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Original poster

Childminder 30 hours funded help

33 replies

Bc102 · 04/09/2023 18:25

Hi
I’m looking for some help/ advice on something I’m not really to sure about

my little boy has started a childminders from next week 30 hours funded but is also doing full days so I’m paying for the extra hours he will be there ( hope that makes sense)

I have been charged a consumables amount which is a very, very high amount which I had no clue was going to be added onto my invoice

I have no clue if this is ok? Do the hours extra I’m paying not just make up the loss in earning for the childminder

just looking for advice if anyone can offer it please

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jannier · 05/09/2023 22:08

Bc102 · 04/09/2023 23:44

@BeeEyeEnGeeOh ok then thankyou that’s good to know, someone mentioned that area can affect the price do u mind saying if ur in north etc no worries if not just seeing if you was near to a price that would be near me ☺️ x

I'm in Hillingdon rates for childminders vary from £5.19 to £6.30.....we can't get an easy explanation of why it varys so much.... Hillingdon pay pretty well though.

BeeEyeEnGeeOh · 05/09/2023 20:06

Bc102 · 04/09/2023 23:44

@BeeEyeEnGeeOh ok then thankyou that’s good to know, someone mentioned that area can affect the price do u mind saying if ur in north etc no worries if not just seeing if you was near to a price that would be near me ☺️ x

I'm in the South East

Nodancingshoes · 05/09/2023 18:47

Sounds pretty normal. We do the same (nursery) 22 funded 'free' hours a week (stretched) extra hours charged hourly rate, consumables £7.50 a day which covers meals, snacks, drinks, cookery, gardening, arts and crafts, equipment etc...
I think the problem here is that she hasn't made it clear to you what is being charged.

jannier · 05/09/2023 17:43

Bc102 · 04/09/2023 23:44

@BeeEyeEnGeeOh ok then thankyou that’s good to know, someone mentioned that area can affect the price do u mind saying if ur in north etc no worries if not just seeing if you was near to a price that would be near me ☺️ x

Councils are allocated a rate by the government which is published but from that they can take an amount for administration and then decide how they allocate funding to each setting so that could vary within a borough according to factors like areas of poverty, taking send children, experience most childminders don't know yet what rate they are being paid for September in my borough we've been told they will decide in November and then back date it.

jannier · 05/09/2023 17:39

Bc102 · 04/09/2023 22:34

@Blondierama thankyou so I’m doing 52 weeks with the funded hours split over that, mine is charging me £5.50 for the extra hours that make up the full day if that makes sense (which I was aware would happen) then an added £110 a month for consumables (this is wasn’t aware of)

would u say this is correct? I just want people to know I’m not disagreeing that childminders also need to earn there money in anyway at all and that they don’t deserve the money either I’m just curious as I said I didn’t know, it’s my first time leaving my little boy his never been in childcare so I don’t know the ins and outs of how it works either x

thank you x

Looks like she's charging the loss of around 1.20 an hour as you funded hours will be around 22 a week. So it's very likely the difference only in funding rate to normal rate.

caban · 05/09/2023 16:39

I guess ultimately she can charge what she wants and you can decide if you want to use her services.
Look at the 30 hours as funding to cut your bill rather than free hours.
You might be able to find a cheaper childminder, or often school nurseries and community preschools are a little cheaper.

Blondierama · 05/09/2023 14:02

In some areas, the funding rate is equal to if not slightly higher than a childminders usual hourly rate. In other areas it can be vastly different. There seems to be no rhyme nor reason to the funding rates. It could be that your childminder doesn’t lose out with funding, she may also be charging a slightly higher rate to those who pay for the hours

Original poster
Bc102 · 04/09/2023 23:48

@HJ40 I asked for a break down in the price but she didn’t give me one to the exact she just listed what the cost of the consumables will cover and she said breakfast, morning snack, crafts wipes toilet roll cleaning products water and also said she puts money back into the business with refurbs etc x

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Original poster
Bc102 · 04/09/2023 23:44

@BeeEyeEnGeeOh ok then thankyou that’s good to know, someone mentioned that area can affect the price do u mind saying if ur in north etc no worries if not just seeing if you was near to a price that would be near me ☺️ x

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Original poster
Bc102 · 04/09/2023 23:43

@caban no the classes are an extra charge consumable charge is 110 a month plus the classes of a 24£ charge a month. I think I worked it out to be about a £9.16 a day charge for the consumables and yes I agree that’s just why I’m trying to get my bearings with it x

OP posts:
HJ40 · 04/09/2023 23:39

What's included in the consumables? It's doesn't sound too bad, but I agree you should have known about it up front.

