Childminders .... help with a few questions, I'm confused!

[Milowilo]

I've been looking for a CM for my LO who is 6 months old but will be 10 months when they goes to the CM. We have been to see a lovely lady twice now and she is brilliant with LO, so we have decided we would like her to have our LO. However I'm a bit confused about some of her terms?

My husband works shifts and most weeks can have two or even three different rest days (so we wouldn't need care then). The CM has been given his shift pattern for 10 weeks and she has said that on his rest days she will have to charge us £10 as she won't be able to have other children as the days are different? This will bump our childcare up over £100 which we weren't expecting?

Also she has two weeks holiday a year and doesn't charge, but charges full rate for our holidays if different to hers?

If this is correct then please don't flame me as I'm extremely 'naive' when it comes to the rules of childminders

I'm more than willing to pay whatever it costs for my LO to be happy, but just wanted to make sure her terms sounded OK?

Thanks

Sounds perfectly normal I personally couldn't afford to take on your LO as £10 a day on the rest day is way less than I would get from another mindee and we're restricted on numbers so afraid my income would suffer too much. I think what she's charging is very fair on that bit

As for holidays. Very very normal for any time whatsoever that mindee doesn't attend, you pay full as cm won't be able to fill those days. And she's only taking 2 weeks holiday, that's very good, most take at least 4 weeks

So I'd be very happy with those terms, btw, I'm a childminder

Good luck with it all.

Meant to say when your child is off as YOUR holiday or CHILD illness etc. If your child doesn't attend as she's closed then I wouldn't expect to pay. Just wanted to make that clear

Very very reasonable

She can earn (how old are her children any under 5? if not) Hourly rate x10 hours x 5 days a week (if we use £3 as an hourly rate we have a potential income of £150 per child)

If your child might come on any day each week she can't book anyone else in (unless you know someone on the opposite shift to your husband who also needs childcare) so one whole space is being used - if she charges you any less than our mythical £150 per week she is voluntarily losing money & she is very generous to do so

If you only came 3 days a week - the same 3 days then she could book someone in to the other 2 days, but because of the shifts altering she can't

I agree with Looney about the holidays - if the childcare is available you pay when it's not you don't - seems fair enough

HTH

Sounds reasonable as technically she will have to keep a full time space for your LO as its unlikely she could fill those other days all the time.
2 of my families work shifts, one sends her ds full time so that he is in a routine and cos he often doesnt know his shifts for the following week till quite late.
The other sends her children on the days she works and pays fulltime spaces although the hours change eg late finishes and early starts.
Im not greedy they chose to pay the full time spaces I never asked them too, they feel it guarantees their spaces as I cant let anyone else use them. First mindee i mentioned used to only be 3 days to send him all the time.
I take a lot more hols too at no fee 27 days this year but that includes all the christmas hols.
Your Cm sounds really good and I hope it works out for you.

aarrghh everyone types so much quicker than me. Soory if i repeated everyone else.

I'm amazed that the CM is only charging £10 for each day they are holding your child's place. Take it fast, before she changes her mind.
While I can appreciate that you are letting her know 10 weeks in advance of which days you require, she has to hold all those days open for you regardless. Would be very hard to find another child who could fill the spaces.

Milowilo - just to let you know I couldn't afford to charge you like this - it is a very very good deal for you

I doubt you will find anything comparable

Hi there, if you require the cm to chop and change your LO days all the time, she cant take anyone else on incase you need the days, where i am it is accepted that if you dont bring your children (hol or sickness) you pay full rate..if you(i do this with some of my schoolies)agree to say term time only(like me) i charge 1/2 normal fee retainer for the hols, to ensure her place is secured..so for eg my mindee pays £50 per week, when she doesnt come(school hols) they pay £25, but she is only before and after school..if your LO is full time, you ARE getting a fantastic deal!

Hi

Thanks so much for your messages, now you have all explained it I realise it is a fantastic deal, so I have phoned her and given a definate yes!!

She is lovely and having been to a so called 'montessori' today, where I was horrified at what I saw (six babies in six cots in a tiny airless room, all expected to sleep at the same time, it nearly reduced me to tears at the thought of my DD in that room), I know my DD will be well cared for at the CM.

I'm so relieved we have found someone, so thanks for your advice!

I am a shift worker like your husband so had to take a full time place with a cm for my lo. I am charged half price on the days he is not there so way more than £10 per day - think you got lucky xxx

yep - sounds like you got a very good deal to me too.