if a childminder drops DC off at preschool at 12..

[coldcupoftea]

Would they expect to be paid for the afternoon?

I am looking at a preschool for DD when she gets her free 15 hours. There is one near here with an afternoon session that runs 12 to 3.30. I would be able to pick her up, so I want to find a childminder to look after her in the morning but drop her off at 12.

Would a childminder expect to be paid for the whole day for this, on the basis that it takes up a space?

Most would charge the full day rate yes but you might get lucky

No! How does it take up space? Child minder is free to mind other children in afternoon

It's because most parents want full days so if cm couldn't find another mindee for afternoon only they would lose money

Hmm, yeah that's what someone told me, wasn't sure if it was all childminders

Would you need them to keep her til 3.30 out of term time when you don't get your 15 hours funding?

Who would collect her if she was ill or if the preschool closed for some reason?

I charge half if the space needs to be 'held for any other reason. If you would definitely not need those hours after 12 at any time (therefore leaving it available for me to take on someone else) then no charge.

Twinkle, no I only work term time. DD goes to a fab childminder at the moment but she's not willing to do midday drop off or pick up. So if I want to use the 15 hours funding I need to either find a childminder who will just do mornings, fimd a childminder who will do the drop off/pick up at another preschool which is open 9.15 to 3 ( but presumably pay her all day), or put DD in a private nursery 2 or 3 days a week and CM the rest of the week.

Like Arithmeticulous says above it depends who is going to be the emergency contact whilst your DD is at preschool. If the CM will still have responsibility for collecting her if she is taken ill or the setting has to close for any reason then they will probably expect to be paid at least a retainer. If you will be the be who takes the call asking for someone to collect her and then arranges for that to happen then I wouldn't expect to have to pay the childminder as once she has dropped off then her responsibility ends.

Hmm, good point- I work 10 mins away so I would be able to get her if she was ill... if preschool was closed then I guess I would ask childminder if she had space for the extra hours for that one day.

Hmm hedging your bets - i'd charge in your case.

Depends I think - my old CM was happy to just do a half day.

Tbh though, preschool is v unlikely to be randomly closed for a day- DD1 went to the same one and they were always open term time, same dates as all the local schools. In the unlikely event there was a burst pipe/emergency I would ask childminder but I wouldn't expect her to be on standby- if she couldn't do it I'd ask another mum or just tell work I have to go. If she was ill I would get her myself.

Under the new government proposals more childminders will be able to accept the funding, so maybe wait and see what happens over the next few months whilst government sorts things out.

Meanwhile, if you use the pre-school then the childminder is likely to charge for a full day... though they may not, you can but ask. Each childminder runs their business as they like, so it will vary from minder to minder.

Reference for the funding changes - Mumsnet Webchat with Liz Truss. Not sure if there are any more details about it as yet, so time scale is a bit unknown.

Some CMs in my area would charge you a half day. They would then not be available if the pre school was closed, because they would fill the afternoon with someone else. Our pre school closes all the time, if staff phone in sick, the heatings not working, etc. I would charge a whole day, because I provide whole day care (and offer the 15 hours funded).

Thanks for the info... I have 2 CMs in mind so I guess all I can do is ask!

If you were guaranteed to be able to pick up and do holiday afternoons, then I would think most CMs would do a morning only. It would depend on what hours you booked with them. All you can do is ask.