Childminder 30 hours funded help

[Bc102]

Hi
I’m looking for some help/ advice on something I’m not really to sure about

my little boy has started a childminders from next week 30 hours funded but is also doing full days so I’m paying for the extra hours he will be there ( hope that makes sense)

I have been charged a consumables amount which is a very, very high amount which I had no clue was going to be added onto my invoice

I have no clue if this is ok? Do the hours extra I’m paying not just make up the loss in earning for the childminder

just looking for advice if anyone can offer it please

@HJ40 I asked for a break down in the price but she didn’t give me one to the exact she just listed what the cost of the consumables will cover and she said breakfast, morning snack, crafts wipes toilet roll cleaning products water and also said she puts money back into the business with refurbs etc x

In some areas, the funding rate is equal to if not slightly higher than a childminders usual hourly rate. In other areas it can be vastly different. There seems to be no rhyme nor reason to the funding rates. It could be that your childminder doesn’t lose out with funding, she may also be charging a slightly higher rate to those who pay for the hours

I guess ultimately she can charge what she wants and you can decide if you want to use her services.
Look at the 30 hours as funding to cut your bill rather than free hours.
You might be able to find a cheaper childminder, or often school nurseries and community preschools are a little cheaper.

Looks like she's charging the loss of around 1.20 an hour as you funded hours will be around 22 a week. So it's very likely the difference only in funding rate to normal rate.

Councils are allocated a rate by the government which is published but from that they can take an amount for administration and then decide how they allocate funding to each setting so that could vary within a borough according to factors like areas of poverty, taking send children, experience most childminders don't know yet what rate they are being paid for September in my borough we've been told they will decide in November and then back date it.

Sounds pretty normal. We do the same (nursery) 22 funded 'free' hours a week (stretched) extra hours charged hourly rate, consumables £7.50 a day which covers meals, snacks, drinks, cookery, gardening, arts and crafts, equipment etc...
I think the problem here is that she hasn't made it clear to you what is being charged.

I'm in the South East

I'm in Hillingdon rates for childminders vary from £5.19 to £6.30.....we can't get an easy explanation of why it varys so much.... Hillingdon pay pretty well though.