What is the retainer for?

[Dysgu]

I have a very good childminder who has had my 2DDs 4 days a week for the past 12 months. This generally works very well; they are both happy to go there each day and are well cared for.

As I am a teacher I pay full fees for the school weeks and I pay nothing for the 5 weeks holiday the CM takes each year: although these are always taken during school holidays so do not directly affect us.

For the rest of the school holidays we pay 50% of full fees as a retainer. This amounts to several hundreds of pounds.

I always thought that the retainer was so that I could use the spaces if I wanted to during the holidays. This is what I know a colleague does who uses the same childminder.

Today I have called the childminder asking if she could take my girls for a few hours in 10 days time. She says she is unable to as she is full every day right through to the end of the summer holiday - but will let me know if she has any cancellations.

I know I should check my contract - however I do not have a copy and am pretty sure I never received a copy. I have signed a contract - I just don't have a copy.

So, is it likely that we pay this retainer so that we can use the spaces if we want/need to? Of course, we would happily pay the full hourly rate for the time that the DC were actually with her (and her colleague and their assistant).

Should I just ask her for a copy of my contract, even though she will probably know I want it to clarify this situation? Will that be awkward? (It feels awkward to me as I generally just let things go.)

Thank you for any thoughts.

I think that you are correct - the retainer is because by keeping the space for you, she cant use them for other people. But she is using them for other people, so IMO you shouldnt be paying a retainer.

Thank you for your reply bigstripeytiger. That is what I thought. And, having checked my figures, the retainer is actually well over a thousand pounds - no wonder she has had so many home improvements this year!!!

It is not really an issue of money. I CHOOSE to work full-time and we can afford her fees. I just feel that if I am paying a retainer then I should be able to use her services, especially with so much notice.

I think I will check with my colleague, who has used this CM for that last 3 years; then I might just have to request a copy of the contract to clarify the situation.

Get a copy of your contract before making a decision what to do, but a retainer is normally for a space which is available, but not being used.

I would add from a different prospective.

A retainer is to hold a space for you for you so that your children can go back after the school holidays. It is UNLIKELY that cm has filled every holiday with holiday only children..often holiday kids only come in the summer or for very short periods.

Think about the retainer like compensation for the cm- If the cm wasn't having your children she could have another 2 full time children who would pay full time during ALL the school holidays. Whereas at the moment she only gets half the payment (but obviously gets the bonus that she doesn't have to work as hard for those times). You may be paying £1000 for the year but the cm is losing £1000 as she could be contracted to another family.

YES your space should be availabe for you to use with standard notice (mine was always 28days in contract) for the full amount of fees. But there is nothing to stop her using the spaces when you don't need them.

The only time I would have a problem with this is if the cm has a PERMANENT contract signed with holiday children for all of the school holidays and would not be able to accomodate your children with adequate notice (ps I don't see 10 days as adequate).

Think carefully before charging in like a bull in a china shop. Presumably you understood there was a retainer and were happy to pay it. Are you happy with her fees and the service offered. Consider what you wan't to be the outcome of a conversation with her about it, also consider the other possible outcomes!!

A long time ago I had a teacher with 2 children with me who didn't want to pay a retainer for the summer holidays. I told her that if she didn't and anyone else wanted them I couldn't hold them for her. 2 days later someone with two children signed a full time contract with me. I felt awful but couldn't afford to lose that potential income from 2 children over the summer. She couldn't find another cm with 2 spaces in september and ended up paying a nanny who cost double what I would have cost....we are still friends and she still laughs about how she should have just paid the retainer :)

Sorry if I have been a bit harsh!

I would agree with Jendot - in fact I think if you are expecting the space to be open all the time then you should be paying full fees the whole time, as it is your choice rather that hers that you are not using the space. After all, as a teacher you are being paid through the holidays despite not having to go into school, so why should you expect not to pay your childminder for the same time? We have a nanny and I know that is different as we employ her, but we pay her the whole year round, regardless of whether we use her or not, as well as for her holidays - otherwise I would feel that I am giving her significantly worse working terms and conditions than I have myself, and I wouldn't feel comfortable with that.

Thank you Jendot and nesomja for your replies.

I agree that the retainer's main purpose is to ensure that my girls have someone available to take them for the four days I need the CM in the school term. I was just wondering whether that was its only purpose.

I am very happy to pay a retainer - and I pay the same fees each month anyway as the annual bill is divided by the 12 months.

I am not going to charge in or probably even say anything as my girls are happy going to the CM.

I will clarify the situation so that I know for next time and, having thought about it this evening, I think I might have her add one day per week for all school holidays (when she is working) so that I have some available time for doing all the work that I have to do over the summer as I average about 1-2 days per week of work over the holidays fitted around looking after my DDs.

Thanks for all the input - I am feeling happy with the current situation but have considerations for when we review the contract.