term time workers

[justanordinarygirl]

Hi I would just like some advice. I had a family visit recently. They asked me if I charge in school hols as one of them only works term time I told them it would be half. There are 3 children one baby and 2 after school. My rate £3.50 an hour for baby and £2 per hour per child for 1.5 hours after school where I would charge only for the 1.5 hours which equated to £6 per day!!. To cut a long story short they left quite happy at what they had seen but wanted me to text with the weekly fee. I did this which was by no way extortionate and then got a reply that they couldn't afford to pay for the school holidays when the children wouldn't be coming so are now looking for a new cm that won't be charging anything in the school holidays. I have another family that were 3 children with me now 2 and in the same situation, they have always paid every school holiday at 50% even though they don't ever come in the school holidays. I don't charge anything when I am off or for bank holidays. I charge full for childs sickness or childs occasional days off. I would just like to ask what other people do in these situations. Thanks in advance.

I pay my son’s childminder £10 a week in the holidays, I work term time only so don’t need holiday care. We pay her pro rata so she gets the same every month.

My childminder doesnt charge for school holidays if a parent wants a term time only contract. She has the payments split into 12 though. If they take holidays term time they do pay full for this though.

She does however have two families she only minds in the school holidays, on a casual basis, so I think this is why she doesnt charge a retainer.

What you charge depends largely on what you need and what you want to do in holidays. If you have one space that you need full time all year around then you have to work a way around that which makes you sustainable. The parent can annualise the fee and work out if they can afford it.....remembering that they can still continue to claim tax credits on the reduced fee, or use vouchers etc. Its your business that you run to provide your income not to subsidise any body else by taking pay cuts.
In 25 years I have only been asked for a holiday only place for one week My parents all pay bank holidays and 20 days paid holiday for me. The term time only children continue to pay their after school rate but don't use me (as I am loosing 13 weeks holiday rate money £1600 per child accommodating them) and the full time tto pay half. (again I am loosing £1600 a year on them) unless I can fill their space in which case I would not charge that holiday. If they don't want to pay it I take a full time child and earn the extra, they find someone who is happy to give away £3200 a year.