This recorded guidance and supporting resources have been created to help providers view government funding through a different lens - moving beyond hourly rates to a whole-business perspective.
The early years sector is diverse, made up of settings of all sizes and types - from single-site nurseries and small preschool provisions to larger groups and school-based settings. This resource recognises that diversity and focuses on practical tools and ideas that can be applied in any context.
We explore three core themes that underpin financial sustainability:
- Customer Lifetime Value (CLV): understanding the predictable value of a child’s funded journey from 9 months to school.
- Portfolio Economics: recognising how funding rates and ratios work together in group-based providers to balance costs and income across age groups.
- Cashflow Predictability: using regular funding payments as a stable foundation for staffing, planning, and quality.
Each section includes worked examples, clear explanations, and templates that you can adapt for your own setting.
Together, these resources aim to help you feel more confident in planning, making decisions, and sustaining the high-quality care and education that children deserve.
These resources were first published in November 2025.