How education and childcare Pros can get discovered by more local families

Parents aren't simply looking for someone who offers Maths tutoring, aftercare or driving lessons. They're deciding who they feel comfortable involving in their child's education or care.

Your profile should help them understand what you do, who you work with, how your service works and what relevant experience, registration or other information you can accurately provide.

A tutor, ECD programme and driving instructor perform very different roles, so your profile should reflect the requirements and responsibilities of yours.

Be specific about the service you provide

“Education” is a huge category.

Instead of simply saying “Tutor” or “Teacher”, explain what you actually offer.

Depending on your service, include:

• subjects;
• grades;
• curricula;
• exam preparation;
• online or in-person tutoring;
• individual or group lessons;
• music lessons and instruments;
• driving instruction and licence codes;
• after-school care;
• ECD or early-learning services;
• age groups;
• operating hours; and
• areas you serve.

Specific information helps families work out whether you're relevant before contacting you.

Tutors should explain how they teach

Parents often want more than a list of subjects.

Explain:

• which grades and curricula you work with;
• subjects you specialise in;
• whether you offer exam or Matric preparation;
• lesson duration;
• whether sessions are online or in person;
• individual versus group tuition;
• how you structure lessons;
• whether you provide materials;
• how you communicate progress; and
• what your cancellation policy is.

Relevant qualifications or experience can also help parents understand your background, but describe them accurately.

Don't claim specialist expertise, teaching qualifications or professional credentials you don't have.

ECD and childcare providers have different responsibilities

Running an ECD programme or childcare service isn't the same as providing an hour of private tutoring.

If you operate an ECD programme, crèche, daycare, aftercare or other childcare service, give parents practical information about how it works.

Depending on the service, that may include:

• age groups;
• operating hours;
• staff;
• supervision;
• facilities;
• meals;
• sleeping arrangements;
• collection procedures;
• illness policies;
• emergency procedures;
• safeguarding procedures;
• programme information; and
• registration status where applicable.

South Africa has registration requirements applying to ECD programmes and relevant partial-care facilities.

The Department of Basic Education's Bana Pele ECD Registration Drive and eCares system form part of the current ECD registration process.

If registration requirements apply to your service, keep your information accurate and current.

Don't imply that being listed on Know a Pro replaces ECD registration or other legal requirements.

Child safeguarding is bigger than a police clearance

If your work puts you in direct contact with children, take safeguarding seriously.

Depending on the role and setting, relevant requirements and checks may involve:

• identity information;
• references;
• employment screening;
• qualifications;
• registration;
• the National Child Protection Register;
• the National Register for Sex Offenders; and
• other requirements applicable to the organisation or role.

A police-clearance certificate may provide useful information, but it isn't a guarantee that someone is safe to work with children and shouldn't be presented as the only relevant safeguarding check.

If your role or organisation is subject to specific screening requirements, make sure you understand and comply with those requirements.

Driving instructors should keep registration information accurate

Driving instruction has separate regulatory requirements.

To be legally recognised as a driving instructor in South Africa, a person must be registered with the relevant provincial transport authority and hold the appropriate instructor certificate for the vehicle class they teach.

If you're a driving instructor, make useful information easy to find, such as:

• licence codes taught;
• lesson duration;
• areas covered;
• whether a training vehicle is supplied;
• whether test-day vehicle use is available;
• package information;
• cancellation terms; and
• relevant current registration information.

Don't imply that Know a Pro's identity verification replaces driving-instructor registration.

Explain your teaching or care approach

Parents want to understand what working with you may actually be like.

For education services, you might explain:

• how you approach difficult concepts;
• whether lessons are structured or flexible;
• how you adapt to different learning needs;
• what practice or homework you expect;
• how progress is communicated; and
• who your service is best suited to.

For childcare services, focus on practical care arrangements, routines, supervision and how your service operates.

Avoid vague promises such as “guaranteed improvement,” “guaranteed pass” or “your child will definitely succeed.”

Use photographs responsibly

Photographs can make a profile more useful, particularly for facilities, classrooms or teaching environments.

But children deserve privacy.

