Not to think that childminders are underpaid?

[miniwedge]

Last childminder charged £4.50 per hour, she had three over eights full time, ie retainer for school hours, after and before school care, full hours in school holidays. Plus three pre schoolers at the same rate.
My average monthly term time bill was £400, holidays was ave three times that.
So as a self-employed person she was actually doing pretty well for herself.

Surely childminding is like any other profession? Its regulated and you have to pay for exams, just like say a gas fitter, you have to have the right equipment, just like a mobile mechanic say, you have to make sure you pitch for enough work to cover your financial needs, just like a mobile hairdresser?

So, am I being unreasonable to think that it is just the same as any other self employed profession in that if you have enough work you can do well, if you don't it leads to a lean time but the basic underlying wage is not the issue.

I am fully prepared for my first mums net flaming and have my new name ready if necessary. ;-)

Disclaimer; I have no issue with a childminder earning well, I am not posting to be inflammatory but I am interested to see if it's a point of view that anyone else has considered.

[montysorry]

We are on the S coast now and I haven't checked what they are around here. However, when we lived in Cheshire they were between £5-£6hour and they were pretty much all full. They also charged for their holiday which I thought was outrageous for a self-employed person. I'd never heard of any other self-employed person charging for their holidays! We used a nursery instead as it wasn't worth the effort.

[LoveRedShoes]

LittlePurple I did the accreditation and the funding I received after going through the whole process did not cover the actual fees, so I was essentially out of pocket and paying to make up the difference. Not that the government cared, of course, they just kept advertising the lovely 'free childcare spaces'.

[noodle69]

Unfortunately high house prices and low wages comes with the area. Its annoying but I dont think it will ever change. I wouldnt move though because I do love it.

[LoveRedShoes]

montysorry I would pay for my CMs holidays happily - I would prefer to have my young DCs with a good CM rather than a nursery/classroom situation where the staff are poorly paid for the work they do. And I owned an outstanding nursery and CM setting.
But then, even though we are not rich, I hold a deep seated belief that I want the person looking after my DCs to be more than happy. Nay - overjoyed, to be caring for my children.

[Littlepurpleprincess]

Oh that fills me with joy LoveRedShoes, I can't say I'm suprised though! You get paid in lump sums long after you've actually done the work as well don't you? I usually charge in advance.

I love it too Noodle, right by the sea and the country side. And I only have to travel 10 mintues to go camping!

[noodle69]

I think even though I am on a low wage that my job is my life and thats why I do so many free hours and extra work.

I dont think money is something that motivates a lot of childcare workers. It has to be something that you love more than anything in the world, or otherwise it wouldnt be worth you doing it.

[montysorry]

What a Patronising post, Loveredshoes!

The Nursery we chose was a state setting and I reduced my hours to p/t therefore the person who after my eldest two children happened to be a qualified teacher who was not earning minimum wage and seemed more than happy with her work.

My point really has nothing to do with their salary. It was simply that CMs seem to be the only self-employed people I know who charge for their holidays

[DancingOnMyBladder]

Please remember it's only some cm's who chare for their hols, not all of us. And i'm sure they have it clearly laid out in their contracts so parents can always say no thanks.

[DancingOnMyBladder]

ARGH! *charge

[Littlepurpleprincess]

It was simply that CMs seem to be the only self-employed people I know who charge for their holidays

I don't. And none of the childminders I am freinds with do either. That is something parents can refuse to do before they sign the contract. It does amaze me how parents can't be arsed to read it properly though...

[montysorry]

Also, CMs aren't the only people who work hard or go 'above and beyond'. I teach, and do way more than the minimum that I could do to get paid. I also do evening and w/e stuff and 2 parents evenings a year plus 2 school discos a year. On top of that I hold a club after school one night (I did do 2 when I was f/t) and during the autumn term I do one lunchtime club.

I wouldn't be so arrogant as to presume that nobody works as hard as me either.

[Littlepurpleprincess]

I know that Monty. And you should be paid fairly too.

[montysorry]

I did read the contract and we did say 'no thanks' which seemed to prompt LRS's comment about quality care; Ill informed I might add.

[flyingvisit]

Ours doesnt charge for holidays but has a higher rate (and you need to book) for holidays.

[chabbychic]

No childminders I know charge for their holidays.

[chabbychic]

And we lose all money when we're sick or can't work.

[Littlepurpleprincess]

btw, lol at 'charge for holidays', what holidays? I'd forgotten what they are!

[flyingvisit]

A friend of mine has a policty of half pay for her own holidays

[noodle69]

We dont get paid for sickness either and thats why so many go in with colds and feeling ill as they need the money. I know people have to in order to pay the bills but it makes it harder as illness just keeps going round and round.

[montysorry]

If I was f/t, I'd be earning 34kpa. I currently work 2.5 days a week and earn around half this. Not an amazing salary for 3yrs BA+PGCE+Masters but not too bad either especially as, in our case, it's a second income.

As I said, I'm not sure what the deal is down here but when we lived in Cheshire it was up to £6ph and paid holidays. But, as with everything, it's supply and demand. They were full and in a very affluent area so theoretically could charge what they liked.

[flyingvisit]

montysorry glad you said that...I am in cheshire and that is still the situation.

[noodle69]

God 34k pa that is a lot. I have done my BA and am starting my masters in May and only get minimum wage. Its my choice though so cant complain but when you think about it the gp between early years wages and teaching wages is huge.

I dont think I have ever met anyone on that type of money, my husband and I get 21.5k between us and have to do 70 hours between us for that.

[Littlepurpleprincess]

If we pay NI we can get maternity pay and statutory sick pay, so if you really need a sick days then CM's can get sick pay. Other than that I don't charge parents for any time I take off.

[montysorry]

But it's not just CMs who go to work with a cold! Most professional people do so. You should come into a school staffroom esp the week before autumn half-term and see how many members of staff and struggling through heavy colds and lost voices.

I'm not disputing that £3ph is poorly paid though!

[noodle69]

TBH I go in with most things as cant take the hit on wages unfortunately. Just have to dose up a lot on medicines. It makes it worse though as it goes round and round but what can you do?