Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Original poster

Minding teachers' children and holiday payments

32 replies

banjaxed · 11/07/2011 22:44

I am interested to know what childminders generally do about payment contracts for minding children of teachers who don't require childminding during the holidays.

We have had a varied experience. Our first CM did not charge us for the holidays at all (a friend of the family), the second was half fees for short holidays but not for the summer holiday, the third was half fees for all holidays and our new CM (yes, we haven't had good luck with our CMs, no, it's nothing to do with our kids) is planning on charging us full fees all year round. This leaves us in the ridiculous situation of paying a lot more for CM during the holidays when dd is not at school (and so is technically needing minded for a full day) and also NOT AT THE CM!!! I understand that CMs need to secure their income, but I can't help feeling we have been got by the short and curlies.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Tas1 · 13/07/2011 07:56

All my families are Teachers.
I add up all the term days (full pay) and all the holiday days (half pay), add them together and divide by 12. That way I get paid the same amount each month whether I'm working or not.
They all pay half fees in the holidays as I am available to work but they chose not to use me.

Original poster
banjaxed · 12/07/2011 23:16

Yep, Dozer. We are stuck. C'est la vie. Sigh.

OP posts:
Dozer · 12/07/2011 22:04

Guess it's up to her, and up to you whether you accept it. Are there other CM's locally who offer terms you'd prefer? If not, you may be stuck.

Original poster
banjaxed · 12/07/2011 13:12

This cm is 50p an hour more than our last one, and only charges for full hours too, so this is kind of adding to my grief since I need her for 9hrs 15mins and get charged for 10 for my youngest dd. I was hoping that now my eldest is in school we could start saving some childcare money but we will be losing it at this rate, just at a time when we really can't afford to.

OP posts:
RosieGirl · 12/07/2011 08:06

I recently charged 50% for school holidays for a teacher, as the children were under 5 and counted within my early years group and I couldn't fill their space during the holidays.

I have lost business recently because I wouldn't enter into a term time only contract with a teacher in a private school. She had a 1 year old and they have 17/18 weeks holiday a year, I just couldn't justify it. I could do with the business from Sept but would rather wait a little than feel cross when I turn away someone who would take the space over the whole year.

Danthe4th · 12/07/2011 01:15

Banjaxed how much is she per hour, I only ask as I used to charge a slightly higher rate for a term time only contract and it didn't work out much different to a full time contract at a cheaper rate. Perhaps you could suggest paying a slightly higher rate and then suggest she advertises a holiday place as she could be better off.

Mousey84 · 11/07/2011 23:03

Well, I had one family where the mum was a teacher, and said if I could fill the spaces there would be no fee to her, but no access to childcare, but if I couldnt fill it, it would be half fee retainer (only for hours Id have them after school anyway) or full fee if I actually took them.

If you have to pay, then Id expect you can send them any day you want - you have paid for the space.

Swipe left for the next trending thread