Retainers - can I pick your brains? It's long

[Shivs1974]

My dd1 (18mth)goes to a fabulous childminder Mon-Thurs. I have just had dd2 and so am on maternity leave until July. In order to keep dd1 in a routine, we have decided that it would be best for her if she were to keep going to the childminder, and agreed that she could drop down to 3 days/wk once I'm a bit more together in February.
The childminder is really good & we're v happy with her - so much so that we asked as soon as I found out I was pregnant whether she could take dd2. After a bit of negotiation (waiting to see what other mindee's parents wanted) she confirmed that she could take dd2 from July. The other mindee's Mum is expecting her 3rd around Christmas so her son has been taken from the childminder as he'll be going to nursery in Jan.
Hope you're all still keeping up - and it's clear so far!
Childminder has suggested 2 ideas of a retainer for both my dds. I'm completely happy paying a retainer for dd1 but wanted to pick your brains re dd2. The childminder wants to start a retainer for Jan until July (when I return to work). She has suggested 2 options - 10% of weekly fee or 50% weekly fee depending on whether we want her to 'hold' the place for us so that we could use it in am emergency whilst I'm off on maternity leave. The place will be available for us in July.
My 'issue' is that for dd1 we reserved her place 6 mths before and only had to pay a deposit, not a retainer.
She hasn't mentioned a sibling discount, although it's mentioned in her Ofsted policies.
Finally our contract is for 8-5 - if we pick up dd1 early, should we be 'refunded that money' - eg 30 mins or not?
Sorry to ask some basic questions - just trying to work out what's best for our children & for us, without financially crippling ourselves. We've only just been told about the retainer.
Many thanks

she may have changed her policies re retainer/ deposit and if you do want to keep that place open, she may well be turning full paying customers away.
re early collection, in my policies - my mindees have standard hours (ie 8 per day)..if the parent wants to come for them after 6 hours thats up to them, but they have alreadya rranged care from me..same gos if the child is kept off for any reason.
i would mention the sibling discount o her, but it may be that she want to/already does charge more for a baby than a small child?
i think you need to have a chat with her or re read through her policies..if there have been changes you have not been informaed abour ie: retainer v deposit, you could bring it up with her?

good luck

Thank you for firstly wading through my lengthy post! Previous policies did not mention either retainer or deposit. I've asked to have a chat with her - I can see both sides of the argument. Ultimately I want my dds to be happy so I might have to succomb.
Does 10% seem a reasonable retainer fee?

As a childminder I charge a months fees as a deposit for a place, knowing that it will be available. e.g I hold deposits for two families to start in Sept 07, but I do not have the vacancies at the moment.

If I had, they would have to pay a retainer of 50% fees until the start date, but could settle the child in during that time, and pay the top up for that session.

If you pick up early, that's your choice, if you have contracted 8-5, then that is what you have to pay for, it would be unfair to expect the c/m to refund you anything. You are choosing to pick up early, the c/m has to keep the place for you, she can't book someone else in for 30mins!

I have looked after 18 sets of siblings and it has always worked well. I don't offer a reduction, they take the same care, food, etc, would you want the one on a reduced rate to get 10% less food?

I dont have a policy regarding retainers or deposits as each situation is different & its to be negociated with individuals.
I would def charrge a retainer. Would ask for 50% as it is a long time to keep a space free and not earning any money. Other wise I could keep that place open with a chance of earning full pay. 10% is more than resonable.
If you pick up or drop off early that doesnt matter you still PAY full price. At the end of the day you signed a contract for those hrs so we want our money - We cant earn the money short notice any other way (if u get what i mean)
Regards to your baby - you shouldnt pay a retainer for an unborn baby (apparently) I asked other CM's recently who suggested I charge a non refundable deposit for an unborn baby.
Hope all that helps.

Thank you both - it certainly helps to see that what has been suggested is actually quite common. We're the only couple that we know of who use a childminder, so really appreciate your time in responding.
It makes complete sense re not having the 30 mins refunded if we choose to pick up early.....it just hadn't been explained to us when we signed the contract.
Will show dh this thread tonight before we go to discuss it with her.

