CM retainer costs for maternity period

[GruffaloMama]

Hi - just looking for some advice. My DS (2.3yrs) has been going to the same CM full time since he was 8mo. Bar a couple of minor probs, we've been very happy with our CM and my DS loves going there. I'm now preg with DC2 - due in July. Ideally I would like to:

• Move my DS to one-day per week with his CM while I'm on Maternity leave (about 7-8 mo)
• When I go back to work have DS and DC2 go to the CM full time.

My CM is very happy to take DS and DC2 on full time. Understandably she has requested some fee or retainer to hold the places open for us in March 2012. I wanted to check what your views were on a reasonable retainer fee? She's lovely but not very good at talking money so has been reluctant spell out what she wants/needs.

I was going to suggest that we paid £50 per place per month as a retainer, on top of the costs we would be paying for DS's one-day per week childcare. This would work out at about £350 per place. Of course I would be very happy for her to mind other children during my maternity leave but appreciate her holding the places open limits her options. Does this sound reasonable?

I think in general people usually charge 50% retainer fees, I have had this issue myself with 2 of my minded children, the parents opted to keep sending their children, to be honest, I couldnt have afforded to keep their places open with just a retainer fee. It depends what your childminder can afford to do tbh

If your wanting her to hold 2 full time spaces so they are free for your children then i would be asking for half fee per child per day, so for example if you pay £30 a day per child you would be paying £5 per day per child.

I know a lot of parents see this as unfair, but in all honesty the chances of her finding 2 full time children on a temp basis is slim to impossible.

At least this way she is still getting the same fee as she was when she only had your oldest child and wont need to fill the space.

Other than this she can just fill the spaces with new little one's and you would have to find new childcare if she no longer has the space.

You wouldn't need to pay a retainer for the day your son will be doing just normal fee.

correction lol

If your wanting her to hold 2 full time spaces so they are free for your children then i would be asking for half fee per child per day, so for example if you pay £30 a day per child you would be paying £15 per day per child.

Hi there - thanks both - really appreciate it. She had mentioned something along the lines of a small-ish monthly fee, hence why I'd suggested the £50 per space per month. We couldn't afford the equivalent of half full-time fees for two children while I'm on leave - so might need to think about other options if that's what she needs.

IMO it depends what she has open and what you need. If she has to refuse mindees to keep the space open (so she wouldn't take a 6mo this time next year) then I'd expect to pay a half fee retainer. If she's not got the interest then a small fee is fine because she'd effectively be accumulating the money when she didn't have the option of filling the space anyway which would compensate for any potential interest.

If she doesn't currently have space and wouldn't have until a mindee moved out of the under 5 group in September due to starting school then she can't take anyone so paying a deposit would be okay.

Hi Gold - thanks - it's kind of that situation - at present she minds for my DS (2.3yo) another little boy part time (2.6yo) and also has her daughter (3.10). Her DD will be at school when I need the new place and the other little boy will have started full time at a private nursery. She deliberately doesn't max out the under 5 numbers as she prefers to have a bit more flexibility for trips etc, and also doesn't do over 5s (she has a 7 yo and a 12 yo herself so figures that's enough to keep tabs on!). Will have a chat with her and see what options seem to work for both of us.

if im honest then if you want to use her then id expect minimum half fee per child fo r you to have the place. she is not really going to be able to fill the space to tell the potential parent in afew months il have to give notice - no parent would take the place.
i couldnt hold a space for £50 a month, so be expected to pay minimum half fee, or at least to be asked -- im sure between you though you will find something that works for you both, and if shes great with your little one shes worth holding onto x

I couldn't afford only a £50 per month fee, the standard i believe is 50% and really that is personally all i could afford. But if you can't afford 50% and that is what she is asking, then simply just explain. You may be able to come to some sort of agreement.