CM holidays

[redheelsandwine]

Im posting on behalf of a friend. She has got a new CM who is saying that she has to pay her for bank hols has mondays is one of the days she has DS, which is fair enough me and my friend feel, but the CM has also said she charges for when she (CM) takes a holiday. My friend is confused and thinks this is not right, she understands if she is on hols she has to pay, but to pay the CM when she takes a hol is out of order. Is the CM trying it on? x

You will get a wide range of responses. There are CMs who do not charge for holidays, or bank holidays and there are others that charge for everything. Some do different kinds of 50/50 splits on holidays.

The CM is not trying it on. She is offering a service, with associated terms and conditions and your friend has to decide if she accepts them.

Sorry ... not much help.

She can try negotiating, but if these are the CM's normal terms, then she probably won't change her mind.

Both my childminders charged me for when they were on holiday, though one did only charge me for two weeks when they went away for a month (boy, finding alternative childcare was fun). I must admit I was a bit miffed but it seemed standard as far as I could tell.

The National Childminders Association now recommend that CMs take at least four weeks paid holiday and I think more and more are doing that. I always suggest ignoring the hourly/daily/weekly rate, but look at what childcare will actually cost you per year taking into account what holiday you will take and compare on that basis. You may find that your CM who charges for holidays is still a better deal than one who doesn't but charges a bit more per hour or has extra charges for bits and pieces.

I would also add that I'd be wary of childminders who don't charge for any leave if that means in practice they can't afford to take any. I think we all need to take a breather and recharge our batteries every now and then to stay healthy and motivated.

minderjinx - I am sorry I disagree.
I do not charge for my holidays purely for the fact I feel it is unfair on parents if they have to pay me and then pay someone else as well. It is not fair to assume that if a childminder does not charge then they may not take holidays as they cannot afford holidays and so will not be able to recharge their batteries.

I take the holiday I want, recharge my batteries as needed, but do not charge parents for it... it does not make me any less a childminder than a childminder who charges for holidays. My care remains high quality and professional at all times.

I can see where minderjinx is coming from - I had a year where the families I looked after only had a holiday overlap of 1 week. Financially I couldn't afford any weeks without an income so that year I only had a weeks holiday. It was tough, felt like a long time without a break from work but I wouldn't say that the care the children received from me was compromised in any way - more that my family missed out on quality time with me away from work.

Leesax, I didn't make any assumptions or suggest that anyone else should. If you look again I said IF in practice that means they can't afford to take any. It would not be difficult to ask a potential childminder how much leave she actually took in the last year or what her intentions were for this year. I have certainly heard childminders say "I don't charge for my holidays but then I don't (or hardly) take any". Nbee has been in that position as you can see. All I'm saying is that I do not think that is a good situation.

...and I don't think it is necessarily unfair on parents to charge for holidays. Again, as I said before, it isn't as simple as that - you could easily not charge for holiday but be more expensive than somebody who did. Parents need to look at the whole picture.

But why be wary of it - if a childminder can still offer good quality care?

I just think making the assumption that if a childminder does not charge for holidays and does not/will not be taking many will impact on care or should make parents wary is incorrect.

Unless a childminder said "I want the holidays but can't take them because I can't afford it, even though really I need it because I am totally frazzled and so not doing as great a job as I could be" I think it is not fair to make assumptions and be wary of using them.... that's all.

I also did read your 'IF' part - but how would you actually know the reasoning unless you expect a childminder to explain her financial decisions in full to you? So without doing this, you could be making incorrect assumptions...

cms are a business and are self employed so all can and obviously do offer whatever service they like regarding pay, sickness and holidays.. its up to parents to take or leave before they sign the contract.

noone suggests that hotels are 'trying it on' if they charge for things other hotels dont...cms are no diferent...

Thanks girls. I have no experience of this, has we were lucky to have grandparents to help with childcare. I see both sides of the coin now. Its a tough job and I take my hat off to anyone who does it. Will let my friend know x