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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Original poster

Why are we treated/paid as glorified babysitters or less?

83 replies

Kiddi · 24/11/2007 12:19

this is one that opens the age old question and I am sure It will upset many too.
It is an accepted fact that many parents who quite verbally want the best for their children? then find it acceptable to pay you late, or not at all, treat you with less respect than beautician, gym instructor, cleaner and pay you less!
I am not sure this is coming across right but I am sure their are many childminders who understand where I am coming from.
This is not just a rant I am actually trying to work out if it is a pay thing, a fact you work from home, or a qualification thing?
i am thinking of surveying my parents to see what level qualifications they have, and what 'status' job they have, and If they will tell me if they earn above or below, or well above minumum wage?
i am doing my studies at the mo, and just realising again that many parents often feel that a nursery is better quality care than minding, but more expensive. or that they do not realise that often a nursery may have many low level staff doing the childcare and the high level staff doing paperwork/business/managment etc.
Its just something I am curious about and I welcome any views, however extreme either way.

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Camillathechicken · 24/11/2007 18:16

erm, yes, i realise that

i use a childminder from time to time, and i know how much she does

i am trying to see if from both sides.

why parents might pay late, for example

am not saying that a CM does not deserve to be paid on time, and that the work is valueless, am trying to see it from the other side to the OP, that's all

smeeinachristmastreeinnit · 24/11/2007 18:15

cammila....."the flipside is, a lot of parents have to be in work, fulltime, and have no option but to have their children in childcare, but cash flow is still tight. so £5 per hour might be out of reach and paying on time all the time might also be out of reach."
childminding is work you know? and we all have to be in work full time too.

lennygirl · 24/11/2007 18:11

Message withdrawn

Camillathechicken · 24/11/2007 18:10

but if CMs in the area all charge £3 per hour, then that is what the market will sustain? if you are babysitting, you are paid per hour, if you are CM , you are paid per child.. so if you are fully booked, you are making more than £3 per hour

i think if parents are breaching the contract, ie paying late then you have to enforce it.

many, many parents are willing to pay correctly, on time and treat their child care givers with respect.

in fact , i don;t know anyone who pays their CM or nursery late. i have never done so.

the flipside is, a lot of parents have to be in work, fulltime, and have no option but to have their children in childcare, but cash flow is still tight. so £5 per hour might be out of reach and paying on time all the time might also be out of reach.

two sides to every coin i suppose.

motherinferior · 24/11/2007 18:04

Can I just say I am often slightly taken aback by childminders on MN who are willing to be messed around, though? Who don't charge holiday pay, and/or feel that being paid late is a 'fact of life'?

My childminder would have sacked me years ago if I didn't agree to her conditions.

ssd · 24/11/2007 18:04

couldn't agree with you more kiddi
I get £3 per child an hour, I tip more than that in a restaurant after a meal

too many parents want their child looked after for as little as poss, then expect you to be Mary Poppins

a lot kid themselves on I think, if I ever used a childminder myself I'd pay her at least £5 per child per hour

nannynick · 24/11/2007 17:57

It could be a pay thing. Though you are able to price your service at whatever you like, but you can of course price yourself out of the market. I remember being told by a London based agency, that no one would pay my rates... but parents DO pay my rates - so increasing fees can work (at least for me, as a babysitter).

I don't think parents are likely to complete your survey. However, you may be able to get a general feel for that kind of thing anyway - just by asking them where they work, plus checking out the latest house prices in their street.

With regard to nurseries, I met a family last weekend, who when we started chatting said they had been looking around nurseries for when their baby is 3-4 months old (their baby is currently 6 weeks old). They hadn't even considered other forms of childcare, except for granny (who will do a few days a week). So perhaps some of the problem is that some parents are not getting the information about the various forms of childcare available. Luckily they looked (on-line) for a babysitter, found me, and I have now been able to tell them all about childminders, plus give them contact details for a local childminder who lives in their street, plus CIS details. Will they still look at nurseries, probably... but with luck they will also visit some childminders, and then have something to compare against.

I would agree with skibump, some parents will pay more than what childminders charge. Though it is hard to compare pricing between different forms of childcare, as for example, a babysitter/nanny is paid on a per-family basis, whereas a childminder charges a per-child fee - as do nurseries, thus why perhaps nurseries and childminders are compared, whereas it is harder to compare say a childminder to a nanny / babysitter.

skibump · 24/11/2007 16:56

I'm a sahm, so don't know about your position, BUT I pay my babysitters way above what most CM seem to get cos as far as I'm concerned, looking after my ds is the most important job there is and I want them to take it seriously, even if it looks like they're just watching the telly