To not want to pay childminder for 30 mins children aren't in her care

[BelieveInPink]

Most poorly titled thread goes to...moi! I thank you.

My two daughters have a childminder 3 days a week after school. To get there they have to get on a bus. The bus doesn't get to the designated stop until 40 minutes after they finish school, but I am paying the childminder from 3.15. This might seem petty to moan about but it does add up to about £15 per week.

Anyway, my question is, AIBU to expect not to have to pay until they are actually in her care? Or should I like it or lump it and pay her from 3.15? Genuinely interested and have not approached her because I wanted to get opinions first.

By the way, I will probably get asked why I didn't clarify this when they started. Originally her house was the first stop, so the kids would be on and off the bus within 5 or 10 minutes. After the term started the company changed the bus route.

Please be gentle.

Given that the change in time at which your children arrive at the childminder is beyond your control, and that you would have preferred your children to arrive at 3.15 but that unfortunately they no longer arrive until 3.45, I think you could very politely explain the change in circumstances to the childminder and renegotiate how much you pay.

The thing is if they change the bus route back again then you would have to be paying her wouldn't you.
From 3.15 when they leave school I would imagine that she is then on standby as such as they could arrive anytime between then and when they do so she should be getting paid for that time.

How old are your girls? IF they are old enough to be getting bus on their own, then surely they are old enough not to need childminder?

Thanks for replies...I thought that would be her response if I asked, Ineedacleaner. But then as Bonsoir says, it's changed since our agreement and it's £15 a week!

No chance the bus would get there any earlier, by the way. I was being generous when I said it would arrive at 3.45

GraciousLife, they are 8 and 5. Old enough to be ushered onto the bus by a teacher and met at the other end with the childminder's own (older) children. Definitely not old enough to not need the childminder.

Yes - I think she would argue that 3.15 was the original time, and she can't reasonably get any other children to fill that half hour or whatever slot. I can see why you don't think you should pay, but equally I can see why she shouldn't lose out financially due to something that is not her fault and she can do nothing to rectify. And she is, presumably, still available from 3.15.

It's a tricky one. You might get better responses posting under the Childminders topic - see what the consensus is there from other CMs.

I think the question is - who is responsible for them during the bus journey? If there was some kind of incident/breakdown/whatever on the bus and someone had to collect them who would it be? If the answer is your childminder then you have to pay her for this time as she has responsibility for them. if the answer is you then I think it's reasonable to re-negotiate.

I charge by the evening for after school care; whether the children need 20 minutes or 3 hrs care. This is because I can only have 3 children of that age so if I have one for 20 minutes I lose all chance of filling the rest of the space with another child.

But you are getting childminding from the moment the children leave school, until you pick them up. The bus is providing childcare, right now, incidentally....

Well, it's not her fault the bus route changed either - and it's not like she can take in another child for 40 mins to earn back the £15 you want to stop paying her, so she is effectively on standby for your children

What hopenglory said

who is responsible for the children whilst they are on the bus? wold it be the CMer who was called if the bus couldn't for an reason turn up and transport them? or if there was an accident is she the person would be called to collect them?

I think you have to suck it up. The childminder is available to have your children from 315- it's not her fault the bus time changed and she can't have other children in the time she is waiting for the bus. Is it too far for the childminder to collect the children from school at 315 rather than them getting the bus?

If your original agreement was from 3.15, and she is available from 3.15, then it's not her fault the bus changed.

I pay for my son's CM from 8.30am. If I started arriving at 9am I wouldn't expect a discount.

If something happens at school at 3.15, I assume the school can contact the cm and she can deal with the situation - whereas otherwise the dc are kind of in no-ones care. (thinking about a nosebleed just as they are meant to board teh bus or something)
I think I would be happier paying for teh additional time.

glasscompletelybroken, the girls have my mobile number and office number in their schoolbags, so I am still the emergency contact.

Can see all your points of view, thank you.

There's no way she'd be able to get anyone else to fill a 30 minute slot.
Presumably she has to leave the house 5 - 10 mins before the bus is due to walk down to the bus stop.
And as others have said, if she is the emergency contact then she is the one responsible so she should be paid for that time.

Having said that, I don't think you're exactly being U, I more think its a PITA and you'll have to suck it up, unfortunately.

How would the childminder make up for the loss of income? Probably give you notice and take on new children (or at least that is what I would do).

"If your original agreement was from 3.15, and she is available from 3.15, then it's not her fault the bus changed."

When you put it like that, I do see that's right.

I'm sure that others have said it but haven't read thread - you're lucky to be only paying form 3.15, childminders round here charge for full hours or half hours.

I wouldn't quibble to be honest.

Childminders are getting some proper stick on here at the minute.

The way I charge (cm) is from the minute I leave the house, so I leave at 3pm to pick up for 3.15, I only charge full hours and no half hours either, so even if the child got here at 3.30 and left at 5 I would charge for 2 hours not 1.5.

I personally think yabu, the hours agreed before should stick as its only the sake of half an hour. There may come a time you need an extra half hour where you can mention the extra she gets paid, I know I don't ask for extra if the parent needs help (within reason)

If she is a good childminder and you value her I would probably leave it and when contracts are reviewed maybe mention then!

Is it public transport rather than a school bus with an escort? That would also make a difference in terms of back up arrangements for the time period I think?

You're not serious about allowing your 5 yo and your 8 yo alone on a bus are you?

Giving you the benefit of the doubt, YABU. It's not the CM's fault that the route changed any more than it is yours, and she could have turned away other after school children to have yours. She has made herself available to you for that time. She still deserves to be paid.

If I've understood you, your children are in the care of the childminder's children whilst on the bus, that would make me feel, they are in her care and therefore you should pay her.