Do I still have to pay my childminder?

[Bowie44]

My 7 year old son goes into hospital next week for a couple of days for an operation on his face. He has to keep warm for several days afterwards, so am keeping him off school for a week. If he goes to my CM, he would have to walk 1.5 miles to school in the morning to take the other children, then back again, and repeated in the afternoon. I have a relative coming to stay who will look after him for a few days whilst he recovers. I gave my CM about 3 months notice of the op, and the care needed afterwards. So do I still need to pay her whist my son recovers at home?

I would say yes, as she won't be able to find enough child to fill so few days, and it is the same as if he is sick (she is available to work but you are unable to use her services).

It will depend on your contract, but almost certainly, yes.

Your childminder still needs to pay her bills!

If you don't pay for holiday then I guess you could argue this is booked out, but otherwise yes, you will still need to pay her as she can't just fill the days your son isn't there.

Unless you would think it to be fine for your CM to find a new child to look after in that slot and then not let your son re-start on the grounds that she now had no spare spaces to take him - you need to pay.

If you usually pay for sick days then yes, I would expect you will have to pay. It will depend on your contract.

My CM let me take Annual Leave (which was half fee) on an occasion when I would have struggled to pay her the full amount as I had to take unpaid leave for a sick child. A few months later when she had to take time off due to illness in the family I paid her Annual Leave so it evened itself out.

As others have said, if your contract specifies full fee for sickness and holidays then you will have to pay.

Well I would say yes you do. It's hardly her fault you are not bringing your son for a few days, and how would you expect her to make up her lost income whilst retaining the space for his return? She still has bills to pay and is probably still working those days, albeit with one less child. You are lucky to have found family to cover, so it's not as if you will be paying for other childcare (presumably). I would be a bit shocked if one of my families expected not to pay in this situation.

Really??? I would say no. I would take it as holiday. Doesn't your contract say that you are both allowed holiday at half fees? I have to give 4 weeks notice with mine so if you gave 3 months then that's plenty.

My last contract was half fees for holiday, the one before was no fees on holidays (max 4 weeks) but I know some CM do charge full fees for mindees holidays.

Unless your contract allows you to take holidays, then you are paying to keep the place.

It all depends on what your contract says.

Same as others have said. I charge full fees for child sickness & holidays but no fees for mine (as I'm closed so not available to provide the contracted service) so you would have to pay me. You need to follow what it says in your contract.

I also charge full fees for mindees' holidays but nothing for mine (same as a nursery would). Check your contract.

The problem I have with the contract is it is very basic, and doesn't cover sickness. I am allowed 4 weeks holiday a year at half cost, so I guess I will have to take it as holidays.
Thank you everybody for your comments and advice.

I refund half fees for sickness but all childminders are different and set their own policies. The reason I started refunding half was because so many children were being sent to me when they were too poorly to come but parents didn't want to not send them as they'd already paid for the day. I decided I would rather earn less than be looking after sick children all the time - It works for me.