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Paid childcare

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

Original poster

Do all childminders charge for hols?

179 replies

sheepgirl · 26/09/2007 22:13

I just wanted to know if it is standrad practice for childminders to charge parents for when they go on holiday and for public holidays?

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eleusis · 27/09/2007 11:31

Looney, I know you are lovely. We have spoken before. It's the "I deserve..." mentality that sets me off. Nobody has a right to my money. Nobody.

Oh, £3.80 an hour, now I could dream for days about childcare at that rate.

cat64 · 27/09/2007 11:33

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looneytune · 27/09/2007 11:34

Oh, I don't deserve anyone's money when I'm not open, would be nice though

I must admit, I don't know how people afford to work if they have to pay £50+ a day per child

[looney runs off to change a smelly nappy and give baby bottle leaving others to carry on the discussion ]

looneytune · 27/09/2007 11:38

[looney pops back for one second....she really is going in a min..]

Just wanted to say that yes, I do that cat! After a year with 1 day off, I decided to change my charging and ask parents to pay me monthly at the same amount so now I work out the weekly amount x 48 weeks divided 12. Not all parents want to do this though as it can get messy when it's time to leave. I'm slowly working on getting everyone to pay me the same way, just need to stop being such a softy

KaySamuels · 27/09/2007 11:38

I charge £2.50 ph, take four weeks off a year and don't charge for them. Parents still complain about their childcare costs.
Last year my expenses qere almost 50% of my earnings. People seem to think I am raking money in. I am not and I wish I were!

The OP's cm is charging a high rate (not sure about if it is high for area or not tho), so I can understand her questioning it, but if it were me I would look at taking the same weeks off, and would not let it make my decision over whether to go woth this cm or not, I would choose who I was happiest with as a person, regardless of their fees and rates.

WhereDoIGo · 27/09/2007 11:46

My cm charges half rate for holidays her's and mine. Although last week was my ds2 first day in nursery and i took him and picked him up and she didn't charge me at all
And i pay for 2 children the same as you do for one what part are you in if you don't mind me asking?

cat64 · 27/09/2007 11:57

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furrycat · 27/09/2007 12:07

I am self employed - not a cm - and am STUNNED that she can even think of charging you. If I asked my customers to pay me for something I didn't do, they'd laugh their heads off. Unpaid holidays are one of the downsides of being self-employed - made worse by the fact I have to do 2 weeks jury service next month and the loss of earnings payments won't even cover my childcare.

Booh · 27/09/2007 12:36

Well you see I am around the same rate as your childminder, and yes I do charge for four weeks holidays a year........as per recommended by the NCMA (see their handbook)

NO parent has ever had a problem with it. I think that they all understand that they have to pay for good childcare, yes I am lucky that I am in a good area.

However, last year I only took two weeks hols for one family as they had 11weeks of hols for themselves so it seemed a bit cheeky so have anymore.

Nod26 · 27/09/2007 13:34

As a cm i have contracted 4 weeks half pay hols and so do the parents that way you still have an income and the parents dont need to be paying full when not using the service maybe you should sugest this to your cm its what every cm i know here does.

Original poster
sheepgirl · 27/09/2007 14:20

I spoke to NCMA today and they totally supported by CMs decision to charge for her 4 wk hol and bank hols. It's the descrepcancy that bugs me...some CMs charge some don't. In my profession you can't chop and change your terms of employment, which just shows how self-emploed CMs are. I think it is taking the fecking pee the more I think of it and feel very agrieved. I considered (if she doesn't budge) going with her for the interim as i like her and looking for another CM. Oh yeah and if this wasn't all bad enough she takes her 4 wks off always in August...the most expenive time off to go away!!!!!

OP posts:
Original poster
sheepgirl · 27/09/2007 14:21

booh i am sorry i don't care what the NCMA handbook says CMs are clearly a law unto themselves and charge what they think they can get away with

OP posts:
ChasingSquirrels · 27/09/2007 14:35

some do, some don't BECAUSE they are self employed and can each set their own terms.
She isn't taking the piss, she is setting out her terms, if you don't like them you are perfectly entitled to go elsewhere.
Now if you hadn't ever had a contract and she suddenly sprung this on you while she was already minding your child - then I would have LOTS more sympathy with you.
You can't set chop and change your terms in employment, but you can try and negotiate up front (and ongoing) - which is exactly what she is doing.