Don't upload identifiable photographs of children simply because they make your profile look friendly.

Only use images where you have an appropriate basis and permission to publish them, and think carefully about whether identifying a child publicly is necessary at all.

Useful alternatives can include:

• your classroom or teaching space without children present;
• learning materials;
• facilities;
• equipment;
• instruments;
• your driving-school vehicle; or
• appropriate photographs of you or your team.

A useful profile doesn't need to turn children into marketing material.

Understand what ID Verified means

South African Pros complete identity verification as part of the Know a Pro signup process before their profile can go live.

Once completed, their profile can display the ID Verified badge.

ID Verified relates to identity verification.

It does not prove teaching ability, qualifications, professional registration, childcare competence, reliability, trustworthiness or child safety.

It also doesn't replace safeguarding checks, ECD registration, driving-instructor registration or other requirements applicable to your service.

Present identity verification as one piece of information, not as proof that parents should trust you with their child.

Use qualifications and credentials accurately

If you have qualifications, professional registrations, certificates or relevant training, describe them accurately.

Include enough information for a parent to understand what the credential actually relates to.

Don't:

• call yourself a qualified teacher if you don't hold the relevant qualification;
• imply that unrelated training makes you professionally qualified for another role;
• describe expired registration as current;
• invent certificates or accreditations; or
• imply that Know a Pro has verified a credential unless the platform specifically confirms that it has.

Accurate information is more useful than a long list of impressive-sounding claims.

Let genuine reviews speak for themselves

Genuine reviews can help parents understand previous customers' experiences.

Encourage customers to leave honest reviews after using your service, but don't:

• write reviews for them;
• ask for a particular star rating;
• create fake parent testimonials;
• pressure a learner or child to provide a review; or
• present positive reviews as proof of child safety, qualifications or guaranteed academic outcomes.

Be especially careful about children's privacy when responding publicly to reviews.

Don't reveal a child's academic difficulties, school, medical information or other private details in a public response.

Make your pricing easier to understand

You don't necessarily need one fixed price for everything.

Give families enough information to understand how your pricing works.

Depending on the service, that might include:

• hourly tutoring rates;
• lesson duration;
• individual versus group pricing;
• online versus in-person pricing;
• package pricing;
• travel charges;
• monthly childcare fees;
• meals or transport;
• registration or administration fees;
• cancellation terms; and
• what's included.

Clear pricing information can reduce unnecessary back-and-forth before someone contacts you.

Respond to enquiries professionally

When a parent contacts you, establish what they actually need before saying yes.

For tutoring, ask about the learner's grade, curriculum, subject and goals.

For lessons, establish the learner's level and what they want to achieve.

For childcare, obtain the information genuinely needed to assess whether your service can appropriately accommodate the child.

Don't ask parents to post sensitive information about their children publicly.

Where private information is necessary, handle it through an appropriate private channel.

Keep your profile current

Update your profile when something changes.

That includes:

• subjects;
• grades;
• curricula;
• services;
• age groups;
• pricing information;
• service areas;
• availability;
• facilities;
• professional or registration information where relevant; and
• photographs.

If your classes are full or you temporarily aren't taking new learners, update information where the platform allows rather than leaving families with outdated expectations.

Share your Know a Pro profile

Your Know a Pro profile has its own page link, so you can share it with potential customers through appropriate channels.

Depending on your service, that could include:

• WhatsApp;
• your website;
• business social-media profiles;
• appropriate parent communications; or
• other marketing materials where suitable.

Your profile gives families another place to review your services and available information before deciding whether to contact you.

What it costs to list on Know a Pro

Know a Pro uses a monthly membership model.

Independent Pro — R300/month

For independent Pros and sole traders.

Registered Business — R500/month

For registered businesses.

Know a Pro does not take a percentage of the jobs you receive through the platform. Your applicable monthly membership fee still applies.

Prices shown are current at the time of publication and may change.

Help families understand what you offer

A strong education or childcare profile doesn't need to promise parents the world.

It should simply give them clear, accurate information about your services, experience, approach and the things relevant to choosing you.

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