Danish-born Malene Stanley has used her experience as a mum of two to launch a new website aimed at providing a range of tshirts, dresses, trousers and tops for boys and girls.

Kids Should Be Kids (www.kidsshouldbekids.co.uk), which has been supported by Business Link West Midlands, has been set up to make it simple to purchase online; making life easier for busy parents.

More importantly the company is based on the fundamental view that kids should be dressed as kids and not as mini adults. The website has already recorded over 1,000 hits, with customers keen to purchase the trendy clothes.

Ms Stanley said: "We have a tendency in the UK to dress kids like mini-adults and this is something we wanted to put right.

"When I used to go back to Denmark, I made a beeline for the shops and brought lots of different outfits for my two girls.

"When we got back to England, I found that lots of parents were asking me where I had got the clothes from and whether I would bring some back for them the next time I was out there. This got me thinking and the next thing you know I'm starting my own business."

Spurred on by the initial interest, she sourced a number of licensing agreements with Scandinavian products and began to look at ways of designing a purpose built e-commerce website that would act as a single point of contact for the business.

At this stage, the Redditchbased entrepreneur tapped into support from Business Link West Midlands, which provided advice and expertise on business planning, financial forecasts and marketing.

"It is always a big challenge and a certain leap of faith to start your own business, especially when you've got children to take care of," said Ms Stanley

"However, I received the right help exactly when I needed it and knew that there was a definite demand for what I was offering. Once the business is firmly established, I will get the chance to spend more time with my two girls, which is really important."

The business specialise in providing a range of clothes for babies and young children through to ten years-old.

At any one time, the site aims to showcase over 50 different products, with secure orders placed online arriving within three days of payment being made. There are also plans to expand the service to include jackets and coats and a small selection of clothes for mothers.

"I'm a big fan of flexible working and this is something that the UK is sadly lacking in. As and when the company expands I would like to provide employment for mums and dads, who can plan their hours around looking after their children," said Ms Stanley.

Richard Stannard, adviser at Business Link West Midlands, said: "We are gradually seeing more and more female entrepreneurs seize the moment and use their skills to start their own businesses."

Business Link West Midlands hopes to help over 70,000 businesses and individuals thinking of starting a company with information, with a further 16,000 receiving intensive support from experienced business advisers by 2010.

It is claimed this level of support will generate a £400 million improvement to the economic performance of the West Midlands.

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