How much do you pay an assistant?

[cupcakeandcoffee]

Hello,

I work with my husband at the moment but business is expanding and we are considering taking on an assistant or a couple of them for occassional hours.

We charge £65 per day for a full time child.
What do you think is reasonable to offer an assistant? What do you pay yours and is there anything else we need to consider such as sick pay, holidays etc?

I want to take on great people, mums etc so want to offer enough to attract them, but not so much that it doesn't make financial sense!

I have no idea what your business is.

Sorry, We are childminders!

Could you afford £6.50 an hour gross?

So an assistant gets you £195 per day or it would if you were full with FT children

Remember you need to add on for NI, holiday, training & sick

I reckon an employee costs 1.3 to 1.5 times their salary so £6.50 is between £8.45 - £9.75

There is a limit to the number of people who can work at the same time, before it becomes Childcare on Domestic Premises. Is 3 people the limit?

3 at a time Nick, - so 9 under 5's

quick post, on phone, need bed. But ofsted email yesterday said:

"Please note that from 1st September 2008, if four or more people are working together with children at the same time your setting will be classed as childcare on domestic premises and not childminder. This requires a different registration than a childminder and you may need to reapply if this is the case. For further information on this please see the Guide to Registration on the EYR: Childcare on domestic/non domestic premises"

Thanks for all the imput.

We spoke to Ofsted a while ago and they said we may take on as many assistants as we like so long as we dont have more than 3 people caring for the children at any one time.

Our intention is to have 2 or 3 to cover for sickness for either myself or husband (both childminders) or help during busy times. By having 3 some may be available mornings or others pick up times. We have mums interested in occasional hours and a chilminder friend interested in adhoc with us.

My question is mainly what we should offer per hour on an adhoc / part time basis.

I pay minimum wage to start with a 6 month review.