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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

Charging when extreme weather sets in...

47 replies

AngelaDevon · 01/03/2018 21:56

Do you think that it is fair of a child minder to charge someone the day's rate in extremely heavy snow where we can't take her? Do you know any child minders who do this?

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SprinkleSomeSparkles · 01/03/2018 21:59

I'm not sure with childminders but private nurseries normally still charge it will be in their policies. Because it's not a regular occurrence for them to close due to weather they normally still charge for holding your place etc. I'm sure someone will be along with an answer soon.

Original poster

AngelaDevon · 01/03/2018 22:01

Thank you very much.

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jemsywemsy · 01/03/2018 22:01

I don't have direct experience of this but I assume she's not closed, and would be willing to have the child if you could get them there, so I would think she can still charge, just as she would if a child didn't come due to illness?

jemsywemsy · 01/03/2018 22:02

Sorry I shouldn't have said "she", could be a "he" of course.

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 01/03/2018 22:03

I still charge, I’m happy to still work.

Original poster

AngelaDevon · 01/03/2018 22:23

Hi, if there is severe snow and we physically cannot get her to you, would you still charge us all?

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FlibbertyGiblets · 01/03/2018 22:26

I would expect to be charged and be delighted if fee waived.

C0untDucku1a · 01/03/2018 22:28

You would still be charged.

PhelanThePain · 01/03/2018 22:29

I would expect to pay if the childminder was open.

The fact you can’t get the child there isn’t her fault. It’s just like if the child is sick and you can’t send her. It’s not fair the childminder loses money. Otherwise everyone would just say they couldn’t get their children there and the childminder would lose a fortune.

QueenOfCatan · 01/03/2018 22:29

I haven't charged my parents, but many many minders do. Up to them really, we all have different fee structures and if you agreed to theirs then there isn't much you can argue about really.

FlibbertyGiblets · 01/03/2018 22:31

And yes it is fair. The setting is open, it is not their fault you cannot get there. Bills have to be paid, income stream maintained.

dontforgetbilly · 01/03/2018 22:34

Depends on your contract. My childminder charges me half day if I don't need her. However I know someone who signed a contract with her a year after me and she charges them full day under all circumstances. I think this is reasonable tbh, it's not like the bank will reduce her mortgage because it snowed and being one of the few childminders in area she has the upper hand negotiating the contract.

Elvisola · 01/03/2018 22:44

I'm a childminder. I charge in advance and wouldn't refund if parents couldn't get children to me. I am still open.

However, I am also very flexible, don't charge late fees, don't charge for mine or parents holidays and help out wherever I can.

So swings and roundabouts really.

Original poster

AngelaDevon · 01/03/2018 22:46

Thank you everybody. We started sending our daughter at the beginning of January for 2 days per week (Mon and Fri) so that I can work. She has closed on 7 occasions as she said she has been sick, or her 17 month old son has had a sore throat/temperature. She's Lovely, but has been able to just close whenever she wishes (telling us by text the night before). This is the first day she has said she is open, and we've got this freak minus temp weather. I feel like a bad mum strapping my daughter to my back and walking 30 minutes in a foot deep snow and freezing temperatures, but we cannot stand the thought of her making the money from us for doing nothing. I'm just being completely honest, I need to work. I probably sound horrible, but it's been so difficult as we have no family around for 150 miles, and are new to the area, so we have no back up. Anyway, I appreciate everyone giving me their opinions, really helpful. Thank you so much x

OP posts:

PhelanThePain · 01/03/2018 22:49

Wow that’s a lot of closures in 2 months! It might be best to look for a new childminder.

Original poster

AngelaDevon · 01/03/2018 22:53

It's been so tough, but I do really like her, the setting is really well thought out and welcoming, and I love the way she is with the children. Thanks guys.

OP posts:

BackforGood · 01/03/2018 22:56

Yes, I'd absolutely expect to be charged if she were available and I didn't use her.
I would not however expect a CM to have not been available for 7 out of the 16 days I'd been useing her though

I used (several different) CMers over something like 16 years, and don't think I lost 7 days over the whole of that time.

I'd be looking for someone else.

AuntLydia · 01/03/2018 22:58

7 occasions of sickness since January that's more than I've had in 6 years of childminding and I have more kids than her. Could she help find a back up childminder if you're really determined to stick with her? I hope she doesn't charge you for her time off...

Original poster

AngelaDevon · 01/03/2018 23:04

We have no experience with other childminders but this certainly has been a challenge for us. I dread Sunday and Thursday evenings now, half expecting a message to come through on WhatsApp. Well, she has a back up childminders name in the policies but when I asked about this she said it was outdated. When I mentioned it in a message after the last time, she didn't reply about it. I will make sure to discuss it properly when I see her. I feel that she is in the drivers seat and as a client we have no control. Never mind, I'm sure it will all come good eventually. I mean, no one can have 24 hour sickness bugs more than twice in a row in such a short time frame. Maybe it was just a bad spell. Thank you.

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blurredlines · 01/03/2018 23:06

7 occasions! My childminder hasn't never once let me down ( 3 years my dad has been going )

Childminder basically says if the door is closed there is no charge .

blurredlines · 01/03/2018 23:07

Dd not dad obviously

Original poster

AngelaDevon · 01/03/2018 23:08

I will be searching from tomorrow for a new Child minder just in case things continue like this, but am hopeful it will improve. If the wind isn't bad tomorrow and it's just snow, I'll take my daughter there.

OP posts:

ForeverBubblegum · 01/03/2018 23:10

Charging during bad weather is reasonable but closing 7 times in two months isn't great. She could have just been through a really unlucky spell, and it's just coincidence you started at a bad time but I'd probably start looking for alternative child care.

If you can't reliably go to work this childcare isn't working out for you. Plus I can see the animosity your feeling towards her so your DD will too, which will make her worry more been left there.

PS. don't feel bad about taking her in the snow, I did the same with DS because I couldn't miss work. As long as she's well warped up she won't come to any harm.

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 01/03/2018 23:10

She’s not charging you for the days she’s sick as well is she? She shouldn’t be.

You do need to find a new one though. That’s a ridiculous number of days off since Jan.

Fitzsimmons · 01/03/2018 23:16

I've had the same childminder for five years. She's been sick once for two days, with a bug she got from DS. She's had one close bereavement that she took a week off for. Yours sounds unreliable.

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