Childminder charges

[Livingmybestliferight]

Is it unfair for a CM to charge full fees from June (if they can open then) if parents don't want to send their children back straight away? Or should they just suck up the loss? Or something inbetween, say a 50% retainer?

It would be down to the individual childminder as childminders set their own pay and terms of use.

Generally speaking the usual industry standard is that if they are open and available to care for your child then you have to pay whether you decide to use the service or not, this is normally written into your contract.

The best thing to do would be to discuss it with your childminder and see if you can reach an agreement on attendance and pay but you need to be prepared that she might stand by the contract terms in which case you'd need to either pay her for your space or give notice and find someone else who won't charge full rate for unused hours.

YABU. If your childminder is allowed to reopen and commences offering services again, and you want your place held for when you are ready for your child to return, you need to pay full fees. You cannot expect your childminder to hold your space at half (or no) fee, until you feel ready (or turn out not sending your child back), as they are a business. If you are not happy paying for the space, give your childminder the notice required in your contract and allow them to take on a different family.

I believe demand will be high for childminders (as many will either not reopen or will take a lot longer to reopen), and your childminder is likely to be able to fill the spot with someone who will pay the fee.

I find it very strange how many people on Mumsnet expect their spot to be held for something, but are unwilling to pay the full fee to do this.

If they want to keep the space, they need to pay for it. Simple.

Pay the lot or loose your slot.

Childminders will be in high demand given nurseries may not function in the same way.

If the childminders is open for business, I would imagine you will have to pay full. It will be in your contract.

If they're open for all of the hours in your contract and you are choosing not to send your child, then you pay in full or give (and pay) your notice.

If they're doing some of your hours, and you can use them but again choose to keep your child at home, then, again, its pay for those hours or give notice.

The only conversation that doesn't consist of 'pay up or give notice' is if the childminder isn't covering all the hours you need and so you need to find a different provider for the rest and this can't be achieved without dropping some more hours - e.g. I would be of the thinking that multiple settings in one day is not a good idea currently. Then and only then would I expect a discussion re variarion in hours and notice and payment.

Interesting! I am the CM. I have been made to feel awful over the whole situation. The last months have been a struggle and already 3 children have left.
Some parents are naturally anxious and I totally get that but they genuinely expect me to just wait until they are ready to come back and pay nothing. When I've said you can end the contract nasty texts have been sent. Then another parent says they're hoping to be furloughed much longer and will be keeping her children off.

I think it would be kind of you to reduce fees if a family has someone shielding and not recommended to return. but apart from that. not getting a proper income for months is ridiculous.

If you can't provide the service you should not charge for it.

If you are happy to (and are able to) provide the service and a parent chooses not to use it, then you can charge for it (or give the place to someone who will use it).

Absolutely they should pay! I’d also make a note not to retake on their business once they feel comfortable to use childcare again

Sorry your parents have put you in this position. We have paid full fees throughout as we respect and love our childcare and wanted her to be there when she could reopen.

Your parents are being arseholes.

Of course parents pay! if they choose to not use your services, they need to terminate the contract but pay the reminder fee.
we‘ve paid our childminder full the last 2 months

Before you make any decisions, be savvy about demand and supply in your area. If you tell them they need to pay to keep their place, which you are entitled to do, and they say, no thank you, can you fill that spot?

They have sent you nasty messages? Do people really do that? And someone expects to be able to stay off work at taxpayers’ expense while you are supposed to go without any income? Totally unreasonable.

I would agree that I would be sympathetic to parents who have been given a shielding letter. I might charge them a small retainer. Otherwise the only reason you shouldn't charge is if you are reducing your numbers. We have chosen not to use nursery in June so that the limited places can go to working parents, but will probably be asked for 10% retainer.

If you don't want to take the place, leave. If you want the place for when you do want to go back, pay for it.

This is not because of shielding no. It's simply 2 families, 1 who both parents are still working and the other 1 back at work now and other parent furloughed.
They simply believe they shouldn't have to pay and claim they are struggling to. But they've had 2 months of not paying childcare already....

Livingmybestlife

It should work two ways shouldnt it. You have gone without when you coulent open, now they should pay now you're open.

People really are astounding.

Readvertise. You will probably have plenty of people pleased to be paying you.

OP I'm a childminder too, and I'm very worried about the situation going back. The way I see it, I'm screwed either way... If I charge for spaces that parents do not want to use they'll give notice so I'll have no money. If I don't charge, I'll still have no money. I've already had 2 children leave, and 3 more are leaving to start school in July. I'll have 2 under 5s and 4 after school kids left. If the bubble idea for schools goes ahead I don't think I'll be able to take the after school kids. I work with another Childminder so we need enough income for 2 of us which isn't going to happen! We have enough money to see us through the next couple of months but I seriously think we'll end up going under. To be fair though, the parents have been quite supportive of us so far.

If you’re open, they should be paying. Even if that’s to keep their space open. If they don’t want to pay then terminate their contract.

DH and I are continuing to be paid and working from home. We have continued to pay our childminder who has DD two days after school.
Our income hasn’t decreased so I don’t understand why hers should.

Parents shouldn’t expect their place to be held open for free if you’re open and they are choosing not to send their children.

What are they saying in their nasty texts? I can’t see how they could try and justify their position!

Interesting. My childminder is shielding a family member so won't be able to provide any childcare for the foreseeable future. We've been paying in full throughout on the basis that we both still have jobs so can afford it. However we don't need her care from September as our youngest is starting school and we'd always planned to use school wrap around from them for all three kids for convenience. We're planning to pay in full until the end of August but we're not sure what to do after that. We can't realistically afford to pay her and after school club when she's not providing any care but she'll struggle with no income and I wouldn't want her to risk her family member by taking on new kids. It's a mess.

You should pay if they’re open.Although I’ve read a lot about childminders demanding to be paid even when they weren’t open, something which is in fact illegal and was widely criticised in the news along with holiday companies refusing to give refunds etc.

But if she’s open for business and you’re not giving her your business then she has the right to seek that somewhere else.