Do all childminders charge for hols?

So if her daily rate was higher but didn't charge for the 4 weeks hol and it worked out the same over the year would you pay that?

I think this is a big issue for you and will continue to irritate you so unless you can negotiate something with cm it's not really going to be a lasting childminding arrangement.

I'm a bit suprised that there haven't been more posts from cms charging for their hols as I'm sure on previous threads there were plenty that charged. It seemed to depend on which area you are in. I personally don't charge for holidays but, as said before, cms are self employed and can choose their t and c's to suit there business. I guess it's a good job you read your contract before deciding whether to sign it or not.

all the one I contacted did and I agree with them.

I think that you are either an employee or you are not. You can not chop and change and take bits of being an employee that you like (i.e. paid holiday) and the bits of being self eployed that you like (i.e. setting your own schedule and choosing where to go and what to feed the kids -- if youprovide food). It seems to me that if I take you on as an employee that makes you a nanny and then I can tell you how to spend your day. You will take my child to the tennis lesson I choose, you will dress her how I say, oh and last but not least you will come to my house to get them dressed and fed for the day.

Take your pick, employee or self employed. But do not combined the benefits of each to suit you and not me.

Well said Lennygirl

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Oh, another thing Sheepgirl, you mentioned signing up to the contract and then giving your notice and leaving before AUgust hols come round. You should look at the contractual notice period for the hols. Can she take the hold wherenever she wants or is she contractually tied to August? You should guard yourself again her deciding in February that she is going to take 2 weeks off (paid) with only 2 weeks notice).

Tori, let me get this staight... you would spend money on a holiday that you needed to run your childminding business and then you would the children oay for it by feeding them cheap crap food and keeping them from going to their usual activities? Now THAT is a very unprofessional attitude and you should be ashamed for even thinking it.

It is your job to manage the finances of your childminding business. Not the parents.

You should raise your rates and take on another child and you could fund your own holiday.

FFS, letting the children suffer for your holiday?!?! I've heard it all now.

sheepgirl; might of come into this a bit late, but just to say. i charge for bh (full fee.) i dont charge for my holiday or sickness, but i do charge for parents holiday or if child off sick. i think getting paid for bank holidays is standard practice, but getting paid for your holiday is a tricky one. some parents ive worked for begrudge paying me at all ! ( not that im no good or anything

mum2luke, the thing is though, that that is the thing about being self employed - MOST (although not all!) people who are self employed don't get paid for hols & bank hols. That's how being self-employed works, unfortunetly.

(I'm SE - not a cm)

mum2luke I think that is what is getting people annoyed - the fact that CMs DO charge for their holidays

Maureen, yes I do enjoy the job, I am certainly not in it for the money!!LOL Although I do look forward to the day I can get my scrub suit back on. It was never my intention to do it forever, as that would be a waste of three years of blood, sweat and tears doing nurse training for nothing.

I charge for parents' hols as they are taking a place when I'm available to work and I do not think this is unreasonable but this is our wage. I don't charge for BHs as I usually have the day off but if they want it and I can be available at say £4.50.

I mean we go through (unpaid) hours of training in our own time, most of us cms are NVQ Level 3/NNEB/BTEC Nat Diploma/ICP/DCP/CCP qualified and are experienced having done it for years.

I am sick to death of people moaning about the rates we charge, we get less than minimum wage and we don't get paid if we are sick or have hols.

I really feel 4 u molly, she may well be a good cm but its obvious 2 me that she needs to improve in laying out the important things in the contracts like paid time off etc and she should defo requested that u sat and read through the contract throughly before you sighned anything even if that meant taking it home and returning it the next day as this is what i do when taking on anyone new, i think its only fair so you all no where u stand....

Tori - do you actually like your job! You sound utterly miserable about being a CM!

honestly chldminding is a tough Job, and there is no denying that!
just that childcare in general is a issue...like my dh earns , just, over 30k so, if I was to work I would have to earn a good wage, espeically if it wan't ust a school year job...it's a pain in teh neck...tbh, I owuld love to study, but don't tink there will be any funding , cos of dh's wage...but tis not fair..because we are a 5 headed family...so 30k isn't that juch, after morgage etc...sigh...

I agree 3andmore, most CM's do ask you to bring everything. So I am just saying that we are not all greedy gits!!

I agree , it was stupid of me but in my defence i was ignorant of how childminders worked/ what they charged etc . I didn;t read the contract until after i had signed it (about a week later.. v bad of me)and i started with her in the january so August and the following xmas was a long way away. She took her first Occasional day off in the April at easter time and by then (when I fully twigged what i had agreed to), my daughter was v settled and v happy. She was/is a very experienced CM and I think she saw me coming!! Like i said though she was a good CM and it's a shame i can't use her for child number two but there is no way i'd agree a contract like that again.I am sure she is not the only good CM out there.

also. if cm doesn't work bh...but expect you to do full pay and you and possibly dh/oh are also bh workers...tehn you pay probably more then double the usual fee....

honestly in any Job under 30K the state should bloody pay all childcare occuring...if tehy really want people to go back to work...

If your cm told u that she doesnt work bank holidays or christmas and has the whole of august off, i cant understand why you would sign yourself to her anyway! 2 ask anyone to find alternative childcare 4 a 2 week holiday is bad enough but for a whole month is madness i would never of agreed to that in first place....shock

tori, I would think most cm's do expect you to bring all that..btw...