CM charging half for holidays

[CalmerChamaeleon]

I've been using a fantastic childminder for before and after school care since January 12. For the first time ever, she charged half fees for the Easter holiday, with no prior warning.

When I asked about it, she told me she'd had an Ofsted paperwork check and they weren't happy that she wasn't making this charge when her contract stated that she would.

I was really surprised that this could happen. Surely she could change the contract rather than introduce the additional fee? I must admit, I'm dreading the summer holiday, when she won't have the children at all.

Is she unavailable for this time or do you choose not to send them in the school holidays.

To my mind the first would not be acceptable to me but the second is standard & you're lucky it's not full fees.

I'd double check the contract but if its in there and you've signed up to that, then she's been generous that she hasn't invoked it before.

Options are, raise your concerns and ask for a new contract or find a new childminder. Does she offer any kind of childcare during holidays?

Surely you had warning as you agreed and signed the contact which states that she charges if you don't send the children which I believe is actually quite normal practice as they are available to work and your choice not to send them.

I appreciate that she hasn't charged you for it for 2 years but if it is in the contract you should of queried why she hadn't charged you rather than wait till she carries out the terms of contract and then query it.

Maybe discuss a possible contract change of half fees of you don't send them. If it is a term time only contract that is different and if you don't need any holiday care may be worth seeing if she will change to one of those instead of all year.

I guess I should have paid more attention to the contract at the time. In my defence, there was a discussion about her being term time only and how that suited her and I because I work in a school.

And you're right - half fees are better than full!

So is she only available during term time?

I've always paid childminders a retainer for the holidays - this guarantees your DC's place. I don't usually use a childminder in the holidays - I find it cheaper to pay for a holiday scheme AND the retainer rather than the CM's hourly rate for a full day. I thought this was common practice (retainer).

Ofsted generally don't get involved in money issues with contracts, but it sounds like it's time for a contract review.

Is she available to care for your children in the holidays but you don't send them or does she not offer holiday care?

I really doubt that Ofstead commented on this.

I severely donut ofsted said anything about that! I don't think they are legally allowed to get involved in contractual issues, their only concern is child's well being!

However, if it is in the contract, then she should have made sure that she enforced it from the get go. I think it's definitely worth suggesting a contract review to make sure you are all happy.

Just on a side note- I charge full rates for both mine and parents holiday. I have 15 days a year plus all BH, and we get together in Jan and sync our holidays so that everyone is off at the same time, and no one is incurring extra childcare costs. This works well for us.

I'm pretty certain she doesn't offer holiday care, although she'll do odd days here and there if people need it.

I think I'll ask about changing to a term time only contract. After all, the worst that can happen is she'll say no!

I used to pay half in the school holidays (I teach so have all the holidays off with the children). In theory they could go if I paid the remainder of the costs for any given day.

A few years ago it went up to 3/4 of the full charge.

I won't say that I don't mind, because it's a bit of a pain, but I view it as a way of keeping an excellent childminder.

She's obviously realised she messed up by not charging half price for holidays.
but OFSTED don't do paperwork checks unless it's part of an inspection; they're not interested in contract terms, and they don't get involved in the money side.
She was looking for an excuse to rectify her mistake which is fair enough!!

Ofsted are not really interested in financial issues as far as inspection findings and gradings are concerned, but it is possible that they may have touched upon the fact that your CM has not been charging the retainer in general conversation, and the inspector may have asked why not, or even offered the opinion that she should. A lot of inspectors are former CMs.

I paid my cm half if they were our holidays.
It's her income, and I loved her!

How interesting. My cm suddenly changed my contract after 7 years and when I queried the changes, which were big, she said ofsted had criticised the different contracts she
had. One of the changes was us having to pay half fee if we took holiday. However,she kept her 30 day holiday for when she wanted. It was a big factor in ending a 7 year relationship. We were sad as we thought she was great with kids but sliding us a contract to sign with a few weeks notice and big changes didn't work for us. Interesting ofsted were part of that reason.