CM CLUB: Questions

[StrawberrySnowflakes]

1.have you/do you over lap? ie do you have allow an 'extra' under 5 come for say half an hour before one of the other under 5's gos to nursery?

1. How soon would you say it acceptable to put up your fees(not normal rates, just weekends
2. How soon after your initial inspection to begin working did you get your first official inspection from ofsted?

TIA

1 - i dont at all
2 - as soon as you like its your business and you can charge what you like - wether people will pay it is a whole other kettle of fish........weekends i would charge time and half/ double.
3 - about 7 mths

hth

Is number 1 over minding? I don't really undertsnad what you mean

2 when ever
3 6/7 months

i suspect someone i spoke to recently has childern 'overlapping' say one under 5 still being there, not yet gone to nursey/home when antoher under 5 arrives, meaning for a short time, you are over your limit???

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1- i dont but do know a well respected cm that does this once a week for 45mins.

2-i waited 2 year but would say do it whenever neccesary especilaly if you feel you are under charging.

3- 6 months.

hth

thanks girls it does help!..seems Q1 is an odd one as i 'feel' i don not 'know' that a lot of minders ive spken too, do do it??!

and heading said 'three questions' when i types it????

1. The correct answer is that you should never go over your numbers unless there is an emergency. You should put a variation request in writing to Ofsted. (In the real world, I bet most of us have done it at some time or another).

1. I put my rates up every year. If I have a new mindee starting, I always tell them that my rates go up in September. If you want to put your weekend rate up, will it actually affect any mindees you currently have? If it does, how long have you had this mindee? If it is only a short time, I think it would morally be unfair to put them up if parents aren't expecting it. As it is your business, you can, of course, do whatever you want!

1. Was pre-Ofsted so no useful answer!

Re. question 1 - I don't mean that childminders do a deliberate-long-term-regularly-going-over-numbers for a short while, I mean a one-off, occasional hiccup (which we are still not supposed to do unless it's an emergency!)

1. never it would be my luck for ofsted to knock on the daoor that very day/minute

2. just putting my fees up in april by 20p its the first time i have ever put my fees up in 5 yrs (letters went out to parents this week as yet nobody has said anything)

3. 6-8 mths

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so, i currently on charge £1 extra for sat and £1.75 extra for sunday, one mindee uses weekends very very occasioanlly and has been with me since i started last year...was wanteing to add extra 50p on sat, which still isnt time and half and another 50p on sundays??? taking sat to £4.50, sun to £5.25(still not double on sat or sun like most other cm's have told me?

I can only answer the last question - 3 months!! I was registered at the beginning of November and they're coming next week! [shock}

wow, i was reg november, so maybe i should expect a call????

, you know i was asking re overlapping of numbers etc?..well cis have jsut rang again asking for care of three children 7, 10 and 11, overnight care for once a fortnight?..dont know any more?..but they know(they have my details on same form)i can only care for one over night?..i only have one spare room, one spare bed??? and sounded quite put out when i said i wasnt reg for 3 overnight????

As the 10 and 11 year old are over eight, they won't count in your numbers re Ofsted. I'm sure they are fine all in the same room as they are siblings, don't know how you get round the bed situation though, maybe ready beds or camp beds?

well the room we now use is only big enoughb for one ready bed which we already have and mindee whom uses it occasioanlly is more than happy, but another two would never fit..i thought even tho over 8, they still wouldnt allow more overnight??..dont know why tho?