Vouchers

[Poincare]

Hi, could any childminders give me advice about receiving vouchers? My DSis has started using a childminder who has said they've decided not to accept vouchers. This isn't a huge problem although DSis would prefer to use vouchers obviously as it saves a bit of tax every month. Are there any reasons why childminders would choose not to? As the CM is just starting out, do you think it would be worth DSis raising it again a bit down the line?

Or do a lot of CMs choose not to accept them?

Thanks

Hi its up to each childminder what method of payment they choose.

At present I am with Edenred Childcare Vouchers (formerly Accor Vouchers). Only one of my parents use this.

Could it be that the the cm had problems with this. The challenges I have faced is part payment with vouchers and cash etc. Payments in bits.

your Dsis could ask the cm why?

Each childcare voucher company may differ in how they do things.

I usually get payment part in vouchers, part in bank transfer and don't have a problem with it. You could ask what the reason is, but it's each CM's preference.

We pay our CM part in vouchers and part cash. TBH it's a bit fiddly and probably a hassle for her, but then we always let her keep any excess (we do irregular hours) so I hope that makes up for it.

Vouchers have no benefit to the CM only hassle. The benefit is for the parents. Most CMs do take them.

Voucher payments do not always go smoothly, get processed in a prompt manner. So if using vouchers, then use them in arrears.

So in Month 1, Get the voucher and use it to pay for Month 2, giving it to your childminder (or authorising the electronic payment) in the middle of month 1 so that it is in your childminders bank by start of Month 2.

There is hassle for your CM. The voucher companies do not have access to Ofsted's database, so every year they pester providers for proof of registration but Ofsted don't provide that proof every year. On going battle there! Solution I've found so far is to pay the Ofsted registration fee over the phone telling Ofsted that I need a receipt. Once I have that, I take a picture of it and email the picture to the voucher company. Then I leave the voucher company to do what it likes - I can't provide any other proof!
Voucher companies pay the money whenever they like - the CM has no control over when the payment may enter their bank account.

When voucher companies pay, they do not always give detailed info on the BACs transfer, so it's hard to know for which child/children the payment applies.
As HSMM says, there are no benefits for your childminder. If they can fill their childcare places with children whose parents don't need to use vouchers, then good for them. One less hassle they need to deal with.

Absolutely no benefit for CMs whatsoever. They pay late usually.. and with a voucher from each parent, topped up with a bank transfer for a full time child... it's fiddly to sort out... especially as the voucher give NO indication on our bank statement who has actually made the payment.

I get paid in vouchers by different companies.... TBH It's the parent that decides when the payment goes into your account... I make sure mine are invoiced with a pre pay date of 3 working days to ensure vouchers have cleared...

I disagree re the benefit to childminders. As a parent who has them, If I had the choice between two childminders who were both good, I would use the services of a childminder who was registered.