Hello lovely childminders, can you tell me how common it is for a c/m to offer school holiday only care please?

[preschoolconcerns]

My DD1 is going to a fantastic pre school as of September. They do wrap around care so you can get a morning half hour, morning session, lunch session, afternoon session then after session care which will basically cover a full working day.

Sounds great, but they aren't open at all over the holidays. I have a DD2 who will be 1 when DD1 goes to pre school - ideally I'd like to send DD2 to a c/m who also has DD1 only during the holidays (when I find a job!)

I totally understand why c/m's need to charge for the whole day if you want them to take your child, say 8.30 - 5.30 but 3 hours of that is a pre school session. I have no quibble with that whatsoever

But, I'm wondering if any c/ms would take a child just for school holidays, and not charge for a place the rest of the year? Is this common? Does this happen for school age children?

This is all hypothetical atm but I';m running through all the potential going back to work scenarios atm.

THanks.

Watching

Um not me

Sorry

I can't afford to not earn for 39 weeks (3/4 of the year)

school age - maybe depending upon my out of schoolies; but pre-school - no

I would- very common i would say as there are plenty of spaces to fill the gaps from term time only contracts. I'd do it! PM me if your in Berkshire. Ha ha

Sorry awful spelling your you're!

I do!

I do too. :-)

We would as we have some term time only children. Mainly we would offer holiday care only for older siblings of those in our setting first but currently we don't have that. We are from Whitton in Twickenham.

I do holiday only care - it enables me to offer term-time only to parents who need it without having to charge them for the holidays.

OOoh, this is interesting, thank you so much!

Katymac - don't be sorry, I'm not looking for childcare atm

Um, but shouldn't you be doing your coursework not reading MN?

Oh yes!

I am honest; I got loads done

i have a term time only contract with my cm and I know she has children that come just for the holidays too - probbaly just a matter of finding the right childminder.

The other option would be a day nursery? They open 51 weeks a
year normally and soem give discounts for siblings? DD loved hers (she was there for 4 years before starting school in sept) and we got the NEG funding once she was 3 too. Also, I worked it out and the nursery was cheaper than using a childminder at the time.

If i had the space then i would consider it, but atm i dont have any term time only kids so dont have space!