If you use a childminder for after-school care, do you pay over the summer?

[BornToFolk]

DS goes to a (lovely) childminder after school a couple of days a week. She won't be looking after him over the summer as I've made other arrangements and I'm just wondering whether I need to keep paying her during the break? I've checked the contract and there's nothing in there.
Just wondering what was usual really. Thanks!

There really is no such thing as normal as all CM write their own terms. Some charge a slightly higher rate for term time only but nothing in the holidays, others charge normal fees year round, some charge half fee in the holidays as a 'retainer'.

What did you do about half term or previous holidays? Hard to say without seeing the full contract but I'd say unless it specifically states
term time only/39 weeks only then you can safely assume you won't be paying during the holidays but if there's no reference to term time or holiday time don't be surprised if your cm expects full fee as she may well be expecting to have your child all day in the holidays! I'm surprised you didn't discuss this before signing TBH.

She's only had him since January and as I pay her a set amount each month by direct debit I've kept that going over half terms and Easter.

I've checked the contract again and it does state term time only. She's definitely not expecting him over the holidays.

It wasn't discussed before signing as I had to find a new childminder in a hurry and she was the only one I could find who could pick up from his school. It also happened that she is great, DS gets on well with her and her DC, so I snapped her up!

Speak to your childminder. Perhaps remind her of the last day of term arrangements (schools can often finish early), make sure she is aware of any special arrangements for that day and at the same time confirm with her that you won't be needing her service over the holidays but would like to recommence on x date.

If you're paying a set amount, it's quite likely that she's worked out term times/holidays and pro rata ed it across twelve calendar months. So it's likely you'll pay her as usual.

That's how I'd do it, and other cms I know.

Was just about to say what the last poster said. My term time only contracts only paid for term time care but if they paid a fixed monthly fee then this would continue al year round as was spread over the 12 months. I used to email a word document with the annual fees calculations on it and this would then be shown as a 'fixed fee' on the invoice. Have you had anything similar you can check?

Im lucky in that my CM takes on a child just for school holidays, so she lets us "cm-share" if you get me? Its one spot shared by the two families. Otherwise I would have to pay.

I would not pay anything for a term time contract over the holidays, unless the contract explicitly says monthly payment of £x year round to cover term time only care.

I have a term time only contract with our CM. I pay her at an hourly rate for the time we use. And of course, I pay her if we don't show up for whatever reason in the usual contracted hours. I do not pay her over school breaks (as they are not in term time), and I do not pay for summer.

We have a term time only contract too and just pay during the term. CM emails us the invoice in the last week of each month setting out our fees for the following month. So in April we paid for about two weeks as it was Easter holiday; May was three weeks as there was half term and I've just paid June's which was for a full month.

If you pay a set amount each month, it sounds like she's charging you for term time only but spread over 12 months. Best way to find out is to ask her. I don't pay for holidays as my childminder doesn't work them.