CM Club - Advice for offering ADHOC care please - got someone coming Friday

[looneytune]

Hi. I need advice AGAIN please.

Got a lady and her 5 week old baby coming to see me Friday afternoon. She wants adhoc care, possibly first time being Monday.

She's pretty much said in her email about putting dates in diary and that the meeting is more to meet me in the flesh but that's she's seen my website and is confident she wants me. So, I need to work out a few details......

In her email today she's mentioned wanting me for appointments like gym, beauty salon etc maybe once every week or 2 weeks. Now I'm happy to offer adhoc care but if it's only say an hour, that's £3.80 each time but it's stopping me from going shopping, building websites, catching up with paperwork, housework etc. So, I was wondering if any of you have a minimum number of hours you charge for?

What else do I need to think about? How do you do contracts for adhoc care? Presume you make sure you are paid when they drop off or you refuse them otherwise they could do a runner????

TIA

i owuld either put fee up ( i cahrge £1 extra for part timers anyway) or say minim contract of 4-5 hours, it has to be worth your while!..good luck with it

massive apologies for my spelling there

Thanks. What does everyone else do?

I would probably make it sessional, and ensure it was for either ams or pms, otherwise you may find yourself working over lunchtime if she arranges for example an 11 o clock hair appointment. Which would mean you would find it difficult to offer a space for any other part-time or ad hoc child.
I do a lot of sessional care and parents mostly like a full 4 hours either am or pm. I don't myself have a minimum amount of hours specified as everything is working well as it is, but wouldn't take on anyone for just one hour. I have done this before and it's just not worth it. It's too disruptive to everyone else who is here.
I also ask parents to let me know what sessions they would like to pre-book up to 4mths in advance so I can plan my diary.
I don't charge if sessions get cancelled because I know I can usually find another parent who will step in and make use of the extra space. Lots of my parents are self-employed.
I also don't do contracts - just a written agreement to state that childcare will be provided to meet the National Standards for Childminding and in accordance with my terms and conditions as provided in my parents policy/information folder, at mutually agreed dates and times.
For this particular enquiry I would offer a regular am or pm slot. Surely she could arrange her appointments to be on a regular day? It would make thngs a lot simpler for you and may leave you half a day free to fill with a similar arrangement for another parent.

I charge 4 hrs (with no meal) & if they want a meal I charge 6 hrs

I used to have loads of 11-1 or 2, so that the parents could get he child a hot lunch - it mucked up the whole day for me

I think I'd offer 9-12 or 1-4/2-5 or something like that......

Cheers. Will come back and reply properly later - nappy changes required then dinner!

I would suggest she could have a regular slot each week, during which she could arrange appointments or spend her time as she wishes.

For ad-hoc care I make clear that there is no guarantee of my availability as they are only making use of my temporary vacancies - its only a matter of time before someone wants the place long-term or someone else may get in first for the day they were hoping for. I've a number of people who come to me for occasional days or very short term placements but they all know I might say No!

I use a booking form for regular customers instead of a full contract, for these which states they should not assume the place is available until they receive my written confirmation. For first bookings, or for childcare across the whole summer holidays, for example I would do a proper contract stating all the days booked. Also no refunds for cancellations unless place is subsequently booked by another family and no reductions if they arrive late/collect early. I charge £34 per day 8-5:30 excluding meals or £4 per hour. I charge less for contracted hours.

Great, all very useful advice so thanks!

Basically, I'm having problems filling my 2 days a week remaining - both days have 2 spaces for under 5's. I will definitely make it clear to this lady that I'm only available until (if) I get a permanent contract for either or both of these days. I will also make it clear that it can't be presumed I'll be available until she's requested and I've accepted as I may have other plans.

Currently I take my ds to nursery first thing and he stays for lunch club and I pick up at 12.45, therefore the hours would have to fit in to that routine. Obviously if I fill one of the slots (for either or both days) then I have to work round that routine too - I'll make all this clear to her.

At the moment I don't mind a more casual arrangement that's not necessarily the same time/day each week etc, just grateful for some extra money BUT I don't want to distrupt my day for just an hour or so as it really wouldn't be worth the money (currently I LOVE my free time as it allows me to catch up with lots of work, especially the website work which I like to do when I'm free to just get on with it).

I can't see the adhoc care being a big business for me in the area I live so can't imagine needing to worry about overlaps etc (certainly not at this stage as have 2 spaces each day). Maybe I could start off more casual but say I may have to review if the adhoc work gets more popular or I get one of the spaces filled - does that make sense?

So, I think I will go down the minimum hours/minimum charge route. Would you think 3 hours minimum would be reasonable? Should I up my charges for the adhoc work? I'm currently £3.80 an hour. This baby is only 5/6 weeks old so meals won't be an issue at this stage.

I like the written agreement/booking form ideas, thanks.

How do you deal with the money side of things? Obviously I can tell them to bring payment at drop off otherwise turn them away but what about cancellations? How would that work in this situation? Would you just write it into the agreement that if booked, you still have to pay and all bookings need to be in writing (so can prove if need be)? Any suggestions?

Think that's it for now. Thanks again everyone!

I've had several "ad hoc" children over the years. I've very occasionally had them only want an hour or so to cover for an appointment, but the family do have to fit in with my normal routine. Therefore, if I go to soft play for two hours, we leave at a set time and return at a set time - the family have to fit in with my timetable. Most people have tended to want several hours at a time anyway.

The only minimum charge I've ever charged is for an hour, but this is usually for school runs.

I've never charged anyone in advance anyway, so ad hoc care is usually paid at collection time. Having said that, as many of my arrangements have been with people I know - mums at school or toddler group, for instance - I tend to trust people, and often give them bills later on.

I'm really rubbish at the professional approach!!

I would accept payment when you confirm the booking

(ask them to transfer money by internet banking & print out the confirmation?)

Hello my lovely, how are you?

I suppose I'd be happy with a 2 hour minimum charge as it's not currently interferring with anything. Having said that, I may say I'd require at least 3 hours if it's drop off after 1pm or school hols as I'd normally be doing something with ds like visiting friends etc. and would want the money to justify not doing this iyswim.

I'm deffo going to take in advance with people I've never met (she says , no, I WILL!!) as there really are some awful people out there! If it's to help another childminder or someone I know then I'm not so bothered.

Cheers Katmac, I did think about bank payments as I've pretty much always been paid that way and I like it. Yes, think I will go for that as most people do online banking these days and they can email me confirmation like my current mindees mum does.