Not to think that childminders are underpaid?

[miniwedge]

Last childminder charged £4.50 per hour, she had three over eights full time, ie retainer for school hours, after and before school care, full hours in school holidays. Plus three pre schoolers at the same rate.
My average monthly term time bill was £400, holidays was ave three times that.
So as a self-employed person she was actually doing pretty well for herself.

Surely childminding is like any other profession? Its regulated and you have to pay for exams, just like say a gas fitter, you have to have the right equipment, just like a mobile mechanic say, you have to make sure you pitch for enough work to cover your financial needs, just like a mobile hairdresser?

So, am I being unreasonable to think that it is just the same as any other self employed profession in that if you have enough work you can do well, if you don't it leads to a lean time but the basic underlying wage is not the issue.

I am fully prepared for my first mums net flaming and have my new name ready if necessary. ;-)

Disclaimer; I have no issue with a childminder earning well, I am not posting to be inflammatory but I am interested to see if it's a point of view that anyone else has considered.

[charliesmommy]

sounds like a bloody good earner to me..

[hairyfairylights]

No idea as you can't assume what she actually takes home without factoring overheads and other expenses.

[NinkyNonker]

I think people might just mean that £4.50 to have your child looked after isn't bad.

[flyingvisit]

I dont think they are underpaid. Mine gets £7 for me droppping ds off at 8.20 for her to walk him to the school bus stop. The bus leaves at 8.45. For a full day it is £40.
My usual service is 3 afternoons a week. So she will pick ds up at 4 pm from the bustop and often I am in to get him by 5. The latest 6pm. Up to 2 hrs, never the full 2 hrs for £12. Sometimes I get off work early and even get him from the stop.

[noodle69]

I dont know any childminders that charge over £3 an hour and I work in childcare so it sounds likeyou were with a very expensive one.

[MumNWLondon]

SOunds reasonable, can have 3 children at a time £4.50 for each at time.

I don't think any one adult can look after 6 children at a time, (as implied by post 3 preschool and 3 older) and any parent paying £4.50 per hour for 1/6 of a persons attention is a bit mad.

[miniwedge]

True, overheads are low though, at least in her case as food was charged extra for, although she would have had specific insurance for car etc I think childminders can claim back some expenses for equipment? Not sure if that's correct or not.

We were also charged petrol if clubs were involved but I would guess that any business person would work out costs before hand and then pitch for an amount of clients to cover expenses and provide a living wage on top of that.

[miniwedge]

We are in the southeast noodle, those charges are the norm in the area I live and work in.

[Chloe55]

I used to charge £3.20 - only ever had a max of 2 under 5's as your own children are also classed as one of your allowed 3. I personally wouldn't have considered anymore as 3 are enough to control although I do know that you can have more providing they are over 5. So, on that note I earnt £6.20 an hour (when full). I think the pay is fair considering the parents need to earn enough to cover childcare costs and still make it worth their while or I would have been out of a job completely.

[valiumredhead]

Maybe people who think the childminders earn a good wage should try doing their job for a week and see if they feel the same at the end of it

[noodle69]

Here (and where I live is down South) it is standard to pay £3 an hour to childminders and for that you get all food, nappies, sun tan cream, petrol etc. I do think you were being a bit ripped off.

[Chloe55]

£6.40 obviously

[onceamai]

27 an hour for the time when she has 6 children to care/cook for - well I wouldn't do it. Never used a childminder but I don't think I would have gone to one with that many children either.

[miniwedge]

The pre-schoolers were mostly 9-4 o clockers so perfectly possible.
Yes, I thought it was bit much as well for 6 kids during non school days hence the change.

[miniwedge]

Valium - so are other peoples jobs not just as taxing over a week then?

[flyingvisit]

7 children at £40 a day isnt bad

[flyingvisit]

Childminders up here are £5-36 per hour

[flyingvisit]

£6, not 36

[MargaretGraceBondfield]

Good for them, it's rubbish hours and often sacrifices decent time with their own dcs. You shouldn't think how much she earns but how much you value leaving your dcs in the hands of someone you trust, I think you got a bargain.

[flyingvisit]

How is it rubbish hours? Ours only does before and after school in term time. (before meaning no earlier tha 8)

[miniwedge]

I'm not complaining about her rates, clearly I wouldn't leave my child with someone I don't trust.
Lots of people work rubbish hours and sacrifice decent time with their kids to work to earn a living.

[valiumredhead]

Not at all Miniwedge,I just think people in the childcare profession earn every penny of their money when you think they are responsible for little people's lives/well being/general happiness etc etc.

[FeelingOld]

Miniwedge - Claim back expenses?? Where from?? We can take certain expenses off what we earn so we dont pay tax on that money but we have to pay for all equipment, food, petrol, insurances, toiletries, toddler groups, trips out etc.

I am a childminder and where i live you can only charge £3.00 per hour per child. I work 5 days a week and I make a decent living but if one of my mindees were to leave next week (which can happen with so many people losing their jobs or hours being cut) my pay would be drastically reduced and I would struggle as I am a lone parent so mine is the only coming into my house.

I spend a lot of money on food, toys, craft stuff, petrol etc and obviously have my heating and lighting on a lot at this time of year.

Like I said you can make a decent living from it but its never gonna make me rich.

[miniwedge]

Loads of people earn every penny of their wage.

[flyingvisit]

I have a friend who is a childminder and she claims everythimg, including a cleaner once a week (her day off).

She was a specialist nurse and has been try9ng to convince me to give up and do it as she gets paid more now than she did as a nurse.

she is very tax-wise though