Argh! Late parents!

Most CMs charge a fine for every 15mins late to avoid this.

I suppose the only excuse is they are driving so can’t use their phone, but it is very annoying. Hope they arrive soon.

Used to childmind - feel your pain - charging by the half hour/fining is your friend and if they're still cf let them know this could mean they end up without a minder.

Not easy to find good ones so that should focus their attention.

Just fine them - not acceptable

I seriously wonder if the majority of today's younger adults have been raised with no bloody manners!

Answer invites, turn up on time to pre-arranged events and if you can't APOLOGISE.

But I bet they're younger than me - 46

I would still charge. Late fees now are £1 a minute after 6.

How can she charge a late fee when there's no contract? There is no agreement that late charges are payable, and she has no way of applying sanctions in order to enforce it.

For that matter, there are no contracted drop off and pick up times, so it’s impossible from a legal/contractual point of view to even say they were late.

You don't have to have a written contract its easier and best practice but not a must. You say to family our agreed time was x can you meet this or not ...assuming your happy to extend hours offer longer for more money then add but if your later than that I'm charging y...add together all additional hours worked and say Ive done this much extra hours which I will charge at my hourly rate so you now owe £.
In future always have a contract. Charge a late collection fee that makes them decide its better to be on time than shop on the way home.

Jannier, as a general point I agree absolutely. But the OP doesn’t seem to have had any such arrangement in place prior to the 'poo/fan interface event'. I fear it may be too late to do much beyond accepting this is part of the learning curve.

The OP was stiffed because she had nothing in place to deter the parents from stiffing her, and some people just see that as an open invitation.

The lesson for the future is: never start any arrangement, no matter how temporary, without a clear written contract, full payment in advance, and a large enough deposit to cover any additional charges they might incur.