late to collect, so I didn't wait!

My late fees are £1 per minute. If the parent isn't there after 30 minutes then I call the other contacts to come get the child. If they can't I call social services

This did solve my late parent, who also used to take up to 30 minutes at handover to get out of my house.

The hard bit is standing firm, the parent in question was furious I'd called her mum to get the kids especially when she was Presented with a £63 bill. She was told if I had to go to those extremes again I'd solve the problem by giving notice.

Harsh yes, but as much as I love the children on my care, I love my child more and when my job impacts negatively on her something has to change.

so £30 per hour late, i can understand why some busy working parents may take advantage of that - in the long run £30 isnt much

i would up your late fees

My DS went to a nursery. If a parent hadn't picked up after 40 minutes at the end of the day, their policy was to phone 2nd or 3rd contacts, grandma, dad etc then phone social services. Would she rather deal with social services instead?

Why should you fine her? She'll see it as a way of her paying for additional childcare from you to fit in with her crap time management.

I know that you love having the child but this woman is taking advantage. I'd seriously be looking at giving the mother notice if this continues. You'll be able to make a place for another child who fits in well, but who also has a parent with decent time keeping.

I do think you were (a bit) unreasonable actually - but not as much as her.

For some working families though financial penalties will never work, as they can be cash rich, time poor. If your fine of £10 or £20 means they can finish the work they needed to, or grab 30 mins to themselves, then they're happy to pay.

From your POV (I imagine) it's not about the money either, it's about the impact her lateness has on the rest of your life.

I think it would be entirely reasonable to have a three strikes and you're out rule. That's what we do at the out of school care that I run. Penalties cover costs (2 staff member's wages) for the over-run time but be late 3 times and you don't come back!

God, how annoying. I'm so lucky that my parents never do this. On the rare occasion they are a bit late it's only a few minutes and they are very apologetic.

I would at least double that fine and, yes, write it into your policy that the child might have to go with you to wherever you need to be. Was the parent contactable at all within the time she was late?

5 pounds is very little. I would happily pay that for the flexibility of turning up whenever, but I would not do it, out of respect. In her mind, she pays you the fine and that makes it all ok. Total disrespect so you will have to be firmer for her to understand.

Like minderjinx, I have in my policies that parents might have to pick their child up from somewhere else if they're late. I've once had children picked up from my daughters swimming lesson (after repeatedly missing it) and once missed a training course, which I had to pay for.

I've done the same - taken a minded child along when parents were late for the umpteenth time and the alternative would have been for my DS to miss (again) a club that I had paid for and which he enjoyed. My policies now say that if a parent is late without prior agreement they may need to wait or pick up from a place of my choice, and they will be charged £5 per 15 minutes. I also found that the parents in question would happily pay extra charges rather than get themselves organised, and did not worry about the effect on my family, but when they were kept hanging around instead of me, things changed quite dramatically.

I had a similar issue with one particular parent. She earns really good money so I knew that unless my fines were steep, she would just keep paying and being late. I instigated a £15 per 15 minute block fine - so 8 mins late = £15, 20 mins late = £30. She has been charged it 3 times, over the last few months, but it has improved the situation. None of my other families have incurred late fees, although they are all aware of what they are.

How much are your fines?

And yes selfish if often late. She obv cba and doesn't care that it makes you miss stuff :(

I kinda feel you ain't helping yourself by this wet attitude

the parents don't care about YOUR time, okay fair enough but you should care about your time

didn't you cover this in your level three/CACHE-type course, about work impacting negatively on your family and how to manage out difficult clients?

you might well adore the child but THINK woman - your resentment towards the parent/s (natural) could leak out in your body language and affect the child's self esteem/development blah blah (writes essay on the skills needed to balance work and family life)

If she works locally I'd drop the child off at her work if she's not back on time.

If she wants to be fined then I'd increase the fine to something that changes her behaviour. £10 per minute late? Otherwise she's just using the opportunity for extended child care. Or does she have a DP you can contact to request pick up every time she's late?

I think you might have been a bit unreasonable taking her kid somewhere else with you though. I'd be a bit worried if it was my child.

My DDs both CM and this happens regularly, they also have parents who take forever to pay bills. I am always saying give them notice but as my dds say there is always the chance that if this child leaves it could be a long time before new child takes their place at least if they stick with these children they know they are going to have some money even if they don't always know when.
I feel parents don't seem to realise that this is a business and this is their income and they have bills to pay to.

Well maybe she should book her childcare timings to reflect that

Who's to say the mum is selfish? Maybe she has a hellish journey to get back from work...

Cross posts colditz :)

How much do cm charge for late pick ups?

£5 extra ph hour or per charge per minute

I think maybe this parent needs more childcare hours than you can provide. It honestly sounds as though she'd be happier with some form of live-in nanny. I think that a childminder isn't right for her. Maybe that's the angle you could take when you give her notice.

Why is she often late? Does she miss her train?

I would start fining £2per min for her so if 40mins late a charge of £80

It takes the piss being late all the time and personally think it also shows how little she respects you or your family

The odd occasion - it happens but seems to happen a lot with her

And yes you did norhing wrong. You finish time is that - why should you miss out on something in your time just coz the mum is selfish and late