Asking parents for payment when setting is closed

[mymadworld]

Looking ahead, If I do have to close or are forced to close, my contract means parents are not obliged to pay. That said, I know most of my parents will continue to be paid and if I am more than three or four weeks without income, I'll be forced to find another job or source of income.

Can anyone think of a not too cheeky but to the point way of saying if you still want a childminder at the end of this please, keep paying me if you can afford to! Even half fees would be a help but I do t feel I can be too prescriptive
Does anyone have any thoughts on this approach?

Right now, I'm trying to work out a reduced rate that is fair to both parties. I won't need to pay for food or travel costs, and that's a big cost to us. I understand we will receive something from the Government - they say the Early Years Entitlement will continue to be paid, though the council has not yet said how much will be passed on to us.

So it's not looking quite as bleak as it did earlier this week.

I absolutely don't want to profiteer from this situation - I think very few of us do. Nor do I want to go out of business.

One of my parents has come to me and promised to pay full fee; another is in tears because she was struggling already and really can't manage it because her boss won't pay anything other than sick pay.
I want to be fair to them both.

I understand we will receive something from the Government

What would that be?

I'm self employed and having to stop working today as I'm in a vulnerable group. I would be happy paying pulling my daughter out for our individual circumstances but not if the setting was closed. Maybe a small retainer is fair for ongoing costs. It's a tricky one.

We have been discussing this (as parents) ahead of any conversation we have to have with our childminder. We do not want to risk her having to close permanently. My DP is self employed and cannot work from home - construction industry - so if he is out of work, we will be down to one salary. At that stage, we probably wouldn't be able to pay anything but unless and until that happens, we are thinking we will pay whatever she needs to pay her assistant and rent / mortgage on her property. We would be reluctant to pay her any profit but would want to help her stay afloat.

As a childminder, would you find that a reasonable solution?

Honestly any offer to pay when not contractually obliged to would be welcomed. most childminders I know have between 20% and 40% expenses, some of which will obviously continue regardless (insurance & registration fees, annual memberships, subscriptions etc) but no food, travel, resources, entry to places etc. For my business, if everyone paid me 75% I would probably earn roughly the same - you may argue why should I earn the same doing nothing but I'm not choosing to sit at home and hardly live a life of luxury on my usual wage!
I'm estimating 50% will probably just about keep me afloat but that's still a massive improvement upon the nothing we should get!!

Do you think you'll close once schools announce closure? Scotland and Wales just have so if England follows suit today we could be looking at no childcare as of tomorrow.

My childminder said she would do all she could to stay open and we will do all we can to support that as we can't work without her! I think ofsted should relax the staff to child ratio rules too.

" I understand we will receive something from the Government

What would that be?"

As I said, the Early Years entitlement will continue to be paid, though we don't yet know how much the Councils will pass on to us.

There are details about additional support for small businesses that isn't yet clearly defined. This is the latest Government advice:

www.gov.uk/government/news/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-employees-employers-and-businesses?utm_source=a8379ea4-1230-46b7-88a0-9afeaad34fa5&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate

Until it's made clear what, if anything, we will receive, we can't really make any decisions about reduced fees.
At the moment, it's looking like we won't be forced to close when the schools are closed. I don't know how long that will be the case.

Could the parent's just end their contracts? With sufficient notice of course?

mother legally they could depending on contract, morally I hope people wouldn't do that if they could continue to pay. Obviously they will lose their space, and if parents did this (who could pay) I hope that they struggle to find childcare when this crisis is over. Karma should get them!

I’m planning to continue to pay my childminder No matter what. We are both HCP and so will be getting paid. I’m hoping if she stays open she will have my two School aged kids as well as my preschooler as I’m sure I’ll be doing lots of extra shifts.

What if the parent's lose their jobs though? Or have to reduce their hours? And can't afford it and won't need childcare for the foreseeable future?

Ah sorry just seen your response. Yes parents who can pay is different

Would be very interested in hearing a Childminder's response to the school closure and whether you intend to close?

Came in here looking for thoughts on the update. It's clear nurseries (& I assume therefore childminders) should stay open but u clear whether this is solely for children of key workers, vulnerable etc or can all my usual children still come? I have 2 children of doctors but the rest aren't so does that mean I should be advertising my spaces to key workers?

I've had a parent at my door tonight in tears because her school whilst closed will remain open to frontline staff's children which means she still has to go in and needs me to continue to have her child. I'm distraught for her the information is so unclear. Has anyone heard anything about childminder's ? If I can stay open I will.

They are just trying to find out. I’ve heard two conflicting announcements. I think we will be closed in line with the schools, except for essential workers - I have two - but it really isn’t clear.

My childminder sent out a text on Monday to say she has chosen to close. I'm in Ireland. According to the contract she gets paid for her holidays, our holidays and our sick days but not her sick days.

I have a small business which I've had to close because of the nature of it and the risk of getting/spreading the Coronavirus. The government here have set up an emergency payment for people in my situation.

My childminder can claim it too. So I won't be paying her. I cannot charge people for work I would be doing if I didn't have to close. She can't charge me for minding my child when she has decided not to open. She hasn't asked for payment to be fair to her but there's no way I can afford to pay her when I can't work.

PACEY, Early Years Alliance and Independent Childminders are all saying that the announcement covers childminders: the DofE has been consulted and has confirmed this.

However, if you mind the children of key workers (e.g. social services, mental health workers, prison workers, border patrol, front line local government employees, education workers, medical professionals, delivery drivers, the forces, police) or vulnerable children (under social services or with an EHC plan), you can remain open to care for those children.
They did say they're awaiting further clarification. I assume there will be some sort of official guidance document tomorrow.

Sorry - that's for England. I'm not sure what the situation is for Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. I am hearing that some Scottish childminders are staying open.

I’ve closed my childminding business today in line with the announcement. I don’t have any key workers children and no children under special care. Does anyone have any further clarification on financial support we may be able to claim? I won’t be requesting payment from any parents as they are mostly self employed and in the same position as me.

Could you be eligible to claim the small business grant/loan of £10,000?

My CM is staying open. We're in Wales.

We’re still paying our childminder, as we’ll be working from home and therefore still getting paid. As well as the fact that we have the means to pay and wouldn’t want to see her go without or have to shut down, we’re also paying to keep our spaces open as childminders that pick up from the two schools we use are like gold dust round here!

I've seen some places saying childminders have to close and some saying they don't!

I'm really hoping we don't!

I’ll paying. I’m getting paid so it makes sense not to change anything. I wouldn’t want to leave my childminder struggling to pay the bills.