there demand?
The government registration guide is clear: caring for more than six young children needs registration as a partial care facility (Form 11), which is free and can take up to three months; programmes where children attend more than 16 hours a week also register the ECD programme (Form 16). Fees parents pay are not published in a source we trust.
Day mother for up to six childrenRegistered crecheAftercare for primary learners
Getting customers
Parents in your area, clinics, churches and schools.
Word of mouth and referralsIn-person networkingResponding to enquiries
Risks and rules
Watch out for
- Child safety and injury: follow the norms and standards and keep an emergency plan
- Operating unregistered with more than six children is illegal
- Late fee payments: written agreements with parents
Competition: Moderate.
Room to grow: Grows with registered capacity and staff.
Legal and tax in South Africa
- More than six children: register a partial care facility (Form 11) with the Department of Social Development, with a business plan, constitution, building plans, emergency plan, child-protection clearance and a municipal health certificate.
- Over 16 hours a week: register the ECD programme too (Form 16).
- Register for income tax with SARS once you earn above the tax threshold, and keep a record of every sale and every cost (stock, materials, transport and fees are business costs).
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start creche, day mother or aftercare centre in South Africa?
Our research puts start-up costs at about R3 000 to R30 000. Recurring costs: Food, educational materials, helpers' wages, cleaning, electricity.
How long until the first income?
Typically about 90 days, and between 30 and 180 days. Registration and premises come first; a day mother with up to six children can start sooner.
Can I do it with only a phone?
Yes, a smartphone is enough to start, although a laptop helps as you grow.
What about tax and legal rules?
More than six children: register a partial care facility (Form 11) with the Department of Social Development, with a business plan, constitution, building plans, emergency plan, child-protection clearance and a municipal health certificate. Over 16 hours a week: register the ECD programme too (Form 16). Register for income tax with SARS once you earn above the tax threshold, and keep a record of every sale and every cost (stock, materials, transport and fees are business costs).
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Researched by the Earn Path team · editorial policy