bank hols - is this usual practice?

[jetjets]

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The bank holiday thing is quite normal round here. I AM available to work bank holiday's at double pay but otherwise, it's normal fees as per usual. There's a bit on the NCMA contracts about bank hols and it's up to the individual childminder whether or not to charge. If I wasn't available AT ALL then I wouldn't charge myself.

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my previous childminder charged normal rated for bank hols but didn't work them, but as i work bank hols she waived my fee as i had to pay my friend to look after my dd if my hubby was at work tha day.I think its up to the individual as to what they charge.

NCMA do recommend we charge for BH's

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One person explained childminding quite well once.; Basically although we are self employed, we have regular families, regular work rather than say a plumber who will have lots of different clients they see as and when needed. I personally would waive the charge for a self-employed parents and also have done for one family who changed their Thursday to a Monday to help ME so was only fair.

NCMA also recommend we get paid for 4 weeks holiday a year and it's down to the individual as to whether or not they charge.

I charge half fee's for all holidays, whether mine of parents. If They request that I work a Bank Holiday, then I have in my contract that I charge double.

In 12 yrs of Childminding, I've never had any problem with parents over holiday pay.

Sally

Childminding isn't a Pay As You Go service, generally. Instead it is like most contracted services (for childcare sector, nurseries and nannies are both usually contracted services), so the customer agrees a contract with the service provider. Under the terms of that contract, there may be occasions when the service provider charges a fee, even when they don't provide the service to the customer - bank holidays, training days etc.

It is common practice to charge for bank holidays, as a nanny I get paid for bank holidays but I don't work them, if you took your child to a nursery the nursery would I expect charge you for bank holidays yet they would not be open.

Your employer in turn will most likely be paying you on bank holidays, and if you are self-employed you should be factoring in holiday pay into the fees you charge your clients.

I charge full rate for BH and also full rate if child is off on holiday or ill. I am available to work BH if booked in advance but i charge £10 plus normal pay. I dont charge if i am ill or on holiday. The childminders from OP seem very clued up IMO

My childminder, my DD1 went to her for just over 2yrs and my DD2 is there at the moment until January, only charges for the day that i need her.
It is usually £25 a day and she has never mentioned to me, about having to pay for bank holidays.
AB

Ripeberry, are you on PAYG then? Paying for childcare only as and when you decide you need it? If so you are very lucky... think that situation is quite unusual - not sure what others think... is it unusual?

I don't use a childminder but a day nursery, and I would say that no we definitely don't pay for bank hols -the place isn't open for a start. I would say charging double for bank hols is fine but correct me if I'm wrong, as a chilminder you are self employed? When I was self employed I only charged clients for the days I actually worked.

What would be better though, a childminder who charged on bank holidays, or a childminder who charged say 50p per hour above their usual hourly fee. When shopping around childminders, did you take the hourly fee into account?

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You'll probably be even more to hear that NCMA RECOMMEND not only the bank hols are paid for but ALSO 4 weeks PAID holiday. I don't charge for holidays but I know a lot that do.

I think it is far enough for them to charge bank holidays and holidays.

OR they could put up their rates to cover this per day!

BTW my nursery fees include bank holidays and 1 week over Christmas.

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I'd normally pay a nanny as they're an employee but not expect her to work. Our children are at school now but I have someone who will do a bank holiday with enough notice if I need it but that is getting less and less of a need.

Well yes if you're actually employing her then obviously that's different. But you're not employing a childminder - you don't pay her tax and NI - she is a self employed person providing you with a service. I don't see much difference between that and a nursry when it comes to charging. At my child's nursery we pay for the days he's there, bank holidays and Christmas the nursery is closed and we don't pay, and we can take 3 weeks' holiday per year for which we pay half fee. Fair enough. If the child is off sick, we still pay, as we pay in advance.

Do childminders charge all parents for bank holidays or just those that would normally be there on that day? Say Christmas Day fell on a Tuesday, would only those parents whose children came on a Tuesday be charged?

It's odd how parents don't seem to mind paying this. I wouldn't pay a window cleaner or a gardener who normally came on a bank holiday or, indeed, pay them double if they turned up for work.

At dd's nursery bank holidays are not charged for. The monthly rate is worked out based on 51 weeks (i.e. to take acount of christmas day, bank holidas etc.)

I would certainly refuse to pay for a service that was not available, just on principle.

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The NCMA advises childminders to negotiate payment for bank holidays that occur on a contracted day. So if the holiday is on Tue only those parents who have booked tuesdays would be charged.

The NCMA advises that if a charge is not made on the bank holiday, the hourly or weekly rate should be increased to cover the loss of earnings through bank holidays in the year.

A few people have posted that their nursery does not charge bank holidays, if you look through older threads its clear that some nurseries do charge when they are closed. Similarly, not all childminders charge full fees.

So you need to look at the overall cost for the year, comparing hourly/weekly fees and the quality of service you will receive.

Its not easy to make a living out of childminding. We have huge expenses and we don't have the flexibility to accept every enquiry we receive because of the restrictions imposed by Ofsted & our public liability insurance. Also, once you take on a part timer, its hard to find another family requiring the remaining hours. A plumber, for example has more flexibility to fit jobs around each other each week as people are willing to take time off work for short term jobs.