CMs: Full pay for bank hol even tho not working?

[Kerelene]

Is it standard for CMs to charge for bank hols even if they are not actually working?

We have always paid for bank hols and not used the service, as it were, as we are usually off work and want to spend the time with DD. But as we are moving house I want to send DD to the CM on the next bank hol so we can get some packing done - am assuming that she is available as we will be charged for the day - so planning to ask her about this this evening.

However she has just given us the invoice for April and has charged for the easter monday although she was actually on holiday that week.

Does anyone know if this is usual practice? (I know the obvious is to check our contract but can't find it anywhere)

Would be v grateful for feedback - should I call NCMA maybe and ask them?

Thanks

Thanks TP my rate is also slightly higher than others in the area but like I said I dont charge for bank hols unless I work them or for when I am away. However my hourly rate includes all food and drink. Doesnt feel right somehow charging for what you havent provided however I think like you said it is up to each CM to decide lets face it we arent init for the money!

I don't charge bank hols either as I am not available to work but one mum, who pays me by standing order, always refuses the refund I try to give her for a b/h and tells me to treat it as a bonus. However, they are regularly 15mins late collecting their ds and I do lots of chopping and changing days for them so I guess it all evens out.

i charge half-rate for b/hols BUT if needed i charge £2 more p/h

i take 4 weeks full-paid holidays and allow parents another 4 weeks at half-rate BUT we try & work our holidays at the same time

this is all discussed at initial meeting

then confirmed when agreeing/writing out contracts TOGETHER so everyone knows where they stand and have a chance to query anything

on a weeks paid holiday at moment yipee

now this is the kind of self-employed i like
(but in typical c/m way feel a little guilty)

I charge for a space, rather than a day or a week or a month

That means that the space is available for 50 weeks less bank holidays & any extra holiday i take

If you have a problem with paying for the bank holidays i would suggest fiding another childminder.......as I can fill my spaces easily enough.....(I have no square brackets on this keyboard so (wink))

I am self employed but that is the way I charge for my service (rather than my time - iyswim)