Free Daycare Contract Template

A daycare contract is a written agreement between a childcare provider and a parent or guardian. It records the hours of care, the fee, and the policies both sides follow.

Home-based providers use one. So do small centers, preschool programs, and after-school clubs.

The agreement supports the relationship more than it guards either party. Families learn the true cost and schedule, while providers learn when payment arrives and who may collect a child.

Enrollment paperwork often runs long. Even so, the core promises belong in one signed document that either side can find quickly.

A daycare contract template gives you that document without starting from a blank page. You fill in names, hours, and rates, then adjust the policies to match your program.

Sign before the first day of care, not after the first problem. Enrollment is the natural moment.

These situations especially call for written terms:

• Full-time infant care — high demand, long waitlists, and a deposit to hold the spot.
• Part-time or drop-in care — hours that shift weekly and need a clear billing rule.
• Home daycare with a small group — one provider covering several families at once.
• Before and after school programs — care that follows school calendars and closures.
• Summer or seasonal care — a fixed block of weeks with its own rate.

Families also need clarity when two households share custody. Naming the approved pickup adults avoids an awkward conversation at the door.

Providers face the opposite risk. Without written notice terms, a family can leave mid-month and take the income with them.

Growing programs feel this most. Once several families enroll, consistent terms make scheduling, billing, and staffing far easier to manage.

New providers sometimes skip this step to seem welcoming. In practice, families read clear terms as a sign of a well-run program.

Good childcare paperwork answers the questions parents ask on a tour, then the ones they ask in month three. Work through each area below.

Child and Family Details

Record the child’s full name, date of birth, and any allergies or medical needs. Also list every adult approved to pick the child up.

Hours, Days, and Late Pickup

State the daily schedule and the exact closing time. Then set the late pickup fee and how you calculate it, since this causes the most friction.

Tuition, Deposits, and Payment Schedule

Give the weekly or monthly rate, the due date, and the accepted payment methods. In addition, explain whether tuition holds the spot during vacations and sick days.

Meals, Naps, and Daily Routine

Describe who provides food, how naps work, and what the day looks like hour by hour. Parents choose a provider on this section as much as on price.

Illness, Medication, and Emergencies

Set the policy for fevers, contagious illness, and when a child may return. Also record emergency contacts and what consent the provider has to act.

Closures, Holidays, and Vacation

List the days your program closes and whether you bill for them. A calendar attached to the agreement works well here.

Discipline and Communication

Explain your approach to behavior and how you share daily updates. Families appreciate knowing this before a hard day arrives.

Termination and Notice

Say how much notice either side gives before ending care. Two weeks is common, though the number is yours to agree on together.

A daycare contract records a private agreement between a provider and a family. It does not replace whatever licensing your program needs.

Licensing, ratios, background checks, and health training vary by state and sometimes by county. Requirements also depend on how many children you care for and whether you work from home. Therefore, check your state’s official childcare licensing website before you enroll your first family.

Parents can ask a provider directly for a license number and inspection history. Most providers expect that question and answer it readily.

Subsidy programs add another layer. When a family pays through a voucher or assistance program, extra rules apply. That agency usually has its own forms and its own fee policies. Ask what it requires so the paperwork lines up from the start.

Some situations reach beyond any template. For custody disputes or special needs accommodations, a local attorney can give advice this document cannot.

Review the finished agreement together, page by page, before anyone signs.

1. Walk through the fee schedule and confirm both sides read it the same way.
2. Sign and date, including every parent or guardian who shares responsibility.
3. Hand the family a copy and keep one in the child’s file.
4. Store medical and emergency details where staff can reach them quickly.

Update the terms whenever care changes. Moving from three days to five, adding a sibling, or shifting to a school-year schedule all deserve a written amendment.

Providers with several families should keep the structure identical across enrollments. Consistency makes an annual rate change far easier to explain.

Electronic signing helps here as well, since parents often finish enrollment after hours. A shared digital copy also means nobody hunts for paperwork during a busy morning drop-off.

Review your standard terms once a year. Rates, hours, and closure calendars drift, and a yearly pass keeps every family on the current version. Create your daycare contract now and start the year with clear expectations on both sides.