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Terms & Conditions

Last updated: March 2026
Please note: These Terms will be updated once The Lounge is registered as a limited company at Companies House. References to [Company Name] and [Company Number] will be completed at that point.

1. About Us

The Lounge is operated by [Company Name Ltd], registered in England and Wales under company number [Company Number], with registered address [Registered Address] ("The Lounge", "we", "us", "our").

You can contact us at hello@theloungeuk.org. Our website is located at theloungeuk.org.

2. Accepting These Terms

By accessing Our Platform or becoming a member, you agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions, our Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy and Acceptable Use & Behaviour Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use Our Platform.

We may update these Terms from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by email. Continued use of the platform after changes constitutes acceptance.

3. Membership

3.1 Eligibility

Membership is open to individuals aged 18 or over. By joining, you confirm that the information you provide is accurate and complete.

3.2 Membership Tiers

  • Founding Member — £5/month: Available to the first 200 members only. This rate is locked for the lifetime of the membership and will not increase while the membership remains active.
  • Regular Member — £9.99/month: Standard membership rate, available to all members after the first 200 founding spots are filled.
  • Nursery Wellbeing Package: Corporate membership for nursery settings. Pricing confirmed on enquiry.

3.3 Payment

All memberships are charged by monthly direct debit. Payment is processed securely via Stripe. By providing your payment details, you authorise The Lounge to charge your account on a monthly basis.

3.4 Cancellation

You may cancel your membership at any time. Cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period. No refunds are provided for partial months. To cancel, email hello@theloungeuk.org.

3.5 Founding Member Rate

The £5/month Founding Member rate is personal and non-transferable. It applies only while the membership remains active and in good standing. If a Founding Member cancels their membership, the Founding Rate will not be reinstated on rejoining.

4. Your Account

You are responsible for keeping your login credentials secure. Do not share your account with others — membership is personal and non-transferable. Notify us immediately at hello@theloungeuk.org if you believe your account has been compromised.

5. Platform Access & Content

We grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to access and use the Platform for your personal, professional use as a member. This licence does not include the right to reproduce, distribute, sell or commercially exploit any content on the Platform.

All content on the Platform — including the Practical Toolkit, resources, templates and guides — is protected by copyright and database right. You may use toolkit content for your own professional practice but may not share, resell or distribute it outside the Platform.

6. The Practical Toolkit

The Practical Toolkit is provided to support your professional practice. It is a tool — not a substitute for your own professional knowledge, judgement or qualifications. We make no warranty that any particular template, script or framework is appropriate for every setting or circumstance. You remain responsible for all content you submit to parents, Ofsted, or any other party.

7. Third Party Services

The Platform may include links to or integrations with third party services including Unison, Bunches, Howden and other partners. We are not responsible for the content, terms or practices of third party services. Any purchases made through partner links are subject to the third party's own terms and conditions.

8. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, The Lounge shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special or consequential loss arising from your use of the Platform. Our total liability to you shall not exceed the total membership fees paid by you in the three months preceding the claim.

Nothing in these Terms limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, or any other liability that cannot be excluded by law.

9. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the law of England and Wales. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales, except where mandatory consumer protection laws in your country of residence provide otherwise.

10. Contact

For any questions about these Terms, please contact us at hello@theloungeuk.org.

Legal

Privacy Policy

Last updated: March 2026
GDPR Compliance: The Lounge is committed to protecting your personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

The Lounge ([Company Name Ltd], [Company Number]) is the data controller for personal data collected through theloungeuk.org. Contact us at hello@theloungeuk.org.

2. What Data We Collect

Data you provide to us:

  • Name and email address — when you register or contact us
  • Payment information — processed securely by Stripe (we do not store card details)
  • Profile information — your job title, setting name, location (optional)
  • Content you post — messages, comments and contributions to community spaces
  • Survey responses — when you participate in workforce insight surveys

Data collected automatically:

  • IP address and device information
  • Pages visited and time spent on the platform
  • Browser type and operating system
  • Cookies — see our Cookie Policy for full details

3. How We Use Your Data

  • To provide your membership — processing payments, giving access to the platform and toolkit
  • To communicate with you — membership updates, newsletters, important notices
  • To improve the platform — understanding how members use The Lounge to make it better
  • Workforce insights — aggregated, anonymised data only. We will never share identifiable data about individual practitioners
  • Legal obligations — where required by law

4. Legal Basis for Processing

  • Contract — processing necessary to provide your membership
  • Legitimate interests — improving the platform, communicating with members
  • Consent — marketing communications (you can withdraw at any time)
  • Legal obligation — where required by law

5. Sharing Your Data

We do not sell your personal data. We share data only with:

  • Stripe — for payment processing
  • Circle.so — for community platform hosting
  • Email service providers — for membership communications
  • Law enforcement — where legally required

All third party processors are bound by data processing agreements and are required to maintain appropriate security standards.

