To be a bit miffed at out of school club.

[DeepfriedPizza]

Dd goes to out of school club 2 days a week whilst I work, before and after school, it's located in the school during term time and another location during holidays.

We are still on Easter break, we were away as a family last week so this week is the first holiday we have had to use it (we have used annual leave for other school holidays) we pay £23 per day for this.

First day this week Dh dropped her off and the out of school club leader said they were going on a trip to the beach could DH give Dd money for ice cream, fine, no problem. She had a great time.

Second day, DH dropped her off and leader said that they were going to soft play and could she have £4 for entry.

If DH had no cash on him, I don't know what would have happened. I'm a bit annoyed that we are told on the day of the trip of the cost. There would have been no option for DD to stay behind as all staff and children went.

I'm worried about summer holidays as we will have to use them, there are no other clubs.

AIBU to be annoyed at DH being put on the spot?

I would also like to know when it became common practice for visits not within the local vicinity fell under the bog standard form.
I would like to know what would happen if parents didn't have the cash that day. Would it mean the child is turned away and parents left with no childcare and lost money (you generally pay for the day and
Don't get the money back if didn't attend).
How you can just decide on the Day to go to the beach. When as parents you think they will be doing X so what about sun cream, extra water, sun hat? These things will be at home. Using someone else's cream isn't an option because of allergies, stuff that because of the assumed environment at sign up, wasn't mentioned.

There is just so many questions. And yes I would be 'that' parent. And in the
Meantime I would be looking at other
Options for the summer holidays.

No, there was no itinerary dutchess, as I said before, other parents were surprised too.

We were told there was a risk assessment on each trip. The club is currently having their routine inspection, we were told that inspectors may talk to us so it is something we will bring up if asked.

We will be more prepared for summer and will budget accordingly now we know.

As someone who used to run one such holiday club I can back up the majority of posters and say these trips absolutely are planned in advance and should be publicised long before the actual day. They are not covered by the standard general permission slip - they cover walks around the local area and trips to local (free) parks and play areas.

The OP is well within her rights to be miffed but as I said earlier, are you absolutely certain there wasn't a letter/something on the booking form that you kissed or is still in a school bag.

And Dutchess the point is that the op had paid her £23 for her child's care for that day, asking for more money on the day if the trip had not been publicised is unacceptable. Presenting a trip that costs money as a fait accompli on the day is poor management, poor organisation and utterly against all regulations that govern these schemes.

Missed not kissed sorry

Very well said ght.

I agree ght. There was no booking forms. You just put your name on a list if you need to use them during the holidays.

Nothing in school bags. If we do need to use them during summer (we haven't arranged that yet) then I'll be sure to ask in advance what the trips are.

If they're spring trips/extra costs on you with no notice, what do they do if youcan't pay for the trip/icecream?

Take your child anyway, and hope you pay them back??? there must be quite a few people not paying for trips/ice crams. I know I wouldn't pay them on the day, or after the event if they gave zero notice about the cost.

It like ordering on an online supermarket, and buying a loaf of bread for £1.20, and when the shopping turns up, they have added a box of eggs to your shop, and saying "You'll need to pay an extra £1.80 for these eggs..."

balls to that!

Surely the club should plan for trips when they are setting the daily charge? £25 per day as the advertised fee instead of 23 would have covered the additional costs for a couple of days out of the centre over the course of the holiday. Many people budget carefully for childcare over the holidays based on the advertised cost and being asked for extra money could cause problems.

yy lily

Either cost it to include the trip or have an alternative when someone doesn't want their child to go or can't pay for their child to go.

I don't think asking for extra money on the day is OK at all, tbh. You either:

a) set your prices to include the costs of your trips so you don't have to ask for any extra money at all, or:
b) publish a schedule prior to taking bookings which clearly states all top up fees involved for each day so parents know upfront what the costs are.

Holidays can be really costly for parents and an extra few pounds every day can make all the difference - or could mean that another club which looked more expensive because their fees are like a) would have actually worked out cheaper.

I don't think asking for extra money on the day is OK at all, tbh. You either:

a) set your prices to include the costs of your trips so you don't have to ask for any extra money at all, or:
b) publish a schedule prior to taking bookings which clearly states all top up fees involved for each day so parents know upfront what the costs are.

Holidays can be really costly for parents and an extra few pounds every day can make all the difference - or could mean that another club which looked more expensive because their fees are like a) would have actually worked out cheaper.