Hi lovely childminders, how many weeks holidays do you charge ?

[Summerfruit]

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mine charges 4 weeks

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I charge full price for all mindees holidays as I'm available to work, for my holidays I don't charge as I'm not available. HTH

Same as henni

You can't charge for your holidays surely?! Sounds very unreasonable to do so.

Oh, this could turn into the same debate that ALWAYS happens with threads like this. The problem is, NCMA RECOMMEND we DO charge for OUR holidays which is why a lot do. I personally don't but it really is up to the individual as to how they charge. And yes, they may get some parents who won't use them because they charge, depends what's normal in their area.

you can charge whatever you like, parents will decide whether your charges are unreasonable based on other CM's locally, how much they like you, how well off they are etc.

My Cm factors 4 weeks holiday into the fees and divides by 12 so I just pay the same amount every month. if she didn;t charge for holidays her rates would just increase slightly to result in the same overall income for her so IMHO its a red herring.

Parents know what they can afford to pay, they won;t pay more than that but they will pay up to that amount to get a CM they prefer. (At least I do). IME CM's who don;t charge for holidays do charge a higher rate per hour.

the only thing which annoys me slightly is that I have to take my holiday when she takes her. I never get to choose when I can take my holiday. I can see that it isn;t really practical to do it any other way for her but none-the-less it is a source of grumbling occasionally chez Kewcumber.

I don't charge a higher rate although I don't charge for my holidays, this is because where I am supply is now exceeding demand so I have to stay competetive (sp). Having said that there's an enormous difference between the cheapest and most expensive minders around here.

henni - I suppose that the point I was making earlier about parents will decide based on various things other CM's is one. Personally I wouldn't ever turn down a CM I liked based on price, though I might go back and try to renegotiate based on others rates.

I take four weeks paid as recommended by the NCMA.

So far no parent has had a problem with that.

This year most of my mindees and my hols are at the same time (not planned just happened that way)

As a parent, I would not pay a childminder to go onholiday. Kew, I appreciate the red herring argument. But, haveing a break in the childcare fees helps to fund the holiday I might go on.

Childminders are not employees. And NCMA does not dictate what I as a parent must accept. You might answer to them, but I don't.

I am happy to pay bank hols, my hols, and any other time I don't show up.

I now take 4 weeks at 1/2 fees. Not been an issue. If I didn't make a charge at the time of the holiday I would have a higher childminding rate for the rest of the year to cover it.

I charge half rate for 4 weeks mindee holiday.

Half rate for Bank Holidays and the Christmas break (reasoning that the parents are off at that time so do not have to pay another minder. )

I do not charge for my two weeks summer holiday.

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I charge full fee when I am available, no fee when I am not. This includes holidays and illnesses.

Where are you Summerfruit?

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In that case, you'll make loads of money childminding. I know some people in Twickenham who pay half for childminder hols, some don't pay for childminder hols, and others pay full. So, while I personally would never sign up to that arrangement, you might find plenty others who would.

I charge half for both. All parents have always been fine with that.