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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

Childminding fees - does this sound right?

9 replies

RaRaRa1999 · 22/09/2015 13:16

Is it right for a childminder to charge for the hours my DS is at preschool? For example I drop him at her house at 8am, she drops him at preschool for 9 and picks him up at 12pm. He is then with her until 5pm. She will charge me from 8am-5pm. So even though he isn't in her care between 9-12 I'm still paying her. Is that common practise? Thank you!

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vvviola · 22/09/2015 13:18

Ours doesn't. But then that's because she specifically wants the time while DC are at school for other work she does.

If she was holding a space open for them, and took full-day children, then I might expect to pay something for the hours they aren't there - but possibly not the full hourly rate.

Jackie0 · 22/09/2015 13:18

Yes its standard practice.
It means if the preschool need the child collected the cm will get them.
Our regional childminding association recommends we all do this.

WoodleyPixie · 22/09/2015 13:19

That sound right to me. They charge this as they usually cannot fill the space while your dc is at pre school. if somehow they have another mindee 9-12 then your charge would just be the hours she actually had him. It should mean she's available to collect him during those hours I need be, and also the holiday rate will stay the same.

longdiling · 22/09/2015 13:22

Yes, it's normal and I've always done it without anyone questioning it. I can't fill those 2.5 or 3 hours and parents still want a full day during school holidays too so they're paying to keep that space open.

softhedgehog · 22/09/2015 13:35

Yes - she can't get other work during this time and presumably you want her to have him if he has to leave school? What about holidays? Also depending on the distance, she might only get back from dropoff at 9.30 and have to leave at 11.30 so it might only be 2 hours.

HSMMaCM · 22/09/2015 15:48

Yes, it's normal. Does your CM offer the free 15 hours, so you could save the money by using her instead of pre-school?

Groovee · 22/09/2015 15:52

My childminder was the one on call while ds was at nursery, but if I dropped him at nursery, she only charged from pick up time.

jannier · 23/09/2015 19:34

As child-minders in England can accept funding and work to the same standards as nursery's you could choose to spend your funding with her and in effect you are asking her to subsidise you using a competitor. But the competitor does not match the hours you need and may well not be open all year around. What will you do in the holidays when the preschool is closed?

Justnapping · 23/09/2015 20:11

Mine is the same! Her point of view is that she can't get another child during that time. Plus she is on call if anything happened at nursery. But it means no benefit from the free nursery hours... But she is excellent and my DS is very happy with her so I don't want to rock the boat

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