Does this childminding cost seem ridiculously high to you?

[nikki1978]

I am thinking about going back to work full time now the DCs are a bit older and have been looking at the cost of childcare. I was expecting around £4.50 an hour per child for a childminder but I seem to be way off!

I have broken down the cost and it seems to be:-

Breakfast Club £3.60 per morning per child (7.45-9 so very reasonable)
Childminder - £5 per hour for DS who would be there from midday to 6.30pm, £7 per hour for DD who would be there from 3pm to 6.30pm (this would be term time only and she only works then so no extra cost during school hols)
Holiday Club for 6 weeks (we can cover the other 7 weeks with our holidays) - £19 per child per day

Now all year round my MIL will have them one day a week (I pay her £20 a day for her costs) and my mum another day (no cost) so we only need childcare for 3 days per week. However the cost still comes in at £9500 per year which is £793 per month! Doesn't this seem very high considering I have one at school and the other at nursery 3 hours each morning in term time?

I think the childminding costs are really high! I am in Croydon so I guess it is a higher cost area because we are so close to London. But really?!

im a single father of two girls and I was desperate to find a childminder close to me and my pick up for work. and I did online it stated she charges 4 pounds an hour and is available anytime. so I told her the hours she came back with the costs of dropping them off at 7 and picking them up at 5. 8 pounds an hour each for my kids to sit on a sofa watching t.v. nothing educational, no food 48 pounds a day term time and 96 pounds aday school holidays. now ive read the contract properly it says bank holidays not available full fees apply and ive got to pay 70 percent when she goes on holiday. im self employed in construction and I will have two weeks over Christmas with no pay and look after my kids and at the same time I will be paying her 480 pounds aweek for doing nothing. Ive already told my family and kids they wont be getting any Christmas presants while I try to to keep my head above water. and she has another four kids she looks after and 3 cars in the driveway. it is scanderlous and criminal feeding off desperate parents who want to work. I think I was better off on the dole. im going to look for alternatives cos my childminder is only in it for the money for sure and when I tot up the costs and how many kids are there on school holidays she must be on over 300 aday and me going around shops looking for yellow stickers so I can pay her shes having alaugh 15000 ayear for just my two and the government pays 70 percent and they know that but it don't help me when im paying 480 aweek on school holidays. and shes taking aweeks hoiliday and I and the others have to pay her 70 percent. surely shes not available the 70 percent should go to another to look after my kids. im sorry how can any childminder defend this that a self employed childminder can sit down Christmas day and get 96 from me and the others for doing nothing, and get holiday pay for doing nothing and get payed large sums of money for doing nothing as long as there is a t.v, x box and toys. general election is coming and I want to know whos going to do something about it. schools should be open from 6 to 6 to help us, and pay the teachers who cover the extra hours double bubble and me and the government would both save and are kids would be intelligent instead of box eyed. excuse my spelling and punctuation cos I too

was left with a childminder and all im good at is watching the t.v

Hi Kooter
This is a zombie thread.
I only read the first lines of your post and garb up.
Your childminder is clearly not the person for you, give notice. You need to respect the person caring for your children as it will never work.
Being a single parent is very hard work and I feel for you.
How old are your girls? Would an au pair work for you?

OMG kooter2 you are being so disrespectful I won't even comment. If I were your childminder I'd give you notice right now!

Kooter. As we always say on mn read the contract carefully before signing it

If your cm States in it she charges holidays etc then you shouldn't have used her

Yes seems unfair to charge xmas day - but that why people must read the terms before agreeing to them

Hope you find different childcare