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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

Charging for school drop offs?

46 replies

SazZaVoom · 24/09/2011 17:53

can anyone advise as to whether this is the 'norm' and if so how much you charge per child per day (plus any sibling discounts)

Does it make any difference if you are going to that school anyway at the same time to drop your own children off?

Thanks

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carocaro · 24/09/2011 18:12

Are you a childminder? If so just charge your normal hourly rate eg: if kids are dropped to you at 8.10am and you have dropped them at school for 9am that is an hour, just because you are going with your kids you are still actually minding someone elses so you should charge. Why should you not get paid for doing a job so someone else can be paid to get to their job on time?

Original poster

SazZaVoom · 24/09/2011 18:18

Sorry for any confusion, I am the parent! Potential cm has said she is thinking of charging a fee for school drop off/pick up on top of the hourly rate. I guess to cover petrol etc

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hocuspontas · 24/09/2011 18:23

The only reason I can think of is that she has found she is losing out on babies and toddlers whose parents don't want their children carted up and down to school.

Original poster

SazZaVoom · 24/09/2011 18:27

But she will be going there anyway to drop her dd off, so I don't think that is the reason.

I had never heard of it before, hence just wanting a view on how commonplace it is. Or not.

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hocuspontas · 24/09/2011 18:33

Is she expected to interact with the teachers? Some childminders I know are sometimes hauled in at 3 o'clock for lengthy conversations about behaviour/messages or instructions to pass onto parents etc. Then are in again at 9 o'clock the following morning with answers, feedback, letters etc.

However I don't know any who charge extra.

Original poster

SazZaVoom · 24/09/2011 18:36

I don't think so. It is literally just a 'transport' fee.

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UniS · 24/09/2011 18:58

Our Afterschool CM charges an additional fee if she has to collect them from a sports club as it will mean an extra car trip.

looneytune · 24/09/2011 18:58

I'm a CM and pretty sure she's not allowed to charge for this as it comes under something about being a taxi service?? (nannynick or someone hopefully can confirm). We claim mileage from the tax man so that covers that, other than that she can either charge an hourly rate or a sessional before school and after school rate.

HSMM · 24/09/2011 21:00

She can't charge for fuel, but many Childminders charge a higher hourly rate, because school runs are a real pain.

Original poster

SazZaVoom · 24/09/2011 22:25

Thanks all for your input

HSMM she is doing the school run anyway for her DD so not an 'extra' PITA. I would accept i have to pay if she did an extra trip outside of 8.45/3.15 trips, but not if i have chosen her specifically because the service she offers is the school run to our school.

Looney do you know where that might be confirmed? Is there a childminders website i could consult?

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UniS · 24/09/2011 22:28

SO a CM can charge a higher hourly rate for a drop off / collect situation. Seems fair enough.

I guess like any company giving a quote a CM can price themselves high for a job they are not really keen to do, if customer wants that service enough they will pay.

Original poster

SazZaVoom · 24/09/2011 22:33

I absolutely agree UniS. And at the moment a part time nanny is looking like a cheaper option if she does charge for this. She is just starting out and her mum (who is a CM) has advised her to charge extra for these journeys.

She asked me whether i thought this was ok/commonplace so i thought i would ask on here to see whether it was or not. My current CM does not charge for this, but i can't carry on with her as she does not drop of at DD's school.

If she wants to charge, then that is absolutely her choice, but it means that we may well have to look elsewhere for childcare. It is a shame because her DD and mine are good friends and she is not going out of her way to do the school run as she does it anyway.

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NickNacks · 24/09/2011 22:35

I don't think it makes much of a difference whether any of us on here charge this drop off fee, or whether the CM already has to do the school run with her own child, or what the CM website you 'consult' will say...... The potential (ie you haven't committed yourself to using her yet) has told you of her fee for the service in which you enquired about and you have a choice of using her or not!

I don't really know why you want to justify her fee for her. She will have weighed up the supply/demand, expenses and profits for herself and will decide what she wishes to 'sell' her time for. Either use her and pay her or don't!

NickNacks · 24/09/2011 22:36

X-posts!

Original poster

SazZaVoom · 24/09/2011 22:38

Actually no, Nicknacks. She hasn't decided or not. it was something her mum advised her to do. She asked me whether i knew whether this was commonplace or not, knowing i already use a CM.

Of course she can decide what she wants to charge, its just that this may swing the choice for us.

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Original poster

SazZaVoom · 24/09/2011 22:38

LOL, sorry!

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BibiBelle · 24/09/2011 22:40

NickNacks - if you read the post at 22:33 you'll see that the OP has been asked if this is a normal/commonplace charge by the CM in question. I imagine the OP is on here enquiring on her behalf and not complaining about it. She has already stated that a part time nanny might be a better option and looks to be considering ALL possibilities.

I don't think she's looking to justify anything for anyone, just making an enquiry in a place that she might get some helpful advice.

Original poster

SazZaVoom · 24/09/2011 22:42

More x posts! Thanks bibi for understanding where i am coming from - the written word often comes out wrong

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NickNacks · 24/09/2011 22:47

Bibi -hence I put x-posts!

woahthere · 24/09/2011 22:48

I think you need to completely forget the fact that she has a daughter to drop off anyway, as this has no bearing on anything.
One of my friends charges differently for pick ups and drop offs. Her hourly is 3.60 per hour but then she charge £5 per hour for after schoolers or before schoolers. At first I scoffed and thought it was far too much, but now, after doing cm'ing for a while I totally wish i had done the same from the start because otherwise you can end up having children for only an hour and by the time theyve eaten, profit is very minimal, and before school drop off is a very important job actually! You have to get them there on time, relay info to the teacher, possibly comfort children that dont want to go...mornings are hard, and cm's take so much of that stress away from parents and enable them to get to work on time. You don't say how much extra it is, if its only a quid or 2, I think thats fine, and personally I wouldnt quibble it if I thought my cm was good.

BibiBelle · 24/09/2011 22:54

indeed

woahthere I think it might but a huge deal breaker if it is a considerable amount each week and I comment on this with the view as a CMer (previously) and a working parent (now)

I gave it up due to the complicated paperwork and hassle involved so am more than aware it is not a high earning/easy job to be taken lightly!

Original poster

SazZaVoom · 24/09/2011 22:55

Apparently her mum charges £3.50 per trip per child, so would be £14 per day. She has said she could to it for £5 per day.

I would be using her for 2hrs before school, 3hrs after.

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Original poster

SazZaVoom · 24/09/2011 22:58

Oh and i would pay £3 per child for breakfast & tea.

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woahthere · 24/09/2011 23:10

Im not sure I understand, how many hours a day and how much in total are you charged a day?

Original poster

SazZaVoom · 24/09/2011 23:17

£3.755 hrs DD1 (normal rate for the area)
£3.005 hrs DD2 (sibling discount)
£14 transport
£6 food

So, £53.75 if she goes with her mums advice, £44.75 if she charges £5 for transport

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