To charge £6/hour for childminding in Tunbridge Wells

[pingu2209]

For those of you in the Tunbridge Wells area/villages around. Would you pay £6/hour for childminding?

This would be between 8-6.

Any time outside these hours would be time and a half, based on half hourly increments.

Fatnfrumpy, that's not entirely accurate. You can get an older AP with an education degree, experience of work placements in different settings, and who will do the family's washing and ironing and clean the kids' rooms for under £100 pw for up to about 30 hours a week, to include one evening's babysitting as well. They can look after children from the age of about two, so ideal for a child at nursery for part of the day, or at school. Any reputable agency should be able to find an au pair like that given enough lead time. The relationship is more that of a clued up older niece rather than a big sister, in most cases.

Pumpkin because a CM is not a salaried employee - they are expected to run their business such that they can pay themselves min wage.

But how can they do so only caring for one child on sub min wage? If you are earning £5 ph caring for one child, how can you conjure up that additional £1.19? You would have to either care for more than one child simultaneously (if parents are amenable to that) or charge someone else £7.38ph - and it seems a lot of people think even £6 is too high.

I pay nursery £5 per hour for care, it's up to the nursery manager to arrange rotas and market to parents such that the business can be run.

Nurseries care for multiple children, and presumably state nurseries get some government subsidies? These considerations don't apply to sole traders.

Pumpkin, childminders do care for multiple children!

Sure, but not all. And I've seen people on this website objecting to a CM caring for any more than just their child at any one time. So presumably these people would not object to paying NMW?

I live in this area and use a childminder. She charges £5 ph for before and after school care and £4 ph for full days. She also includes all meals and I'm on a term time only contract with no retainer (I'm a teacher). I wouldn't want to pay more than £5 per hour

Pim

Pumpkin I've never seen anyone object to a CM having more than one child but yes, if you insist on exclusive access to a childminder, you should pay accordingly. And if you as a childminder say you are setting up on a one to one basis then you are free to try and get business on that basis. I would not pay for that service, however, and I think most people who use a childminder wouldn't either - if exclusive care is important, more people would use a nanny, I think.

Basically, if the other families using DS1's childminder move away, it's up to her to get more clients (children), not to me to up her hourly rate, as it's her business.

I have never seen any thread objecting to a CM having 2 mindees! Over 3 is a problem but up to 3 (under 5) is fine with anyone surely? If you want one-to-one care you'd employ a nanny surely, at a gross cost of £12 ph probably and have to pay for activities and food for DCs and nanny on top!

OP, I charge a daily rate as I find this works easier for me. I charge £10 per hour after my working day (unsociable hours) but am very flexi if parents need to drop of slightly earlier for a particular reason, or if they are running late - I don't charge. I live in London.

I think your proposal of £6 per hour seems very reasonable to me. Have you considered a daily rate? Good luck with whatever you decide.