Paying childminder whilst child in preschool

Maybe you can ask for a refund while the child is asleep, as the childminder won't be doing anything then either.

Taking into account travelling times, you expect her to hang around and be available to be there for your child, when you can't be, but you will "paying her for doing nothing" is she going to cover the holidays? Why can't you wait for funding if its such an issue.

Oh and do you get paid for your holidays and bank holidays, many childminders don't (I know some do) do you see it as being paid for doing nothing, or part of your contract with your employer?

I take three children out and back to take one child to pre-school. It's a chore I could frankly do without, but it's what the parent wants. The other parents are content with the arrangement as they will probably want a similar service in a year or two. But I would be horrified to think that the parents of the first child considered they were paying me money for nothing. As others have said, it is their choice to send their child to pre-school. It is extra effort (and petrol) for me to take them there and back, and places constraints on what else I can do and when. Meanwhile I am still working, albeit with one less child, and as Shesariver also rightly points out, some of that marginally less busy time is spent preparing either food or activities or both for that one child's return.

This attitude makes me furious, money for nothing indeed...whats so hard to understand that the child is taking up a place and you are paying for the place, even if the child goes to nursery for 2 hours or whatever, the cm wouldn't be able to take on any other child just for those few hours.

OP, I couldn't get my head around this at first either - I don't even get paid lunch breaks but my childcarer gets paid 10 hours a week with no children to look after, but it is the norm to pay your childcarer (be it nanny or childminder) while your child is in some other setting, mostly because of the very reasonable reasons people have posted on here. If my dcs were to be ill during the school/nursery day it would take me an hour to get to them, our childminder is only 15 minutes away so it does mean I can ask her to collect them if need be. Plus ours usually uses the time to prepare an evening meal for the children so I'd say she was really still working for us.

Maybe you should also ask her to knock an hour off while your child naps, as she's not doing anything then either?

It's not money for doing nothing! Really infuriates me when parents say this!
Not only is she taking the time to drop off and collect your child and provide cover for when he or she is not at preschool, she will be doing extra work trying to liase with the preschool to keep learning journeys, planning etc up to date.

You don't have to send your child to preschool. If you do decide to use one, you are taking up two places; one with them and one with your childminder. Why should she have to subsidise your choice?

There is a different ratio for babies (under 1) and pre-schoolers here (I'm in Scotland). Don't know that it makes much difference to the issue though.

What an extraordinary question. I don't use a CM (DD is almost 12), but, the CM can't just have a child for the hours that suit you can she?

Is the pre-school telling you that you need to start now or lose your place?

Why send them if you pay for.both??

I'm a cm and charge while mindees are at preschool, I would collect/keep if it was shut but I wouldn't collect if they were ill/injured as I have the same exclusion periods as the school.

I had to pay the childminder for the nursery hours when my D's was there. This was because she was the one on call for him during those sessions. So a couple of times nursery had to be closed due to circumstances beyond their control and she had him for the session hours where as had she filled the place, he would have had nowhere to go.

I assuming op's child is under 3 - hence no funding - so why send them to pre school if at a cm

Wait till your child is 3 op

And yes afaik all cm charge while the child is at pre school as they and fill the space for 2/3hrs so they would be out of pocket

well messedup - that's how it it, it's not the cms fault you are sending your dc to preschool during your contracted hours. It adds up for you, but it adds up for her too, she has bills to pay and that is the monet she expects to earn each month.

and for 13Iggis, it would be preventing a younger child from taking the space. our ratio remain the same until a child is rising 5 and in full time education.
What is the liklehood of ops cm being able to find a parent who wants only 2-4 hours of care at the exact time op's dc is in preschool? And what happens if said dc has an accident and needs collecting? cm is then over her numbers!!

Why do you want to pay for a preschool place - why not just use the cm until you get the funded hours?

People forget that pre schools follow the same curriculum as CMs.

Sorry ... my last post was in reply to 13Iggis

Personally i would (and did) wait until they are funded before starting preschool. No need to start preschool before 3 IMO.

No ... for CMs it's up to age 5. Not the same ratios as nurseries.

Presumably you would expect the CM to pick up your child were they sent home from pre-school sick, or indeed to have them if pre-school were closed? The CM is still effectively in loco parentis for those hours, so needs paying. Pre and post school may well be different, as the CM can fill the middle hours with pre schoolers, but you may still have to pay some retainer for the school hours if you would expect the CM to pick them up if they were sent home sick, or on an inset day, for example.

I paid my CM when my DC were at preschool - if they had been ill the CM would have picked them up.

Standard practice.

If it's too pricey, don't send him/her to pre-school. A childminder will provide the same learning opportunities as a pre-school and should take your child to playgroups etc where they can mix with other children.

From 3 you will get funding for a pre-school/nursery place.