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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

Do Childminders charge for a whole day if child is in school?

45 replies

bluebear · 04/05/2005 12:42

I was told that local childminders would charge for a whole day (£50) even if the child is in school, so would be with childminder before school, and after school only.
Is this always the case?

If the school needed ds to be picked up I would expect to leave work myself and deal with it so I wouldn't expect the cm to be on 'standby' so to speak...and I want to put him into the local holiday club during school hols.

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Gillian76 · 04/05/2005 12:43

Have been wondering the same thing so would be interested to see any replies!

batters · 04/05/2005 12:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Ameriscot2005 · 04/05/2005 13:29

It's a long time since I used a childminder, but she did charge for a whole day because she both dropped DS off and picked him up again. She was basically "on call" for any accidents or whatever. She also provided full day care during school holidays and inset days.

If she were only doing the drop off or the pickup, then it would have been before or after school care.

Original poster

bluebear · 04/05/2005 13:32

Hmmm..I am torn between hope from Batters reply and horror from Ameriscots

Is it best for me to ring around any local childminders and ask them all their policy? (not that I've found any with vacancies yet)

OP posts:

wordgirl · 04/05/2005 13:35

I am sure most childminders charge per hour for before and after school care. Mine certainly did otherwise with three children I would never have been able to afford it!
They may charge a half-fee retainer for during the school holidays though so you will need to take that into account.

Tinker · 04/05/2005 13:38

Good God, no! She'd help me out but it is me who is on call.

Jackmummy · 04/05/2005 13:39

No, not in my experience as a childminder.

tillykins · 04/05/2005 14:01

Mine only charges pre and post school - I think this is the norm

alibubbles · 04/05/2005 14:03

As a childminder of two schoolies. no!

I charge a minimum fee of 1 hour for before school and a minimum of 2 hours for after school, regardless of how short a time, otherwise it would not be worth the effort and expense of taking to school, especially when you take into account after school snack, activities and equipment, ie crayons, paper, etc

crunchie · 04/05/2005 14:07

Only if the cm is 'on call' so to speak during school hours. As she wouldn't be, a definate NO

kcemum · 04/05/2005 14:17

Agree with Alibubbles. I only charge for befor and after school for my 3 schoolies., and also have a minimum charge.

vickiyumyum · 04/05/2005 14:49

in the area that i live in childminders charge while said child is at school, as basically a retainer, to make sure that there will always be a space for your child.
the only exception to this that i have come across is that if the childminder manages to place a child for between school run hours only and no school holidays then won't charge while your child is at school, because ther will be no space for them between the hours of 9.30 and 2.30.
the people that live inareas where the childminder doesn't charge for school hours are lucky! i pay £315 per week for 2 full time space where one is at school all day and the other is at nursery three mornings a week.

vickiyumyum · 04/05/2005 14:50

p.s i don't get a sibling discount either, but she is the only childminder in the area that has

Original poster

bluebear · 04/05/2005 15:26

vickiyumyum - what area are you in?

Thanks for everyone else who has replied - It looks like it's worth me trying to find a local childminder rather than assuming I can't afford one anyway.

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lunavix · 04/05/2005 15:28

I personally haven't considered asking parents for the full day school fee.

I'd charge for taking them to school and picking them up, for the hours worked. Unless someone tells me I'm on standby for the whole day, in which case I'd charge for the whole day but I'm sure that would put them off me being on standby!

THe only difference being pre-school, if say I have a child full time and they go to preschool 5 sessions, I'll charge the full fulltime rate as I have no chance of filling 5 2.5 hour sessions.

alibubbles · 04/05/2005 15:37

vickiyumyum, that is very unusual and your childminder is certainly in a very minute minority. It is not normal to charge for a schoolage child during the day. Schoolies are in a different age category ( 5-8's) so they are not taking up a place that could be filled by another child, so she is not losing out on income. The childminder would only have under 5's during the day.

Surely if one of your children needed to be collected from school during the day due to illness, the childminder would not be able to have the child anyway, because of infection.

You are paying a lot of money unnecessarily, or a very generous parent who really wants to keep this childminder, in which case I have a lot of respect for you!!

Incidentally, I was also paid by the family of the children I looked after, one at full time school and the other at nursery every day until 1.15, but both parents were frequently out of the country at the same tiame, so could never be on call. They were paying for a a peace of mind service!

It would be interesting to see what NCMA's( our professional body) view is on this and I will find out.

ssd · 04/05/2005 16:49

I don't charge for when kids are in school, but I do charge for hours pre schoolers are in playgroup or nursery, usually 2-3 hours.

I'm in Scotland BTW.

Original poster

bluebear · 04/05/2005 17:02

Alibubbles - it would be useful to know the NCMA's view thank you, I have looked at their website (FAQs) but it didnt cover this.

A couple of my work colleagues have childminders who charge for school age children, but they are on 'standby' during the day in case of bumped heads or similar accidents at school, as my colleagues live a long way from work so would find it very hard to get back to the school in a reasonable time.

OP posts:

doraexplorer · 04/05/2005 17:04

Bluebear - i'm with the majority on this one. I only charge for before and after school for 'schoolie's'

What area are you?

lunavix · 04/05/2005 17:05

I suppose another thought on this would be for 'half days' or such that you do get with schools.

If the parent expects the CM to pick up the child, should they pay the full day? It's interesting.

KatieMac · 04/05/2005 18:18

I would say that to charge for school hrs for a school age child is a way of making money. I cannot see how it would be justified unless the parents were unable to collect in an emergancy.

A rising 5 (like lunavix mentioned) would be a different circumstance, and so would if a C/Mer was dropping off at and collection from another daycare situation (ie not Nursery)

I am interested in the NCMA's view on this also

I hope you find the right C/Mer for you & your family Bluebear

feelingold · 04/05/2005 19:06

Neither I or any of the childminders in my group charge for any of the time school age kids are at school, but like others charge a minimum amount per day.
None of us have ever heard of this and were quite shocked that some childminders do this (or is it cos we are in a small town and things are done differently in large cities?)

LGJ · 04/05/2005 19:21

On a Monday,I drop my DS to playschool, pick him up and take him back to the CM, she did try charging me and I did allow her to. Then one of my friends told me I needed my head opening and looking at. So I told her politely that I thought it was money for old rope, she didn't even argue.

On a Tuesday, I drop him to school, my choice, she picks him up. I pay her for this cover, because if I wanted to she would take him to school for me.

If the nursery called her to say that DS was poorly then she would in theory go and get him, I work locally so it would in reality be me who would go to the school. But if I didn't work locally then she would, and I am happy to pay for this cover.

Sorry that was a bit of a ramble.

I pay her £3 an hour.

Full pay if we keep him away and half pay when she is on holidays.

That doesn't bother me, what cheesed me off and I know I am probably going to get shouted down, is that when her daughter went into labour we all got a late night text saying you need to make your own arrangements tomorrow and then she expected to get paid for it.

So it cost me a days pay to the CM

A days holidays

Extra creche fees to go to the gym for an hour.

And a present for the baby.

God, what a ramble, bet you are sorry you asked

KatieMac · 04/05/2005 19:34

LGJ - that seems a bit unfair...did you know the daughter was Pregnan?

If I needed an emergency day off I don't think I would charge for it (certainly not at less than 24hrs notice)

But I do ask for up to 2 weeks paid leave (on topof 2 weeks unpaid) - but I do think the lack of notice was rude

LGJ · 04/05/2005 19:38

I knew she was pregnant, just think that it was a bit much, but if she only charges me 50% for her hols maybe it wasn't such a big deal after all

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