Good Friday and Easter Monday

[Sjm79]

Would I be expected to pay a retainer to my cm for good fri and Easter mon? Also what about Xmas day and Boxing Day? I've paid a retainer in the past but thought I would ask you guys what is expected. Thanks

Your contract is the only place you can find the answer - sorry.

No probs. thanks. I haven't really got a contract as such but just wanted to know what other ppl do in general.

You should have a contract - it's a condition of your CM's insurance that one should be in place.

I had better check this out then. I'm new to using a Childminder, my older child went to a nursery, so apologise in advance for sounding a bit dumb!

I pay bank holidays if they fall on days my dd would usually be with her cm. its in my contract with her.

Thanks eeyoresgloomyplace.

I don't charge for bank holidays, but we are all different.

My contract with cm is term time only, excluding bank holidays, so I don't pay for them

In my experience most cm's don't charge for bank holidays if they decide not to work them but if they are available and you choose not to send your child then yes you will still have to pay.
But really is up to the individual childminder, it should be detailed in your contract or in cm's policies.

Sjm79, even a verbal agreement is a contract, so you DO have a contract, but if it is not written down, some of the terms and conditions would be uncertain. This seems to be the case with bank holidays in your situation.

Some CMs do charge full rate for BHs, others charge retainers, while others do not charge at all. You cannot assume that it is one way or the other although my guess is that most CMs don't charge for BHs. Ask your CM for clarification. If you are not happy with her answer, then ask to renegotiate that part of the contract and ask to have the whole contract put in writing.

I hope you get it sorted satisfactorily.

If you pay a retainer for the day then you would be entitled to expect to use it.

Sorry ZuleikaD but as the 2nd poster said, it all depends on what is in the contract. I charge for B/Hols but do not work them. It is very clear in my contracts and if the parent is not comfortable with my charging policy then it is their right to look elsewhere. I make it very clear from the outset when we first meet so they can go away and do the maths and actually work out what they are paying for the whole year - you cannot take individual days in isolation.

It makes not the slightest difference that Registered Childminders are self-employed ~ the contract/financial proposal is offered to the propective parent and it is for them to accept or decline it. There is no "right or wrong".

I charge for BH if a child's day falls on them except Christmas, Boxing Day & NY as I don't work those days

As you can see, it really varies! I don't charge for Bank Holidays as I'm not prepared to work them.

Thanks guys for your replies. I had to pay Xmas day and Boxing Day but there was no choice for my child to go on those days (I work in a hospital so these days are not a day off for me) but I wouldn't have sent my daughter for obvious reasons, Xmas is family time but....if I'm expected to pay for these days surely I should get a say in whether my daughter goes? Am I wrong to think like this?

I would probably expect to pay for bank holidays as a lot of people work these days now, I was more concerned about Good friday, Xmas day and Boxing Day.

Good friday, Xmas day and Boxing Day are Bank Holidays too, so the same rules will apply to all of them. A contract is the only thing to confirm whether you have topay and whether you can use tthe day.