What do you charge for wraparound and holiday care?

[ZuleikaD]

I've got a four-year-old starting with me soon and while she's doing her three hours a day at school I'm charging as normal. However, from September she'll be in school fulltime. What's normal practice for CMs - to only charge for the wraparound time (and school holidays) or to charge something for during the school day as well?

I'm a parent and wouldn't choose a childminder who charged for when the child is at school. My childminder doesn't but maybe it differs from area to area?

Do you know what other local childminders do?

My childminder only charged for the after school & holidays, but my dd was older so she didn't affect numbers.

No I don't think there is justification for a childminder to charge to cover the school day hours. Once a child is in school full time then they count as over 5 as far as numbers are concerned, (even if they are still 4) so they are not taking up an under 5 space. If the child is part-time in school settling in then this may incur costs as they still count as a 0-5 yr old at this point.

Around here it would be usual to do as you suggest, that is charge as usual while the child is only a short time at pre-school or when just started school, but only for before and after school once he/she starts school full time.

That said, most also charge a session fee for before or after school, rather than an hourly rate (or it would not be worth the bother of taking and collecting a child for just an hour or so) and the expenses for after school children are often higher, particularly food and craft materials, if not immediately, then certainly as they get a bit bigger, hungrier and more ambitious with their art projects!

I agree with Minderjinx

Thanks minderjinx - yes, I was just wondering what was usual, especially in terms of when you're 'on call' as it were during school hours. Presumably if you have to go and pick up then you just charge the extra?

I don't know what I'd do if I was call, as once my children become before and after school only, I'm not on call during the school day. If they were ill, they wouldn't be at school anyway (or if taken ill, parents would have to collect them). If the school was closed I might be able to have them on an ad hoc basis - but not all of them, as there would be too many. I guess I'd have to give preference to those who would usually have been with me before and after school that day if it came to that.

Actually, last time the school was closed unexpectedly (snow), one parent did bring two children to me just for the usual after school hours, which was strange but fine! (others came for the whole day).

If sent home from school sick then they're too sick for CM.

If school closed, I just used to charge my usual holiday day rates.

I agree that if they're sent home sick then they're too sick for CM (or injured) but if it takes the parent an hour and a half to get the train back to pick them up then there's inevitably going to be time when they're here. Anyway! Thanks for the responses - think I might have to discuss it with the parents.

No they'll wait at school for parent to get back. No way would I drag my little ones out to collect an ill child so they can sit and mine and infect everyone when they can just as easily wait at school.

I have to agree Nicknacks. To protect the other little ones we need to exclude and avoid sick children, not go around gathering them up!