Dh signed CM contract for extortionate fee- can we back out?

Nightmare

Childcare issues are beyond stressful

Do you have a neighbour with a student on gap year or anything you could use for a few weeks or family?

Have you tried a nannpy agency? There are people who will do after school and wrap around only. We found a nanny share where the main family had a pre schooler and one at the school so we tagged on to the wrap around bit.

@IntentsAndPorpoises finding a nanny who only wants to work 3 hours a day will be tricky though

Am the cms and nab he’s round here charge the same as nursery £12 ph.

OP if you’ve been looking for a nanny, but just haven’t found any one yet, you should know that it will cost you a lot more than £50.

Some of these posts are

'They're a business and they really don't care that you're seeing so little of your own earnings. It sucks but that's how it is.' especially made me feel sad.

Childminders are self employed, they do run a business and they deserve a decent salary just as much as anyone. It's very hard work. These businesses and services are what enable many working parents to go out to work, and they deserve respect for what they do.

Good childcare is worth its weight in gold.

When I first became a childminder I was advised to charge a set fee before and afterschool or you get parents wanting to drop at 8.30 or collecting at 3.30 am expecting to pay for 15 mins but in reality after you’ve got coats/shoes/buggy’s sorted just to go on a school run in the wind and ran. It takes at least 15 to get everyone to school and 15 mins to get home again then that’s 30 mins before they’ve even spend any time at your house.

I did realise though that charging parents until 6pm is unrealistic so now charge for a minimum of 1.5 hours until 4.30pm and a minimum of 1 hour in the morning from 8am until 9am. Although doors at the school open at 8.45am and close at 8.55am if it wasn’t for taking the minded children to school I wouldn’t have needed to leave the house so that’s why I charge until 9am and from 3pm

This all sounds really stressful OP.

I will say that it does sound like this should hopefully be a short term crisis. You can get on the waiting list for wraparound care and with other childminders. A week to sort out reliable, well priced childcare was always going to be a huge ask. You might pay over the odds at first but hopefully in time you'll be able to find a much better alternative.

Is there any way that one of you could get there for 5 rather than 5.15 to save £10/day? Maybe start and finish 15 mins earlier if you can drop off at 7.30 for the same money. Or drop off at 8 rather than 7.45?

Could you start lobbying with other parents for the school to provide wraparound? Ime school provision is much cheaper.

Agree that high flat fees for wraparound are common for childminders and you do just have to suck it up. They're a business and they really don't care that you're seeing so little of your own earnings. It sucks but that's how it is.

No you don’t need both parents signature. Technically, the contract is between OPs DH and the childminder as he is the one who has engaged her services and signed the contract. In reality it’s between both parents and the childminder but you don’t need to both sign it. You can. But you don’t need to. Lots of single parents purchase childcare without their ex’s permission.

No, doesn't need both signatures.

Wouldn’t cm need both signatures on contract. Yours and his

So £50 a day - £20 is before school care £10 each child

So £30 - £15per child each after school

Assume both under 8 so she needs to charge full 3 hrs 3/315-6
As both taking a 5-8 yr space so it is £5 ph

Or that’s my working out

I hope she does OP. It won’t be pleasant for anyone involved if she refuses and you’ve no choice but to send your DC to her. Awkward!!

She doesn't discount me when she doesn't have them,

No, because you’ve booked the space. If you choose not to use it that’s your choice, you still have to pay as she’s held it open for you.

or if she texts and says 'what time are you collecting tonight only i am going out and need to be off as early as possible'

Is she asking you to collect them before 6? If so then yes she needs to refund you and actually in your shoes you need to address that with her and tell her you aren’t happy with not being provided with the full time slot you’ve booked.

A little bit of give and take is required. It was ONE occasion in a whole year.

On all of the new CMer threads I’ve seen on MN posters are always advised to charge the late fee the very first time a parent is late so they know from the off it will be charged. Too many CMers let them off the first few times because there is always a “valid” reason and then the parents start taking the piss and they don’t feel they can start charging as they didn’t do it from the start. Start as you mean to go on is a motto for a reason.

Yes I know it's her living. As I said, I was essentially saying they don't tailor things to you, they make flat charge rates for it all so either pay it or find someone cheaper but it's what they all do around here.

That is a cheek. She doesn't discount me when she doesn't have them, or if she texts and says 'what time are you collecting tonight only i am going out and need to be off as early as possible'. A little bit of give and take is required. It was ONE occasion in a whole year.

As for the morning, I didn't expect it for free. I was pointing out that in my experience it's always a flat fee.

she has the bloody cheek to try and charge a late fee in the one occasion we were late in a year because of weather (15 mins)

Oh come on!! That’s not a cheek. That’s standard bloody practice and it will have been in the contract that you signed! What did you think a late fee was for?

so wasn't going out of her way picked them up at 8.35 and drove them the 2 miles to school. Flat morning fee charged.

Do you ask the bus driver to waive your fee because he’s going that way anyway? If you use a service you pay for it. Why do you expect favours from someone trying to run a business? This is How she makes her living, she doesn’t wake up in the morning hoping someone asks her to take their kids to school, it’s her income! Of course she charges for what she does.

Well just because school finishes at 3.15 doesn't mean she only charges you from 3.15, she has to get to school.

In my experience CM's are good at making things more expensive than they need be but everyone pays it as they have to have childcare and all CM's do the same

Ours charges a flat fee for after school. My kids finish school at 3.30. She is open until 6. They are never there at 6 more often than not picked up before 5.30 often she doesn't have them at all (on average once per week) as DH works shifts so if he is home he has them. We still pay her the full amount and she has the bloody cheek to try and charge a late fee in the one occasion we were late in a year because of weather (15 mins)

Earlier in the year I couldn't drive (operation) and needed her to take the kids to school on two occasions in the morning. She lives round the corner, so wasn't going out of her way picked them up at 8.35 and drove them the 2 miles to school. Flat morning fee charged.

I don't really object to paying when they aren't there, it's a place like nursery.

Didn't mean to hijack but in my experience you either suck it up or find someone else cheaper but paying part hours for wrapmaround care doesn't happen - they charge for 3 hours even if you only use 45 minutes as it's a flat fee.

They all work like that around here. Quote hourly rates eg £4 per hour but the min charge for after school is 3 full hours. If you don't use it, up to you but they cannot sell those other hours