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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

Cm charges whilst at pre-school

33 replies

Pidgy · 25/01/2014 10:16

When I return to work I will be looking for a cm for my 2 children.

The youngest will be 1, and need care 3 or 4 days a week 8-6.
The eldest will be 2.5 years and the same hours but at pre-school for at least 3 mornings a week. Ie. 12 hours. (9-1)

What do cm usually charge if anything for these hours?
I want to try to avoid paying twice but appreciate the child would be in the numbers.

Thanks!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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MyNameIsKenAdams · 25/01/2014 10:19

If your CM is dropping the preschool child.off in the morning and going back to collect then she will charge full for the time he is at PS.

Original poster

Pidgy · 25/01/2014 10:26

Yes, she would do the drop offs and pick ups.

OP posts:

Original poster

Pidgy · 25/01/2014 10:26

Yes, she would do the drop offs and pick ups.

OP posts:

HSMMaCM · 25/01/2014 10:28

I would charge while he's at preschool. But I would also offer to let you do 15 funded hours with me instead of preschool. If you just do the free 15 hours at preschool then you won't be paying twice.

TheBakeryQueen · 25/01/2014 10:29

Would she be on call too during those hrs?

my2bundles · 25/01/2014 11:18

You would need to pay for the time as the CM wouldnt be able to fill the space with another child, therefore would lose income.

Marylou62 · 25/01/2014 11:21

When I was a childminder, I was on call and had the child if they were ill and didn't go etc. I did have to go back and collect him too on a few occasions. I know it seems unfair but unless you can take the day off or go and collect, your CM has to.

almaradlu · 25/01/2014 12:11

When I used to provide care for children attending preschool/nursery , I would also charge if I was dropping off and collecting.
I was always on call (except for D&V), going back to collect them if they had a bump or an accident.

Also the majority of the children I have cared for attending preschool/nursery usually needed childcare during the school holidays and closure days due to bad weather , hall being used as a polling station etc. So by charging for these hours at preschool meant they always had their place when preschool was closed.

noblegiraffe · 25/01/2014 12:15

I paid full charge, but DS was only doing his free hours at pre-school so I wasn't paying twice.

MyNameIsKenAdams · 25/01/2014 12:26

Why not just send ds to the cm.l full time instead of paying for two services?

Original poster

Pidgy · 26/01/2014 04:28

Myname - in currently on mat leave with number 2 but want DS to start pre-school as soon as he's 2. It's a Montessori one where they can start at 2.
I am planking on going back next jan/feb for 6 months at least (May then have a career break but undecided).

DS is currently at a CM but I'd like him to mix with more children and attend the Montessori for different activities.

It's whether we just move him to a nursery now for the day and a half, or go down the preschool and cm route as I'd prefer my new baby to be cared for by a cm.

He wouldn't get his 15 hours free until sep 15 so not for some time so it would look like we'd have to pay double for hours.

I could be on 'call' I suppose. Does that mean cm wouldn't charge?

OP posts:

MyNameIsKenAdams · 26/01/2014 06:30

No. If you need your CM to drop.him at preschool and then return to collect him three hours later then she will charge.

minderjinx · 26/01/2014 08:54

Pidgy, it would be usual for a CM to charge while a child is at preschool, particularly if they have to drop off and pick up, since they are unlikely to be able to fill those few hours with another child (so they are in effect blocked by yours), and also because the drop offs and pick up often entail extra cost and effort. You might find a rare exception to that rule - for example if a CM picks up a baby at preschool where their older sibling is being dropped off.

TheDoctrineOfSnatch · 26/01/2014 11:35

OP, it seems you understand the reasons why CMs charge but yet you want to find one that doesn't. You might get lucky but there's no systematic way to avoid the charge.

minderjinx · 26/01/2014 14:08

I think a lot of CMs will struggle to understand why you would want a 2 year old to go to school (especially if it costs you money!). We tend to be of the "let children be children" mentality, and feel little ones learn best from a trusted adult, if not a parent.

OutragedFromLeeds · 26/01/2014 14:29

A childminder will normally charge for those hours because your child is taking up a space.

The only way to avoid that is to find a childminder who offers half day spaces, drop the child off at pre-school yourself and then be on call for those hours, so the childminder has no responsibility for that child until 1pm. If the pre-school is term-time only you'll need to find alternative care for the school holidays as well. It seems a lot of hassle to me. I'd either pay twice or forget the idea of pre-school altogether, it really is unnecessary.

OddBoots · 26/01/2014 14:36

You may be able to negotiate, especially if you have one or two full day/s at pre-school rather than a few hours every day. Charging for a 3h session at pre-school to which she drops and collects is normal though.

Original poster

Pidgy · 26/01/2014 16:59

Thanks for all the responses. This is definitely something we need to think about.

minderjinx the reason we wanted to use the preschool was because my DS could attend a few mornings while I'm on maternity leave and I thought it would provide some continuity for him when I go back to work to continue going but he'd also need the cm for the additional hours.
We might have to consider a nursery but I'd prefer my new child not to go there as a baby as I prefer the idea of a cm.

Or we could find a cm for a few mornings a week now but all the places I've seen advertised are full time.

Will do a bit more investigation i think!

OP posts:

ToffeeOwnsTheSausage · 26/01/2014 18:37

Doesn't your child mix with other children at the CM?

NickNacks · 26/01/2014 20:56

He could go to the cm whilst your on maternity.

Personally I think preschool is a bit much for a just turned two yr old but of course it's your decision.

NickNacks · 26/01/2014 20:57

Oops! * you're!!

Loopytiles · 27/01/2014 17:04

Depends on supply and demand in your area. Where I live there are a number of CMs, we pay half fee, but if you don't pay you run risk of CM finding another mindee who is there for the hours or whose parents will pay.

Passthecake30 · 27/01/2014 20:23

I didn't pay my cm for the 15hrs that my two attended preschool or nursery, guess I got lucky, though that was a pre-requisite for me really, I was paying £1000 a month to her at one point and tbh couldn't afford any additional.

SoonToBeSix · 27/01/2014 20:31

Don't understand why you think you would be paying twice when the pre school is free?

CandyKate · 27/01/2014 20:32

I understand why CMs charge for pre-school but do they charge for school? DD will be at school from Sept and I need her dropping off in the morning and picking up in the afternoon. Surely I don't pay the CM for my DD being at school?

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