CM Club - accepting childcare vouchers?

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I've just been asked by a new parent if I can accept childcare vouchers. Having never done this before I'm not quite sure where to start. Are there any companies recommended, or even which ones to avoid?
How does it work?

Advise please on the basics would be great, thankyou.

I accept vouchers from 6 different companies, you don't have to anything apart from give them a copy of your Ofsted Certificate and bank details.

I used to have problems many many years ago, but never any now.

I get 10 all paid direct to the bank, from parents, it is easy to check on line as well to see what you have had to check off on your bank account and for your accounts.

You don't get a choice which company to use (the parents' employers choose).

Most of the voucher companies have websites with more information (e.g. Kiddivouchers so find out which one the parent's employer uses.

The only company I have heard of problems with is Computershare (formerly Busy Bees), however the most common problem is parents not appreciating that if vouchers are processed by their companies payroll on the last day of the month they may not be available to pay for childcare for up to three weeks, so if they have a childcare bill due at the end of March they need to use February's vouchers to pay it.

I take four different companies' vouchers and can second what has been said about the first payment taking three weeks or more to come through, so suggest it is best to make the first month a cash payment or ordinary bank transfer. After that, it often takes a while to get parents into the routine of authorising payments in time. On average it takes five working days from authorisation by the parent to the payment hitting my bank account. The WORKING days bit tends to throw them out if we have a weekend or bank holiday to take into account. The other issue I have is sorting out who has paid and who hasn't as they often fail to put a referencen the payment and every one is £243!

I take vouchers too - it's not up to you to find the company, all you have to do is supply a copy of your registration certificate when they contact you.

Ah that's super, thankyou. I met with her again and asked her to find out who her employer uses. Thanks for the advice.
Will ask for the first few weeks (part month) direct and then the first full month as vouchers.

so if they have a childcare bill due at the end of March they need to use February's vouchers to pay it.

Yep, that. Ask them to use the voucher for advance payment for the following months fees. The voucher payment does not hit my account until early in the month, so of no use if your contract is that you have payment by the 1st of the month.