6. Your Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:

  • Access — request a copy of your personal data
  • Rectification — correct inaccurate data
  • Erasure — request deletion of your data ("right to be forgotten")
  • Portability — receive your data in a structured format
  • Object — object to processing based on legitimate interests
  • Withdraw consent — at any time for consent-based processing

To exercise any of these rights, email hello@theloungeuk.org. We will respond within 30 days.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as your membership is active, plus 6 years after cancellation for legal and accounting purposes. Community posts may be retained in anonymised form for platform integrity.

8. Security

We use industry-standard security measures including SSL encryption, secure hosting and access controls. Payment data is processed entirely by Stripe and never stored on our servers.

9. Complaints

If you are unhappy with how we handle your data, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk or by calling 0303 123 1113.

Legal

Cookie Policy

Last updated: March 2026

1. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. They help websites remember your preferences, keep you logged in and understand how pages are used.

2. Cookies We Use

Essential Cookies

These are necessary for the platform to function. They cannot be disabled.

  • Session cookies — keep you logged in during your visit
  • Security cookies — protect against cross-site request forgery
  • Payment cookies — set by Stripe to process payments securely

Analytics Cookies

These help us understand how members use the platform so we can improve it. All data is anonymised.

  • Google Analytics — page views, session duration, device type

Preference Cookies

  • Theme and display preferences — remembering your settings

3. Managing Cookies

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling essential cookies may affect platform functionality. To manage cookies in your browser:

  • Chrome — Settings → Privacy and Security → Cookies
  • Safari — Settings → Safari → Privacy & Security
  • Firefox — Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies

You can also opt out of Google Analytics at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

4. Third Party Cookies

Some cookies are set by third party services we use — including Stripe (payments) and Circle.so (community platform). These are governed by their own privacy policies.

5. Updates

We will update this policy as our use of cookies changes. The date at the top of this page shows when it was last revised.

6. Contact

Questions about cookies? Email hello@theloungeuk.org.

Help

Frequently Asked Questions

Updated regularly

Membership

What is The Lounge?

The Lounge is the UK's first professional platform built exclusively for Early Years practitioners. It brings together community, wellbeing support, financial protection and a practical toolkit — all in one place. Think of it as the online staff room the whole profession never had.

Who is The Lounge for?

Anyone working in Early Years — nursery practitioners, room leaders, childminders, nursery nurses, Montessori teachers, Forest School practitioners, SENCO leads, nursery managers and administrators. Level 3 to Masters, all genders, all settings.

What is the Founding Member rate?

The first 200 members can join at £5/month — locked for life. This rate will never be offered again once the founding spots are filled. If you cancel a Founding Membership and rejoin later, the Founding Rate will not be available again.

How do I join?

Click "Join" on the homepage and select your membership tier. Payment is by monthly direct debit via Stripe — secure, simple and cancel anytime.

Can I cancel anytime?

Yes. Email hello@theloungeuk.org to cancel. Cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing month.

Is there a free trial?

The "Sign In Here" community space is free and open to all. For nurseries, we offer a 30-day free trial for the Nursery Wellbeing Package — contact us to arrange.

The Platform

What community spaces are included?

Eight spaces: Sign In Here (open to all), The Staff Room, The Wellbeing Corner, The Safety Net, Know Your Rights, The Resource Shelf, Staffroom Wins and The Manager's Table.

How does the Report Writing Toolkit work?

The Practical Toolkit includes templates and frameworks for writing parent updates on Tapestry, Famly, Blossom and other nursery apps — plus observation frameworks, two-year check packs and parent communication scripts. It is practitioner-developed and designed to save hours of paperwork every week. It works alongside your own professional knowledge, not instead of it.

Is the platform moderated?

Yes. The Lounge team moderates all community spaces. The Wellbeing Corner has additional moderation given the sensitivity of conversations there. Our Acceptable Use & Behaviour Policy sets out what is and isn't permitted.

What is the Manager's Table?

A separate, verified space for nursery managers and leaders — away from the main team spaces. Peer support, Ofsted discussions and leadership conversations, with the privacy that managers need.

The Welcome LoungeBox

What is in the Welcome LoungeBox?

Every new member receives a physical welcome pack including a soy candle, loose leaf tea selection, a printed Your Rights guide, The Lounge notebook and a personal note from Ruvini. Posted to your door in your first month.

How long does delivery take?

Welcome LoungeBoxes are dispatched within 5 working days of membership confirmation. UK delivery only at this time.

For Nurseries

Can a nursery pay for its whole team?

Yes — this is the Nursery Wellbeing Package. One flat monthly direct debit covers your whole team, with individual membership accounts for each staff member. Visit our For Nurseries page for details and pricing.

Is the membership still personal if the nursery pays?

Yes. Each team member has their own individual account. If a practitioner leaves the setting, they keep their membership (the nursery simply removes them from the package billing).

Technical

Can I add The Lounge to my phone's home screen?

iPhone: Open theloungeuk.org in Safari → tap the Share button → Add to Home Screen.
Android: Open in Chrome → tap the three dots → Add to Home Screen.

I have a question that's not answered here.

Email us at hello@theloungeuk.org — we respond within 24 hours.

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