Terms of Service

Last updated: 8 January 2026

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of the Little Starlings platform and services. By creating an account or using our services, you agree to these Terms.

1. Definitions

• "Platform" means the Little Starlings web application and all related services.
• "Customer" means the nursery, preschool, or childcare organisation subscribing to our services.
• "End User" means parents, guardians, or staff members who access the Platform through a Customer's account.
• "We", "Us", "Our" refers to Little Starlings.
• "You", "Your" refers to the Customer and/or End User as applicable.

2. Account Registration

2.1 Eligibility

To register as a Customer, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Have the authority to bind your organisation to these Terms
• Operate a legitimate childcare, nursery, or preschool business
• Provide accurate and complete registration information

2.2 Account Security

You are responsible for:

• Maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials
• All activities that occur under your account
• Notifying us immediately of any unauthorised access

3. Services and Features

3.1 What We Provide

Little Starlings provides a cloud-based platform for childcare providers to:

• Manage session bookings and attendance
• Track funded hours entitlements (15 and 30 hours)
• Generate and manage invoices
• Communicate with parents and guardians
• Store and manage child records

3.2 Service Availability

We aim to provide 99.9% uptime but do not guarantee uninterrupted access. We may perform scheduled maintenance with reasonable notice. Emergency maintenance may occur without prior notice.

4. Subscription and Payment

4.1 Free Trial

New Customers receive a 14-day free trial. No payment details are required during the trial period. At the end of the trial, you must subscribe to continue using the Platform.

4.2 Subscription Plans

We offer the following plans:

• Starter (Free) — Limited features for small nurseries
• Pro — Full features for single-site nurseries
• Advanced — Multi-site support with volume pricing

4.3 Payment Terms

• Subscriptions are billed monthly or annually in advance
• All prices are in British Pounds (GBP) and exclude VAT where applicable
• Payments are processed securely via Stripe
• Failed payments may result in service suspension

4.4 Refunds

We offer a 30-day money-back guarantee for new subscriptions. After 30 days, refunds are provided at our discretion. Annual subscriptions may receive pro-rata refunds for unused months.

5. Data and Privacy

5.1 Your Data

You retain ownership of all data you upload to the Platform. We process your data in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable data protection laws including UK GDPR.

5.2 Data Processing

By using our services, you appoint us as a Data Processor for the personal data you upload. You remain the Data Controller and are responsible for:

• Obtaining appropriate consent from parents/guardians
• Ensuring data accuracy
• Responding to data subject requests
• Complying with your own data protection obligations

5.3 Children's Data

We take the protection of children's data extremely seriously. All child data is encrypted at rest and in transit. Access is strictly limited to authorised personnel within your organisation.

6. Acceptable Use

6.1 You Must Not:

• Use the Platform for any unlawful purpose
• Upload malicious code or attempt to compromise system security
• Share login credentials or allow unauthorised access
• Resell or redistribute access to the Platform
• Use the Platform to store data unrelated to childcare operations
• Attempt to reverse engineer or copy our software

6.2 Enforcement

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms, with or without notice depending on severity.

7. Intellectual Property

The Platform, including its design, features, and underlying technology, is owned by Little Starlings and protected by intellectual property laws. Your subscription grants you a limited, non-exclusive licence to use the Platform for your internal business purposes only.

8. Limitation of Liability

Nothing in these Terms excludes liability for death, personal injury, or fraud.

9. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold us harmless from any claims arising from:

• Your use of the Platform
• Your violation of these Terms
• Your violation of any third-party rights
• Data you upload to the Platform

10. Termination

10.1 By You

You may cancel your subscription at any time through your account settings or by contacting support. Cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period.

10.2 By Us

We may terminate your account:

• For material breach of these Terms
• For non-payment after reasonable notice
• If required by law
• Upon 90 days' notice for any reason

10.3 Effect of Termination

Upon termination:

• Your access to the Platform will cease
• You may request export of your data within 30 days
• We will delete your data within 90 days unless legally required to retain it

11. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. We will notify you of material changes at least 30 days in advance via email or Platform notification. Continued use after changes take effect constitutes acceptance.

12. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

13. Contact Us

For questions about these Terms, please contact us:

• Email: hello@littlestarlings.com
• Website: littlestarlings.com