30 free hours

[Trophy123]

dd qualifies for 30 free hours in sept. She currently has 2 days at nursery and 3 days at amazing child minder.

From Sept I'll only need 4 days childcare (currently need 5 but going part time).

Are any childminders able to tell me whether it is worth it for you to have children who are on free hours? I don't want her to lose out by having my DD but also really want to keep her there as long as possible because she's so great.

Thanks

It depends on what your CMers normal hourly rate is, and what the LA pay in your area.
If you think she will be losing out, you can always offer to pay her some 'expenses' to cover the difference.

Hi, when I was childminding ( left last month) I lost nearly £1 per funded hour I offered. For this reason I only offered funded hours term time only and charged £1 per funded hour they used with me to cover trips, arts n craft etc

Both nurseries and childminders lose out with funded places, on average around £1 an hour compared to their usual rates. Both can ask for voluntary contributions to help to cover this.

Yes we typically loose out all settings do. If she takes funding she's aware of that....you could do a voluntary top up.
If your needing childcare when your lo starts school it's worth keeping with your childminder. Personally I don't take on new school age children and only do the children who've grown up with me they then stay until they go to senior school sometimes longer.

I keep children once they get their funded hours. I tend to find that they have been coming to me for some days and going to grandparents for a day or two a week so when they get 30 hours of funded care, they go to nursery for the grandparents days and stay with me as they always have done.

I do charge for consumables to make up the shortfall in the low funding rates and my parents are all happy with that. They appreciate that the fault is with the government for underfunding Early Years and don’t want me making a loss when they are getting such a saving.

My funding is £2/hr less than my hourly rate. I charge a consumables fee to funded parents, which they are happy to pay.

Thanks everyone! I think she's happy to take the funded hours and charge us the extra