idiot's guide to childminders needed

[katerj]

I am shortly going to start looking for a childminder for my dd who will be one when I go back to work in June. I have a few silly questions I need answered so that I don't come across as completely ignorant when I talk to potential CMs:

1. What happens when the CM goes on holiday? Do you just have to take the same holidays as them?
2. RElated question - what about when you go on holiday?
3. Do most people pay their childminders holiday pay and/or sick pay? What about when your child is ill and can't go - do you still have to pay the childminder?

Hello!

We don't pay when the C/M goes on holiday or is off sick but pay half when we go away (or full if DD is sick).

Each childminder is different and its really a question you need to ask them.
Personnally (i am a childminder) I book my holidays in Jan every year. I normally have 4 full weeks and then a few odd days here and there. I do not charge the parents for the days i book off. When a child goes on holiday and i am working then full fees are payable and same goes for if child is ill. I do not get paid if i am poorly.

Message withdrawn

Our cm takes 4 week's holiday a year, during this time, she is not available to work, and we do not pay.

If we are away at a different time, we pay her in full as she is available to work, but we are choosing not to send dd.

If she is ill, we do not pay.

If dd is ill, we pay in full, because she is available to work.

I as a cm get paid half pay for my hols! Just because we are cm we are still entitle to take hols and if i had my way(LOL) I would expect full pay-but i dont want to push it.
If im sick NO PAY
If child/parent sick FULL PAY.
I get paid for bank hols & do not work.

Everyone is different but remember choosing one who is cheapest of least hols etc is not always the best CM.

Good luck with your search!

The answers to your questions are that we all work completely differently, as you have probably realised!

Some childminders will charge for bank holidays as well, others don't.

Some childminders might have a higher hourly rate, but will include meals, drinks and social activities. Or they might have a higher rate and charge extra for those things. Or they might have a lower rate and include/exclude all the above!!

Ring up a few and invite yourself round. There's no harm is saying that you don't know anything about childminders - nice ones (like all of us here) will tell you everything you need to know. And you'd get a cup of coffee as well!