Childminder costs

[Mnmsmammy1]

Can anyone please advise, my sister has found a childminder that she wants to take care of her son while she's at work, she had a bad experience with her previous nursery and so is very keen to have home with someone she feels comfortable with. The problem is she got the contract today and it states that she has to pay for 52 weeks a year but they only provide 48 weeks childcare! At £40 a day that seems ridiculous. Can anyone please advise if this is allowed or does anyone know where oi can find this out.
Thanks in advance
Leanne

It's certainly " allowed" , the childminder is running his/her own business and can set up their contracts as they wish.
It seems like the childminder is charging for the 48 weeks and another 4 weeks holiday, pretty standard.

I think that's wrong though, I work in a nursery where parents are not charged for services not available. I could understand her being charged if she was choosing to take him out but not when it's closed. That's £800 per child!
Thank you for your information though, I will let her know.
Leanne

It's the norm I'm afraid

Would you work at the nursery if they did not pay you for annual holiday?

A childminder is not an employee so does not get statutory holiday. Instead they set their business terms. They could have a higher per day rate and not charge for time off or they can even things out over the year.

If your sister wants to pay a higher fee during times the childminder is available and none when they are not, they could try negotiating that.

OP.....you get paid for 52 we

weeks if the year yet

work 48.

work 48.

Nannynick I could understand if the costs weren't so high. £40 a day is steep considering it's a childminder. My nursery is around the same but childminders are usually cheaper. If you look at it the way you have what about schools? Newer contracts are pro rata so pay is spread over the year but the 13 weeks pay is taken out.

Your sister doesn't have to use this childminder. She can find another childminder, or use other childcare.

This childminder has worked out her charges according to the hours required and the service provided. If your sister wants to use her, she will have pay her.

I'm not sure why you're getting involved or why you're quibbling over the costs on a forum of perfect strangers! What do you expect us to do?

£40 a day for a childminder is a good rate £5 a hour for an 8 hr day, on depends where you are in the uk. And I think you will find that if your nursery closes over Christmas the parents are still charged for 52 weeks a year spread over the 12 months evenly. Most if not all nurseries I know and have worked at do it.

And yes the childminder is just including four weeks paid holiday in the contract. You may find that don't charge when they are away, they all work differently and can have what ever they want in the contract within reason, it is up to a parent to find one who they like and whose contract they agree to

There are quite a few childminders who charge for their holidays and some even charge for their sick days if they have any. It does have a habit of causing bad feeling.

Is your friend aware that she will probably also be charged for bank holidays even if the childminder is not available to work?

I have always to preferred to work on the principle that parents pay me for the contracted hours that I am available. If I'm not available, they have to pay someone else to do it and therefore end up paying twice.

However this includes charging for hours they don't use so, if they go on holiday for two weeks, they still have to pay for it.

Does the contract make it clear how much notice parents will have of the childminder's holiday dates? it may be possible for them to book their holiday to coincide with the childminder's.

TBH I think this format causes more bad feeling than it's worth but it must work for some people.

She has the information, she just needs to decide whether she is willing to enter into that contract.

Totally normal. Dd was at nursery and we paid 49 weeks divided over a year.

I'm guessing it's £4 an hour over a 10 hour day. That would be be only slighter higher than the average where I am. It varies depending what part of the country you're in. It may include all meals, transport, outings etc .
I disagree regarding childminders being cheaper than nurseries , in my experience at least. We tend to be similar.
All childminders charge for holidays and are actively encouraged to do so by the regional associations , it's part of the drive to have a professional business image and stop people thinking we're glorified baby sitters. It's one if the main reasons to utilise contracts too , it isn't a pay-as-you-go service , you're being promised a place for your child everyday , so you're protected.
If she feels it really isn't a good deal she should definitely shop around. That would be something I would actively encourage because you want families to be happy with their choice.
How does your sister feel about it all? There will be an online resource for parents run by your local childminding association that will answer some of these sort of questions. It can be a difficult conversation to have with a childminder face to face without it sounding a bit personal.

All childminders charge for holidays

There may be quite a lot doing this but it most certainly isn't all.

That was a bit of a sweeping statement granted. I don't personally know any that don't and our local association has strongly encouraged us to do so.
Some childminders just work term time but that a different situation.
Not all charge full price however , personally I charge half price for their holiday and half price for mine for up to four week a year. I considered this to be a fair compromise and I rarely take more than a couple of days a year anyway.

£40 a day for childcare is not steep!

I've used one childminder that charged half for her holidays, half for our holidays and one who is term time only so doesn't charge for holidays (but hourly rate is higher). Up to the individual childminder I think.

Really really annoys me when the costs of CMs are described as expensive, £40 a day is steep same price as nursery we aren't a cheap crappy alternative. I work really hard and my prices reflect the care I provide, in the area that I live. £40 a day seems to be the average UK price.
How we set out our fees is down to us, this CM is spreading her fees across the year, so as not to charge extra certain months. This is common and reasonable.

I charge more but don't charge for holidays. Over the whole year my charges would be higher. If she likes the CM then that is all she needs to worry about.

Do tell her to check how much notice of holiday is given.

Also remember that the £40 a day has to pay for utilities, petrol and resources. Plus tax. It is not take home pay.

It's up to the individual CM what they charge.

Out of interest, why shouldn't a CM charge the same as a nursery? You seem to suggest that a childminder is providing a different level of care. She is perfectly entitled to charge what she likes, and charging for 4 weeks holiday is perfectly understandable. You get paid holiday don't you?
If your sister doesn't like the terms of the contract then it's up to her to look elsewhere.

£40 is cheap depending where your sister is in the country

Some cm charge every week others charge higher rate per hour but not holidays

She needs to look at the over all total for the year and what that covers ie nappies meals etc

Out of those 4 weeks I'm assuming your sister will be away least 2 so cm
Should charge as keeping space open

In the end the cm is self employed and can charge what they like and up to client if they want to pay it

If she isn't happy then look at another cm :)

i have to agree with you although it depends what part of the country you live in i suppose.I am a registered chilminder in blackpool and charge £25.00 per day all meals included 8 to 10 hours a day .

I wouldn't expect to charge the same as a local nursery if I was offering a similar quality of service but expected to be paid for four weeks a year when I was closed (unless the nursery did the same).