Any childminders on here? Do you do this...?

[DontBiteTheBoobThatFeedsYou]

When a child reaches 3 and gets the 3 year old funding, if you previously charged £5.50 an hour and the government provides somewhere around £3.85 for the child, do you charge the parent the difference to make it up to £5.50?

I used to be a childminder and remember being told very specifically that funded hours must be free to the parent. I was quite cheap at the time so didn't lose too much money through it, but other childminders I knew would bump up their charges for other things (eg if they charged for meals, or if the child attended for non funded hours/in the holidays they would increase their hourly rate) so they didn't lose out. Caused a lot of problems though.

Yeah childminders I know have charged for other things that they wouldn't have before. I don't blame them, the government (as usual) is woefully underfunding this and making things difficult for everyone as a result.

The funding pays for the child's space and the childminder's time, not food/snacks/trips/resources etc.

As above, you cant do that - a child just attending the funded hours must recieve it free. BUT you can structure your fees so that the rest of the day balances out to the same as you would recieve without funding.
eg day session 40
Morning 20 (8-12)
Afternoon 20 (1-5)
Lunch whatever you need to charge to balance the funding loss.

My Cm Doesnt accept the funded hours.

No you cannot top up the hours, but you can charge for other things. Or you flex when you offer them, eg 9-12 and 1-4, then hours outside of this are billed at 8ph or something.

I talked to my childminder and told her I wanted to pay the full amount so she charged me a top up but they’re not supposed to.

Yes, though not directly. I would advertise the funded hours and non funded hours and together they make up my daily rate.

The mistake was the government calling it free childcare.

Would you work for £3.85 an hour?

Thanks for your help.

I miscalculated what I thought I'd pay when DS was three then.

I hate being broke 😭

@RiverSkater

Yes, though not directly. I would advertise the funded hours and non funded hours and together they make up my daily rate.

The mistake was the government calling it free childcare.

Would you work for £3.85 an hour?

No, but times that by 4 and it's over £15 an hour.

So yes I would work for that!

would you work for £3.85 an hour

It would only work out as this if you only had one child, though, which isn’t a viable business.

Of course the funding should be fair but it should also be used fairly.

I voluntarily pay the difference to my CM. It isnt fair on her to keep having my son at the government's under funded rate when she could ditch us and take on a new 1 or 2 year old paying full rate.

The published rate is slightly lower once it's been through the LA; plus factor in training costs, membership/insurance costs, heating, lighting, crafts, toys...CM don't just pocket that amount.

CMs pay insurance, often provide meals etc. Also they may end up taking some kids who only want term time hours, so that £3.85/h they are unlikely to get x 4.

Look at your CM. Does she look like she's raking it in?

The government are to blame. They want all the credit for "free" childcare but won't actually pay for it.

So yes I would work for that!

Go for it. The training is widely available.

Work out what you'd actually earn after paying out for insurance, toys, food, nappies, wipes, cleaning products. Remember that rate of pay usually doesnt include paid holidays, so there's 4 weeks a year most childminders don't get paid.

The fact that you need/want cheap subsidized childcare doesnt mean that's what it costs to provide it and have the childcarer earning a living wage. It's a problem globally and is why childcare is often subsidised, or in many countries ratios are worse than the UK to make it affordable.

Yes I charge £9.50 an hour so if I take a funded child, I ask for the difference. I justify it because in my fees are included 3 meals + snacks, nappies, all our outings etc..

I wouldn't look after four 3 yr olds for £30 an hour let alone £15. Child minding is hard work. Why do some people expect them to be paid so little is beyond me.

If you set up as a childminder it is fairly reasonable to assume you might have to look after small children.

If you set up as a childminder it is fairly reasonable to assume you might have to look after small children.

Yes, and to be paid enough to live on from it. Childminders aren't charities.

Then why respond as if they are?

@DontBiteTheBoobThatFeedsYou

£15 p/h for four children is not worth it. Huge amount of work and responsibility.

@DeepaBeesKit

But how dare they earn an actual profit and income for themselves and their families from this employment?

When my son was 3 I had the 30 hours deducted from my bill each month.

The CM organised it by stating there were 2 x 3 hour free sessions a day and I would pay for wraparound (so 7.30-9 and then 3.30-5).

Yes we paid a "consumables" charge which is a top up in all but name. Didn't begrudge it at all. What I do begrudge is the government still spouting about "free hours" when it's anything but. 4,000 early years settings have closed since the pandemic (this includes childminders, nurseries, preschools etc....) and this in large part is the business is not sustainable with the level of funding given to them. We are sleepwalking into a complete childcare crisis in this country and the government don't give a shit. Don't begrudge paying the top up.

Long story short, the government have told us that we cannot charge a top up fee. But they also acknowledge that the funding doesn't cover our fees and so they recommend we charge for "consumables" on top. Or charge higher rates to parents of non funded children! Yep that's actually a suggestion!!!
The charge has to be voluntary but we also have every right to turn away customers who aren't preparing to pay the top up.
My LA pay me 35p an hour less than what I would charge for 3/4 Yr olds. So they provide their own lunch or pay a small charge for me to provide it. But some areas get a ridiculously low rate for funding and its just not possible without asking parents to put something towards it

I charge £5 per day for food and consumables, including outings.

The OP seems to think (like many to be fair) that the amount paid to us is our wage. Out of the money coming in I pay for registration, insurance, training (not all compulsory but i provide a high quality service and the children deserve the best), daily outings, food, wipes, additional cleaning products, higher bills because a house full of kids requires more heating, cooking etc. I buy toys and craft materials, sensory play things and a whole host of other sundry items.

I work an 11 hour day often without a break if children dont nap / sleep at different times. I do training, additional cleaning, paperwork and food prep in my own time because I can't really batch cook while supervising and playing with a bunch of smalls.

Childminding is underfunded and underpaid for what we do. Some people pay their dog walker more than I earn.