Original poster
sheepgirl · 27/09/2007 15:04

Oh and don't worry there will be a lot of bartering at our next meeting!!!! I was just shocked when I read the contract and saw her terms as in decussions she simpky said "oh by the way I don't work bank hols or Christmas and take the month of August off".

Anyway at least this is the contract stage. Although I still can't get my head around the fact that some CMs seriously think they "deserve" to be pay for time not work as a self-employed individual. I work in an office as a permanent member of staff. Benefit if that is a get a certain amount of paid leave and all stat. days off. There are temp contractors in my office to don't have this perk as they choose to have the flexibility of being able to leave and travel (as they tend to be from overseas) when they want. This means that they don't often take a lot of hol time off as they know they won't get paid for it. So why are CMs any different?????

Also most CMs I have come across care for their own children as well so they are totally quids in!!!!

OP posts:
eleusis · 27/09/2007 15:43

Have you got more options? More childminders? Nursery? Nanny share? (which may or may not be cheaper)

And what are you going to do in August? Can you take a month off in one go? My joobwouldn't allow that. At best I'd get two weeks off, then I'd have to go to work, pay childminder on hols and pay another childminder to cover. So, if my childminder took a month off, I would expect her to produce cover. AFter all she has a contract to provide a service so if she personally is unavailable then her company ought to find someone who is available.

Original poster
sheepgirl · 27/09/2007 15:56

it really is slim picking in my area, hence why i think my CM is asking for so much. There appears to be more listed CMs in the area where I work so I am considering looking there as well.

OP posts:
twofishes · 27/09/2007 16:12

we pay half normal fees whether CM is away or us, same goes for bank holidays and Christmas ( which I am not sure about to be honest!)...
When at Nursery we used to get 2 weeks 'holiday' (no charge) a year

eleusis · 27/09/2007 16:27

what about looking for a family to share with on nannyshare.co.uk. If you you split the costs of the nanny you might find it works out better when you account for things like care of child when sick. If your baby has sticky eye, the childminder won't take them and you have to stay home from work, but a nanny would still look after them.

Original poster
sheepgirl · 27/09/2007 17:08

une problemo i'm going back full time.

OP posts:
eleusis · 27/09/2007 17:41

No, I mean find a family who also has a young shild and then two of you split the cost of employing nanny and then nanny looks after both children full time.

Booh · 27/09/2007 17:53

Quids in?

I fe*cking wish I was

If parents didn't like it (or couldn't afford it, which they can) then they wouldn't do it

FWIW I have a waiting list for a year, and a cheaper CM in my village has masses of spaces

You HAVE to pay for good childcare

KaySamuels · 27/09/2007 18:19

Do you still think a childminder is the right choice for you? You are showing an awful amount of discontent when all she has done is be upfront with you. If you feel this strongly about it and really think she will be 'quids in', then why would you send your child there whilst thinking so little of her?? Can't understand why you would sign up with her, but continue looking for somewhere else either - surely that would be unsettling for your dc?

I don't charge for hols as I said, but it is completely up to her how she runs her business and if it doesn't tie in with your family then it won't work out. If she did not charge you, would the whole of August having to find alternate childcare still be a problem? If it would be I think that is your answer.
Anyway have to go on a course (after my 12hr working day).

bigdonna · 27/09/2007 19:00

well i obviously used the wrong word as in Deserve,i charge £3.50 an hour and i only take one full time child!!!!!yes maybe if i was earning that vast amount i would not charge for holidays.i charge £3o.oo a day.

nannynick · 27/09/2007 19:02

Sheepgirl - you say that "she is very good and I like her", so that is promising start. However if her fees are not within your budget, then try to negotiate it, else walk away and look for someone else - as you say, childcare could be near your office, rather than home.

tori32 · 27/09/2007 19:19

I charge for public holidays because for me they are a working day, regardless of parents being off work. I charge for xmas because where I live most people get 2 wks full xmas leave, (army camp) and wouldn't struggle to look after the children then. I don't charge for my 2 wks summer leave in May/June because parents would have to find alternative arrangements, or take annual leave.