to think £5 an hour for a childminder in the suburbs is a bit steep?

[HidinginaHardHat]

We were interviewing several childminders today and the average price was around £5 per hour, i'm more used to paying around £3 an hour.

I appreciate they have to earn a living like the rest of us but when their hourly rate is nearly the same as mine is that really fair?

I probably am BU really aren't I.

But if a child does not need to be part of the early years garb then surely rates should be adjusted accordingly? Yes charge more where there is more work but a school age child doesn't really need much input when it's simply the school run during the term time, surely?

For pre-schoolers, yes, charge nursery+ rates because you are working as a nursery now and I appreciate that is a drain on your time and family resources.

What I found quite sad is that one childminder clearly placed the mindees above her own children (same age as mine) :(

There really does need to be more help for childcare providers to provide good quality care at affordable rates. As it is we're getting into a situation where the balance is going off kilter.

altinkum But there's presumably no marking, or report writing or anything like that, which is what takes up the most time for teachers. And a childminder has, what, max of 6 kids, not 200.

Yes I understand that but we also pay tax and ni. Dont get paid when sick and have been known on dry periods to be told not to come in and recieve no pay for it. I dont think its that different really.

£3.75ph here (south yorks) but as DD will be joining DS when I go back to work in a week she has reduced my rate to £3.50. Includes food but not nappies/wipes.

Totally disagree that the rate reflects the cm's ability, I would say its definitely to do with the area and what others are charging, all the ones local to me charge similar whereas my brothers DCs cm charges £4.50 ph (south east).

My cm is amazing, DS loves her like a family member and I have really landed on my feet with her. So much so that in Sept DS is attending the nursery school she picks up from nearest her house rather than the school nearest to me (admittedly only an extra 5 mins away) as I trust her implicitly to look after my DCs esp DD who is only 7 months.

As well as have to paint the building, do the gardening, do books, go to meetings and courses in our own time!

£5 ph is less than the minimum wage...

AnneLobeseder You are absolutely right. Parent's can't afford to pay more than they earn. And childcare providers can't afford to work for less. We are stuck and niether parents, nor the childminders/nurseries are at fault. I am a parent too and I've been the other side and paid for a childminder while I worked elsewhere. I am very aware that its a big thing to pay, and I'm out to make a living, not rip people off. I charge as much as I need to earn a fair wage and cover expenses, and as little as possible so that parents can afford me. It's fine line to balance on.

I am also aware that ALL of my mindees parents claim tax credits for their childcare, so they are not paying £3.50 and hour, they are getting a big chunk of that paid for by Tax credits.

And I don't get childcare for free. DS is included in my ratio, so thats one full time place less for each baby I have, until they are 8 years old. That's a lot of money.

mavisenderby yes but a CM does not earn NMW if they mind more than one child.

It does sound like a lot of paperwork, but I'm sorry, you're not convincing me it's as much as a teacher. They have to do all that AND the marking, and (at secondary level at least) the marking is what takes the most time.

Which is not to say CMs are worth less or anything like that. I just don't think you can compare the jobs that directly.

My friend has just got a place with a sort after child minder (leicester) and she charges £3.60 per hour. She is excellent, while looking for a good one we saw a woman charging £3.50 the kids were infront of the tv and my friend wiped 2 of the kids faces as they had snot dripping off their chin. The one she has gone too, doesnt have the tv on, the play music, read books, play games and her garden is amazing like an adventure playground!

Childcare is lower than NMW altinkum. Unless NMW has dropped to £3.50 an hour and no-one's told me.....

Well, actually Karma did compare them.

And childminders aren't on £3.50 an hour either, unless they CHOOSE to have only one child.

If tthey are on minimum wage they would get tax credits at 70% childcare (like myself)

I do all risk assessments for all building, all age groups, trips, outdoors etc. Its not that much work and I am responsible for doing all of them for up to 50 children on role in a nursery. Its my sole responsibility and we do books for all our key children as well. Its a lot of work for the wage and involves working at home for free but it isnt nowhere near as much work as the teachers I know.

A big point that seems to be missing from this discussion is that CMs are self employed. Their fee is negotiated with their families and are usually in line with what is charged in the area in which they live.

Yes, your monthly bill from a childminder may be high in comparison to your other outgoings, but that is the fee that she (usually) charges. PP was 100% correct, imo, in saying that the low earning of early years workers is directly relatec to the predominance of females in this field.

Early years education and care is notoriously badly paid and undervalued. That is the real tragedy.

Yes reality sadly not many take them. It's a bugger.

I wouldnt expect my childminder to work for something below the NMW. She provides a very valued and excellent service and I am happy to pay for it. Why should one person work for below the NMW so that someone else can afford them?

Sorry I must have mis-read it [confussed]