CMs charging for holidays if after school and holiday care only?

[muddypuddles1]

My DS will be going to a childminder after school and during the holidays from next week. Is it usual for the CM to ask for for holiday pay (if we take time off or she takes time off) if he is not full time i.e. not with her all day? She will be charging one rate for after school and a different daily rate during the holidays, if this is relevant, along with half pay during any holidays taken.

Yes because he is taking a space she can't fill with anyone else ( even if just before and after school). We pay for ours

It's up to her if she charge for her holidays. Childminders are self employed and therefore set their own terms and conditions. If you like her and are happy with everything else, you might have to suck it up. If you don't want to pay and she won't remove that clause, you will have to find someone else.

I think it is normal to pay for your own holidays and days off, paying for her holidays is a bit rarer as you would also have to pay for care elsewhere potentially.

Half rate for any holidays taken is very generous. I used to charge full rate when I childminded.

I charge full rate for parents holidays and nothing for mine, so half for each works out about the same. You just need to know how many days holiday each and whether she is likely to take holiday in term time or school holidays.

Each childminder works differently and being self employed they are entitled to set their own individual terms and conditions.
Not all childminder's work full time - a vast majority only work part time including a couple of full days per week or morning and after school only etc. therefore they are still entitled to take holiday if that's what they choose.

If you came to me for a permanent childcare space for your child I would explain that I take up to 6wks holiday on full pay and any holiday or days off/sickness taken by yourself/child will need to be paid in full. I would also give you the option of signing an adhoc contract where holiday is not charged but there is a higher hourly/set rate.

I don't charge for term time only children during holidays if they don't attend. Personally, I don't think it's right to charge for a space that won't be used.

I don't charge for my holidays or sickness, and half fees for my families holidays.

It depends on the set up. Our CM only does school drop off and pick up (ie no pre-schoolers during the day) and doesn't cover school holidays. I wouldn't be very happy about paying in those circumstances.

If the CM 'keeps' a place for your child that could be used by another and is available to work during school holidays I would expect to pay.

Surely she's self-employed so doesn't get holiday pay? That's what I would have thought.

Our CM charges when DS is absent (holiday/sickness) but not when she is. We have also stipulated in our contract that the wrap around care she provides one day a week is term time only.