BeeEyeEnGeeOh · 04/09/2023 23:37

Bc102 · 04/09/2023 23:16

@Overthebow ah that’s great would love to know the difference

so were doing 52 weeks are you?

All together this gives us a monthly charge of £224.00

this price includes x 2 sessions of jo jingles (£10)
and x4 sessions of French class (£14)

x

That's exactly what I pay to nursery for three days a week, with funded hours but actually attend year round. So sounds fair to me. Loads less than before the funded hours anyway!

caban · 04/09/2023 23:28

What's the breakdown of the consumables? Is it £34 a month for classes, and then a further £76 a month for everything else?
I think that works out £5-6 a day which sounds about right to me.
The childminder should have been upfront about the extra charges though.

Original poster
Bc102 · 04/09/2023 23:16

@Overthebow ah that’s great would love to know the difference

so were doing 52 weeks are you?

All together this gives us a monthly charge of £224.00

this price includes x 2 sessions of jo jingles (£10)
and x4 sessions of French class (£14)

x

OP posts:
Overthebow · 04/09/2023 23:02

We also do 3 days a week and get the funded hours but at nursery and they also charge top up so just comparing.

Overthebow · 04/09/2023 23:01

How much will your full monthly cost be then including the extra hours and the consumables charge?

Original poster
Bc102 · 04/09/2023 22:56

@Overthebow just the 3 days with the 30 hours funded then paying the extra hours I’m doing to fill the day plus the consumable charge. £110 is the monthly charge x

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Original poster
Bc102 · 04/09/2023 22:55

@Tryingtohelp12 im in the west midlands the prices sound about right for here to I have friends that have there children in nursery’s and I’ve asked them and it’s relatively the same as you or £5.00ish higher x

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Overthebow · 04/09/2023 22:52

How many days per week are you doing? £110 doesn’t sound much per month but
depends if you’re doing 1 or 5 days.

Tryingtohelp12 · 04/09/2023 22:51

I will say though that we are in the north west and childcare is relatively cheap here (still feels bloody expensive tho!) so this may impact the norm where you are. Here nurseries are around £65 a day and childminders around £40 per day. A friend in London says nurseries average about £100 per day in her area which is 50% more than here. I assume what the gov pay the same rate to childcare providers across the country so if you live in an expensive area a consumables top up may be the norm to bridge the gap?

Original poster
Bc102 · 04/09/2023 22:46

@Tryingtohelp12 thankyou for ur reply’s, this is what I thought paying the extra £5.50 for the other hours I’m doing makes up the total cost of what it would be if I was just paying for it private this is what I’m trying to figure out if it’s a fair amount to be paying or if it’s a lot extra than what other people charge x

OP posts:
Tryingtohelp12 · 04/09/2023 22:41

The 5.50 sounds right but the 110 feels unnecessary- I don’t pay extra to my childminder and if I had I would expect her to be explicit upfront as that’s no small amount. The 30 hours works out to about 2 days per week If you do longer days year round.

Original poster
Bc102 · 04/09/2023 22:35

@Blondierama sorry just to add £5.50 per hour for the extra hours * I should of made that more clear x

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Original poster
Bc102 · 04/09/2023 22:34

@Blondierama thankyou so I’m doing 52 weeks with the funded hours split over that, mine is charging me £5.50 for the extra hours that make up the full day if that makes sense (which I was aware would happen) then an added £110 a month for consumables (this is wasn’t aware of)

would u say this is correct? I just want people to know I’m not disagreeing that childminders also need to earn there money in anyway at all and that they don’t deserve the money either I’m just curious as I said I didn’t know, it’s my first time leaving my little boy his never been in childcare so I don’t know the ins and outs of how it works either x

thank you x

OP posts:
Tryingtohelp12 · 04/09/2023 22:23

My childminder charges 42£ per day (8-5.30) including activities and meals. She can have up to 4 children and will also collect a further 2 slightly older children dropping and collecting from school (Bfast and tea) for £17.50 each. So she brings in about £1000 per week although I recognise it’s long hours, she will also complete some home jobs herself such as hanging washing out, preparing tea for her own children as well as those she looks after etc. Considering she is feeding small children (so small portions) many activities she can do are free (church groups etc) and she has multiple annual passes for local zoos and attractions (which she has for her own family as the children are still free) I believe she brings in a decent wage. She has never asked me for additional money I just have to provide milk nappies and wipes. When my sons hours came in she accepted these and there was no surcharge. Nurseries maybe slightly different as they have high overheads. I love and respect my childminder and have never queried any increases over the years (5years so far but one more on the way - probably total about 12 year relationship by the time we finish!) but I do think she has a great business and earns a fair wage without asking for extras.