Childminder charging for travel time to school?

[FlyingTigger]

Advice please and if this is the norm?
Childminder wants to charge travel to DC school (so when going to collect). When we signed contract I’d already included 15 minutes grace in case it was easier for her to collect DC earlier but this is NOT required by the school. Contract includes this 15 minutes.
childminder is charging for an hour, then changes this and said it’s 30 minutes. School pick up 3pm but her timesheet starts from 2pm. Journey takes 10 minutes by bus and 15/20 minutes walk.
is this the norm? For CM to charge travel to school when the child isn’t with them? Says she’s always done this.

She's not travelling to work. Her place of work is home and when she begins travelling to your children's school she's working.

I can see why she's charging but it shouldn't be more than half an hour. Presumably if pick up was 3 she wouldn't need to leave any earlier than 2.30?

Her place of work is her house. She is travelling as part of work.

My home is my registered workplace. I work out and about though. I charge my employer my time and mileage from the moment I get in the car. Surely she wouldn’t ge doing the journey if not to pick up kids. I don’t think it needs padding though if I takes half an hour it shouldnt be rounded up to 1 hour.

Journey takes 10 minutes by bus and 15/20 minutes walk

So 20mins from the bus stop to school
10mins on the bus

You've not included her time leaving her home and waiting for the bus.

That. The school isn't her place of work. Her home is. Her commitment to you starts when she has to leave her home to fulfil your requirements.

I like her but just a bit peeved as we’d signed contract that included 15 minutes travel time. Wish she’d challenged it then as I paid first month fine. This one was much higher and hadn’t budgeted for as it was 4 weeks and not 3 (no holiday childcare needed over Christmas).

How businesses work...

1. They charge a price
2. You decide if you want to pay that price

1. You see if they're open to negotiation on questionable parts of the bill

So does the signed contract state 2.45pm start time?

If it's 'much higher' then this indicates she doesn't actually have them for very long and you just pay for the hours you use (rather than a session price for the evening).

How much do you pay per day/per collection?

Re pay
DC is autistic and non verbal. It took ages to find a CM who was willing to provide care. This CM also doesn’t look after other children and DC needs that constant attention BUT I increased her hourly fee by 15% to take all of this into account and didn’t want to risk losing her! She was adamant she wanted her original rate but changed Bernina mind afterwards. Think this has also left a bad taste in my mouth…

but looks like a few of you agree with the travel time and appreciate your POV

might have to challenge why it takes an hour when shouldn’t more than 30 minutes

like her but just a bit peeved as we’d signed contract that included 15 minutes travel time. Wish she’d challenged it then as I paid first month fine. This one was much higher and hadn’t budgeted for as it was 4 weeks and not 3 (no holiday childcare needed over Christmas).

Ah, I think it makes a difference that it's changed from what you signed. So you signed that you'd pay from 2.45? And she's charged from 2?

Get a different childminder. She sounds totally unreasonable.

No I don't think so . When I was a childminder I charged an hour minimum but it started as I arrived at school. So 330, some parents collected at 4 but it was still an hour charge. But I never charged for travelling to school. The key here is what are the hours stated in the contract?

If it says 3-5 for example but she charging from 2 then she's charging wrong and you need to mention it.

We were charged a flat rate of £3 for childminder to collect from school.

True
Tesco this works perfectly

when said CM agreed to a start time ( and signed contract) but has now added 45 minutes, it’s a bit of a problem

She advertised £10/hour.
I said pls take £15 as I know DC can be hard work.

Now takes £15/H

I think that might be the reality. Definitely wanted some impartial views first

Think there’s loads of CMs in the area. Something like 20-30 within a 3 mile radius.

also looks after her own DGC from time to time.