How much is a CM going to cost me?

[MamaG]

DH is thinking of going back to work full time (currently works on teh days I don't, IYKWIM).

We have 3 year old DS & 8 year old DD

How much could we expect to pay, for after nursery/school care?

3.15 - pick DS up from nursery
3.30 - pick DD up from school
5.45 - I'd pick them up from CM house

?

Or will I be told to bog off, they will only want them ful days?

You need to phone your Early Years team at the council, they'll be able to give you a list of cm's with vacancies. Also try Surestart Put your postcode in and all your local stuff will come up. I do all part timers, so it shouldn't be a problem. I charge £3.75 p/h, but it might be different in the country!

Wrong link! this one!

Thanks luv
have phoned Council, they are going to send me a list.

My childminder charges me £2 an hour for ds.

DD is at school & the c/minder doesn't have her very often, but when she has them both she charges £3 an hour.

There are lots of childminders round here who do after school care

Although I'm unsure if all of them charge for school time hours as well incase the child is ill & they are needed to do pick ups?

from staffroom thread

I would expect that the 3 year old will cause issues. This is due to him taking up a Under5's place. You may be lucky and find a childminder who already cares for an under 5 who finishes by say 3pm, but I'd say it could be uncommon.
8 year old DD is not so much of an issue, as not talking up an Under8's place.

Think about what happens if:
A child is ill.
A school/nursery is closed/inset day
School/nursery holidays

Also is it practical to collect from nursery at 3.15, then be at school in time for 3.30? Are they next to each other? Given that you/your DH are already doing these pick ups, I presume these places are close to each other. There may be issues with timing - as getting children in and out of cars (not all childminders will have a car), walking from place to place takes time. It won't just be your children, but also others, who could be babies/toddlers.

Costs as others have already said will vary around the country, and even within local areas. In my area (Surrey/Berkshire border) fees seem to vary between £3.50 and £5 per hour, per child.

A 3 year old attending 10 educational sessions can't be a classed as a 5 year old for ratio purposes. But a 4 year old attending 10 educational sessions can be classed as being age 5 for ratio purposes.
ManaG, if you find that DS being aged 3 does cause issues, then it may be worth waiting until he is 4.

But Nick a 4 who counts as a 5 year old when in 10 sessions a week, REVERTS to being a 4 year old, if and when they start school, they only do mornings to start with, RETURNING to being a 5 year old when the go back to 10 sessions a 10 i.e a full school day.!!!!!

I have to get a variation for my 4/5 year old each time as they do a whole term here in Dorset at half days.

Madness

MamaG here you would be paying around £3.00/3.50 per hour for you 8 year old just after school, but for you 3 year old, most would require a retainer for the time the child is in nursery, and hourly rate for after.

My policy I give to parents states:

UNDER 5?S IN OTHER SETTINGS

A child is counted as an under 5 by Ofsted until they are in full time education i.e. at school for 10 sessions a week.

A child who is at pre school is a under 5 and if they are with a childminder before and after pre school, and require a fulltime space during the holidays they therefore are taking a childminders full time space. As such you are required to pay retainer fee for the time that they are at preschool, as the childminder cannot then fill the part time that they are at pre school.

I pay £3.50 an hour in Warks

Shosha, does that apply even for the really wee ones? Been thinking about finding a cm for ds for like, 1 morning/week, just to stop me going barmy.

Just a quicky, haven't read all. I have a 3 year old mindee from 2.45-6pm and only charge the hours I have her (parents are lucky ) This is because I applied to Ofsted for a variation due to it being more school hours. May be worth asking CM's if they'd be willing to ask Ofsted?