Is the childminder right to charge me this way?

I think it could be a 'start as you mean to go on thing'. I bet the OP will try very hard not to be late again. If the childminder had a more relaxed approach....6 minutes creeps to 10 and then 15, a one off becomes once a month and then once a fortnight and then once a week.

She was within her rights to charge you for being late but it does seem harsh.

The early pick up is neither here nor there. You pay for the hours you contracted to pay for and if you want to pay for one hour less you must ask for a change to your contract. It is completely separate and can't be 'traded off' against lateness. I doubt it would go down well if you suggest this.

Otherwise where will it end from CM POV.
There will be tit for tat arguing 'I was 10mins early to pick up on Monday' 'well you were 20 mins late to pick up on Tues'

The hope is that you develop a good relationship where she will let you off 5mins occasional lateness with good reason as long as she knows it won't become a regular habit.

(Other settings would charge just the same or more BTW. My son's CM used to let me off occasional lateness but my daughters afterschool club charged me a huge fine for literally a one off 5 mins lateness in 3 years)

I suppose that, as far as the childminder is concerned, she has no way of knowing that the six minutes late was a 'one off'.

Maybe she has had bad experiences in the past with parents who start out punctual but then start turning up late just occasionally, and it just built up to real piss-taking - and she has decided better to crack down first time than to get taken advantage of again?

Or she's seen that happen to other childminders she knows - I have certainly read anecdotes about it on here, so it does happen.

Or were you late on a day when you used the whole day?

I think a bit of discretion on her behalf would have been appropriate. Don't really get purposeful aggravating of clients. As for not paying the hour, well you can ask can't you and if you're paying by the hour she should take it off.

If she charged me for a one-off 6 minutes late then the trust would be gone.

I am self employed and charge by the hour. I would not add an hour in for a project that ran 6 minutes over.

Can I get this straight? You pay for the last hour but you don't use it. Yet you were also charged half an hour for six minutes of an hour you had paid for anyway?

You need to pay what is in the contract.

If she specifies a late fee then you have to pay it. If she wants to be paid for the full day even when you pick-up early then you need to pay that. A childminder runs their own business so you either do want they want or you don't use their service.

Many childminders will have a late fee. Although charging for a one-off 6 minutes late does seem a bit harsh.

If you want to pay reduced fees then she is perfectly allowed to ditch you and find a child who will attend the full hours.

You are taking a full time place so it is reasonable to charge you for a full time place.

Re late fees, it should be in your contract.

I think she should have used her discretion here and not charged you for the extra few minutes as it was not typical of you. (I totally undersad how annoying it must be though as her day was done)

So I would certainly ask for a reduction for the days you pick your little one up early.

It was mean of her.

If you don't pay her for that last hour, she won't be able to replace that hour's lost wages - presumably the hours are in your contract with her, so she is expecting a certain income.

If you turn up late, are you expecting her to look after your child for free? Are the late pick-up penalties in the contract?

You could try to negotiate with her - ask if she could balance the hour that you pick,up early with the occasional late pick up - though having never used a childminder myself, I don't know if that is possible or if she would welcome it.

Remember, late pick-ups cut into her personal time - I don't think anyone likes having to do extra work for free.