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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to charge 22.50

31 replies

spiritedaway · 22/04/2013 14:00

Would you think this was a fair price to pay someone to have your child for half an hour in the morning then drop them at school, drive to your house bed walk the dog for an hour then later collect the child at. 3.30 and take care of them until 6.30 providing after school snack and a full cooled meal.

OP posts:
Tee2072 · 22/04/2013 14:01

Where do you live? Are you OFSTED registered? What are your qualifications?

DoYonisHangLow · 22/04/2013 14:03

I don't believe you need to be qualified for school age children, do you?

I'd probably up it to £25 but around that mark seems fair, yes.

DoYonisHangLow · 22/04/2013 14:05

Or registered Confused

In Sept a friend is doing the same for me but for longer in the morning (drop off at 7.30) and no dog walk so just the walk to school which she will do with her DSs anyway, then pick up at 6.30 and we are paying £30, but it's only 2 days a week.

Twinklestarstwinklestars · 22/04/2013 14:08

Doyoni is your child under 8 and is your friend doing it at their house? If its for more than 2 hours a day they would need to be registered.

Original poster
spiritedaway · 22/04/2013 14:09

No qualifications, thanks for the responses. As well as tea he eats his weight in apples and bananas and has ice creams at the park with my children so it can be costly but i want to find a fair price.

OP posts:
LazyMonkeyButler · 22/04/2013 14:10

All in all, it's going to take up around 5 hours of your time from what you have said. Going on a minimum hourly wage of £6.08 per hour & not including the cooked meal or petrol/travelling expenses £22.50 sounds very reasonable.

GashlycrumbZillah · 22/04/2013 14:10

No advice at all but just wanted to say i love your name Grin - one of mine and DSs favourite films.

DeskPlanner · 22/04/2013 14:11

£25 seems fair.

Original poster
spiritedaway · 22/04/2013 14:13

I am thinking of £20 then £2.50 for tea if she chooses for him to have it.

OP posts:
nannyof3 · 22/04/2013 14:17

This is 4 and a half hours !

Plus food and snack!??

It should be a minimum of £30 !

DoYonisHangLow · 22/04/2013 14:18

Oh I didn't realise it was under 8, just assumed it was school age generally.

Nonetheless, flame me if you wish but we will continue with our current plan! For the sake of 2 days per week I'm not going to use a childminder when I'm happy with the care my friend will provide, the kids get along nicely etc. If my friend was otherwise claiming benefits or had another job meaning her income would need to be declared to pay tax on etc I'd maybe think differently but as it is she's just a SAHM and frankly I'd be thrilled if someone offered me the same from the other way round :)

DoYonisHangLow · 22/04/2013 14:19

I wouldn't make dinner optional personally as you know you'll end up giving it to him anyway if he's hungry. £22.50 if you're happy with it is fine

HaplessHousewife · 22/04/2013 14:22

Someone I know pays £20 a day for someone to come in twice a day to play with/walk the dog for about 45 minutes in total so that sounds like a great deal to me!

jacks365 · 22/04/2013 14:24

£22.50 sounds fine to me but word of caution if you are not registered and at your home you are breaking the law. Easy way round it is to be at the child's house instead.

twirlyagogo · 22/04/2013 14:26

Seems very cheap to me - dog walking alone where I live is £7.50 - £10 an hour, plus a bit if they have to travel more than 10mins to you.

nokidshere · 22/04/2013 14:26

If she is looking after your child in HER home for 3 hours after school she needs to be registered with Ofsted.

Doyoni You obviously need to decide for yourself if you continue with your current plan but its not you who is going to be in trouble with the tax office or Ofsted - personally I wouldn'[t put my friends in that situation. Even if she doesn't earn enough to pay tax her income still has to be declared. Not to mention who would pay the costs or take the rap if your child ever had an accident whilst with her.

DoYonisHangLow · 22/04/2013 14:32

Thanks, I'll discuss it with my friend :)

With regards to an accident, I trust this friend with my life :) I've known her for over 20 years and we already see each other at least every other day and live on the same cul de sac, so I'm coming at it from a slightly different perspective than if I'd just asked another mum at the school gate to do so iyswim.

Without adding too much additional info my DD also has SN so whilst I assume there would be a childminder out there for us, I know she can settle with my friend and I'd pay any amount of money to make sure she was happy and settled somewhere!

Apologies to OP for thread hijack!

DoYonisHangLow · 22/04/2013 14:34

To clarify, I not mean an accident would happen with my friend... Obviously it could but there'd be no more likely chance than it happening with me iyswim and she would obviously phone me ASAP if anything happened, just like anybody would if they had a playmate over for tea.

DoYonisHangLow · 22/04/2013 14:35

I don't mean an accident wouldn't happen...

Am typing too fast!

Original poster
spiritedaway · 22/04/2013 14:52

Good point jack ours too gash and no worries doyonis :-)

OP posts:
IneedAsockamnesty · 22/04/2013 14:53

If you leave your child with a adult supervising them and the child had a accident the supervising adult is legally responsible unless you knowingly pick a adult who is clearly unsuitable.

I've known her for 20 years and have reason to trust her with my life,is a perfectly good reason to decide she's suitable.

There is nothing what so ever wrong with friends or relatives minding your children how ever long they do it for and what ever house they do it in. Its a perfectly normal occurrence.and perfectly legal.

The only issue is a possible tax one.

phantomnamechanger · 22/04/2013 15:21

If someone's being paid to do this rather than doing you a favour , she really needs to be registered - there was a whole storm about this a while ago. It is not about trust - yes there is the moral issue of her declaring the income/paying taxes etc - thats up to your/her conscience.

HOWEVER - transporting other peoples kids in your car AND BEING PAID FOR IT is illegal and the insurance most likely invalid in case of accident. This is why parents who give lifts for sports teams etc should not receive any money for it unless they are registered as a taxi firm! Certain household accidents may also not be covered if you have not declared that you are running a business from home.

nokidshere · 22/04/2013 23:48

There is nothing what so ever wrong with friends or relatives minding your children how ever long they do it for and what ever house they do it in. Its a perfectly normal occurrence.and perfectly legal.

Thats not strictly true though...:

You are required by law to be registered and inspected by Ofsted in England or CSSIW in Wales if:
?you intend to regularly look after her child in your home;
?her child is aged under 8;
?the care is for more than 2 hours per day;
?you will be receiving payment from her for it.

toffeelolly · 22/04/2013 23:59

Sound's cheap to me!

noisytoys · 23/04/2013 11:42

Love the NN too. DD's middle name is Chihiro Grin