It may be that when you reserved dd1's place she had somebody leaving and the place wasn't available until you needed it? Retainer fees should only be charged if the childminder has a place available, which you can book upon payment of full fees for the used time. Retainer fees are usually half fees but I've seen quotes as high as 2/3 and as low as £15 (p/t, where the parent didn't plan to book during the reserved time period).

Discounts & fees aren't regulated by Ofsted, she can review these as often as she likes. She is only obliged to offer a discount if you have a contract stating the discount to be applied and even then she can withdraw discount/change fees when contract is renewed. Don't wait for her to mention it - ask her what discount she currently offers. She might say she doesn't offer discounts any more but its worth asking.

NCMA (National Childminding Association) recommends that arrangements for babies are not made until after the birth of the baby. However, in practice I know that some childminders do make such arrangements as they cannot otherwise guarantee availability for the sibling.

The contracted time is the time the childminder is reserving for the sole use of your child. If you drop off late or collect early there are not normally any reductions.

HTH

if the place is available from Jan, she is perfectly entitled to take a retainer (normally half fees)

If the place is not available until July, she should be asking for a deposit rather than a retainer.

What she has suggested sounds perfectly fair and reasonable to me

hi I am a childminder who is taking a new baby from the same family, in much the same situation as you. As the sapce will be available from Jan but the baby is not starting till may I am charging 50% retainer, for younger child older one will be in as usual. This is my income, and I couldnt afford to hold the space for that long without charging especially as childminders are in quite short supply here, and as i have a Outstanding Ofsted, I can fill my spaces quite easily.
I am charging 50p per hour discount for the second child ( normal fee £3.25).
My parent is more than happy with this, we sat down and talked it through wheb she asked for the space.
As for early pick up, my policy is that you pay for the contracted space.

I missed that bit. Would you really expect to be refunded for 30 minutes?

Thank you everyone for responding. It all makes perfect sense and you've helped us come to a decision of taking the 10% for both girls.
As this is the first time we've had to do this, we just wanted to see whether it was usual procedure and as it is, that is fine.

Cyrilthefestivesquirrel - I had never asked her for a refund for 30 mins. However I just wanted to check as it had never been explained to us that if we collected early that we still paid the full amount. It does make complete sense, and I guess we were just trying to explore whehter there were any savings we could make when we hadn't envisaged paying a retainer for dd2.We weren't trying to be tight fisted, just trying to work out whether it was correct or not.

quite understandable to want to know..dont worry about it, thats why you picked our brains first instead of asking your cm..hope it all gos well for you

Hi just looking at this with interest.
One of my mindees is leaving as mum going on maternity leave for new baby(not yet born) and they want me to have both children from next Septemeber. As mum is going to be wotking P/T and is a teacher she won't have her timetable unitl July so I won't know which days until then. HOwever, I work monings 2 days a week elsewhere and this is very flexible and I can move the days if need be.
Mum has alked me if I would charge her a retainer and how much.
I have said yes and I need to think about it.
Question is how much should I charge? She won't want to use the space I don't think in the meantime. I only work term time anyway but do charge a retainer in the hols for under 5's.
Place is dependent on me getting a variation for the baby as I would be over my numbers for between 2 and 4 hours a week with the after schools - assuming status quo with current children.

If you have followed all that what do you think?

Hi just looking at this with interest.
One of my mindees is leaving as mum going on maternity leave for new baby(not yet born) and they want me to have both children from next Septemeber. As mum is going to be wotking P/T and is a teacher she won't have her timetable unitl July so I won't know which days until then. HOwever, I work monings 2 days a week elsewhere and this is very flexible and I can move the days if need be.
Mum has alked me if I would charge her a retainer and how much.
I have said yes and I need to think about it.
Question is how much should I charge? She won't want to use the space I don't think in the meantime. I only work term time anyway but do charge a retainer in the hols for under 5's.
Place is dependent on me getting a variation for the baby as I would be over my numbers for between 2 and 4 hours a week with the after schools - assuming status quo with current children.

If you have followed all that what do you think?