Help with holiday retainer query

[buckeejit]

Hi all, new to this board as just started cm about 2 months ago.

I've currently got 3 children from same family for 2 days a week & 2 dc of my own. Going great & I love it.

A new child wants to come on from 9am-2pm two days a week. I've said this is fine but his mother doesn't want him to come in school holidays as he has older siblings who can't come or I'd be over my numbers. She asked about a retaining fee for holidays & I said I'd have to think about it & come back to her.

I need to send a contract & am not sure what to say about the holidays. The issue being that by keeping this place open I obviously lose out if there's a potential full time or more hours child, (one day overlaps the 2 days a week wit 3 others). I've had a social worker call me this week looking for a place for 2 FT that I have said no to. Come the summer time I will need to run it more business like I think, although I'm not expecting to make a fortune, (particularly if I keep buying playmobil in the Argos 3-4-2 😬!).

I've given myself these few months just to get used to the 3 & think it's been good for all the children to get used to each other & me.

Sorry for the ramble - any advice on what would be fair to say about holidays & fees?

It is entirely up to you. If you feel that you could fill the space with a full time year round child then it is entirely within yuor rights to charge full fees during the holidays. Alternativly you may feel you can fill the holiday space with a holidays only child (in which case it would not be fair to charge a retainer).

Alternativly charge a retainer if you don't think you canfill the place (half would be reasonable)

Thanks for the response. Don't think there's much call for hols only & was thinking half fees would be ok -will maybe say that & also say we could review closer to the time, but that might be a bit wishy washy? I'm in NI so we have 2months off in summer! It would be nice to have a little more time with my own dc anyway & we're not currently desperate for cash so will go with it & see what the mother says!

I would charge the retainer than if you get an enquiry say to parent I can fill x's space this holiday if you want as a one off and not have to charge you. if they agree put on that months invoice the full retainer fee and then show a credit saying as agreed space has been sold on this one occasion but in future the retainer will be charged if the space can not be sold.
I've only once had a holiday only place requested so I wouldn't bank on it.

It’s up to you . However I do love term time contracts as it means I get more time with my dc and easier to move around.

You need to consider in there your holidays.

There is no set way to do this. I know CMs who charge the full gamut of 50% retainers, full fee or no charge for holidays.

If you charge anything at all, you do need to be open and available to provide care. So you can’t charge (or would have to refund) if you close or fill the place in the holidays. You also have to accept the child(ren) if mum wants, on payment of the balance of the fees.

I would say it’s entirely up to you, but it isn’t quite that simple. This can be a deal breaker: some parents can get very shirty about what they regard as "paying for nothing" because they just don’t get that you do need to eat, pay the mortgage, etc all year round.

I get the impression you’ve not yet decided on your holiday policy and have therefore not discussed it with mum. I think you should talk it over or at least draw her attention to whatever you put in the contract. I suspect mums sometimes sign contracts unread, as this sort of thing comes up quite regularly on message boards with mums appearing quite shocked when they first get charged for absences.

Also, be careful that it doesn’t become something you regret if, over time, you end up turning away enquiries for more hours or more consistent, year-round care.

I am not a childminder but have used two childminders over the years. My DH is a school teacher so a childminder who offered termtime holidays was really important to us. We have paid 40% retainer fee during school holidays (aligned with LA we live in) and now, with childminder 2, pay £100 a year one off retainer fee and nothing in the school holidays.

Make sure you are specific about which weeks any discount will be applied to some of my local childminders have had issues when school holidays even in the same La have not matched. Or when both parents have worked tto and had more than the 13 weeks a year between them. Also talk about training days.

Thanks all, have said summer hols at 50%, not sure if she meant half terms also, hopefully not but have left it open for discussion.

My previous 3 are all same family & 2 full days a week, maybe going up to 3 days next year, which is lovely & as that was my first contract it is on a daily rate, where this one js hourly as it's just longer than half a day.

The main concern is if I'm missing out on being able to take a full time child due to 2 mornings a week which will be unpaid or 50% fee with this child. You're right about enjoying time with my dc, but I know I'll have the other children anyway so another one doesn't make much difference.

Appreciate all the input!