What are average childminder fees ( in west midlands)?

[Tiredemma]

Trying to find some childcare for next march. Baby will be 6 months old. Never used a CM for either of my boys so dont have a clue regarding fees.

Any advice? And what to look for ?

Been a while since mine were at CMs, but the Family Information Service is always a good place to start.

low, i would think - estimate would be £3.50 an hour - anyone who works for that amount of money must really love their job hats off to them!

try your local FIS op - or look on childcare.co.uk = some people put their fees on there.

I'm East Midlands and £3 per hour

£3 per hour and I have a degree in Childcare

I'm in Telford and pay £3.20 an hour

Jesus Christ. South East and I pay £6ph

Bonkerz ill employ you if you move to sutton coldfield!

Yorkshire here and paying £5 per child per hour.

Awful i admire you all - you must really want to do the job. I moan about my wage that works out £6 ph, i think even that is way too low.

Childcare per hour rate and a wage are different things.

Childminder rates will vary, so start by contacting FIS for a list of childminders and then ask individual minders (if the list does not give you enough of a guide to local typical rates).

true, some people can take more mindees. i only take one atm at a time so my wage really is my rate!!

i just feel for those cms in those areas who have to take 2 or 3 mindees just to make minimum wage..

My CM charges £5 per hour for part timers or £35 for a full day which works out to £3.50 per hour! i enquired with 6 CMs and she was the second cheapest in our area. she does charge for bank hols and her holidays as well though. with anyone else, i would have walked away as i dont think CMs should charge when they are not available but with her, I am happy to do so as she is absolutely fab and DS loves her. I am in west midlands.

Reet- a childminder is paid per child not per hour though.

Ie we paid out childminder £8.50 an hr per child (in central London). She had 3 children under 5 all day, so £25.50 an hr plus 2 children before and after school. That's £255 a day just for 3 youngest, so over £300 a day approx min. Although she obviously had to pay tax and expenses but still an ok rate if she kept half a day.

In the midlands I would say £5 an hr approx depending on what's included ( ir some include all meals/ nappies etc, some don't)

Forever- that is exceptionally fees based on your location though. Most of the country is nowhere near £8.50ph. Unlikely to be anywhere near £5ph in the midlands.

Yes but it's living rate. So midlands, say £4.50 then. £4.50 x 3 = £13.50 an hr. plus before and after school

So say 3 full time 8-6 = £135 a day
X2 school age , 8-9am = £9 and 3-6pm £27

= £171 a day. £137 a day after 20% tax.

Allowing for expenses it's still over £100 a day / £500 a week which is goo for midlands I'm assuming and more than a nanny in same area is probably getting

And some may have more if allowed ie for twins or more after school/ over 8s etc in holiday blah blah.

It can be hard, but you can also be very successful if in a needed area and having an edge ( ie Montessori approach/ outside forest style/ organic/ babywearing/ special need experience / bilingual)

You are assuming every childminder is full for every hour of the day. Almost never the case. Most have their own children which take up spaces.

And last time I checked, fuel, food, utilities and insurances/registration required fees were the same across the country.

Thanks all- have received a list from FIS - will plough through!

£8.50 ph is extremely high evrn for central london. I am in north/north west london and my day rate works out as £6 ph, out of which o have to provide wipes, food, milk, entry yo groups etc etc. As my own ds2 is not yet in f/t sch he is still taking up a space so even if i had 2 mindees at a time (which i dont) i would only be earning £12 ph, out of which comes all the above expenses x 2.

Cms are rarely at full capacity either through choice or due to own children/lack of parenys wanting to use the space....

Sorry about spelling - on phone

Sure. But London rent for example is a lot higher. Our childminder was based in Kensington. We only used for 1 year as had second child and changed childcare. However we booked her before baby was born and she had a huge waiting list when we left ( as we asked if she wanted a friend on ours number as a replacement, and she said she was sorry but already had a long waiting list). I think she was very reasonably priced. It is a lot more for a nanny for one child in same area with tax etc..
She had a lovely garden, moments from Hyde park, fed them, kept to parents parenting ethos, and great resources. We still meet up sometimes. If people are prepared to pay that fee then surely it's ok.
Reet - you could advertise for before and after school, school holiday care and more mindees if you wanted though.

Op- I would work out what your budget is and go from there. A higher fee but more things may actually work out cheaper. Ie if child is fed 3 meals a day then that's food you aren't buying for at home.

I could,thats true, but dont want to - lol

I'm in Sutton Coldfield and was paying 3.50 (admittedly last year!).

Have you not found anyone you like or is it the cost that's the issue?

East Midlands here and I pay £3.10 an hour (although DD is only there 1 afternoon a week).