do childminders charge for

Mine does

Message withdrawn

Message withdrawn

Mine did as well (when I used one). I did think that it was a bit much for someone who is self-employed. But I also found that it was standard practice, and so accepted it as such. Although she used to have DD for 11 hours per day, and we standardised bank holidays as 8 hour days. I didn't think I should have to pay overtime on a day she wasn't actually working.

Message withdrawn

thats why i send dd to nursery - it does not charge when they are closed for business in the summer,easter or xmas, but they do bank holidays. while my childminder wanted to be paid all year round like she was my employee while i saw her as self employed. i dont care what the law says. i did not mind to pay for the bank holidays but i was annoyed to pay for anything else, like illness or holidays. the nursery does not get ill.iykwim.

I'm a childminder and I don't charge for bank holidays, or when I'm on holiday or if I can't work due to me or my ds's being sick and I'm unavailable. But I work part time and I don't yet consider childminding as a vaible business. When my 2 are at school then I'll get more business minded. I agree some childminders seem to get all they can out of parents and this is unfair. But a lot of parents take advantage of childminders and this unfortunately forces the childminder to be a bit more hard nosed and to make sure she sticks up for her rights and this sometimes seems greedy to some parents.

Hope this ramble makes sense!

I am also a registered childminder & I don't charge for bank holidays either, mainly because I don't want to work them & therefore don't charge.
I charge a reduced fee for my fortnights holiday in the summer, but all other time I take off I don't charge.
Yes we are self employed so it is up to us to set our fees as we see fit, for me my childminding is a viable business and a major part of our household income. But I also recognise that a lot of families struggle to pay childminding fees even with wftc & childcare vouchers etc, therefore say that if you have to pay for cover when I'm off in the summer & can prove that you have paid for the care, then I will waive that holidays fees. But then saying that I do give plenty of notice of my holidays each year & parents do have time to either arrange their holidays to fit or arrange other cover. (I let then know in Novemer for the folllowing year when my holidays are, & they are usually at the same time each year)If I have to take time off for illness then there is no charge, however if a child I care for takes time off for illness or holiday when I am open for business then I will charge full rate.

Mosschops30

lucky you...10 weeks holidays a year!!!!

But if your childminder is still working those ten weeks and you are choosing not to take your child, surely she is right to ask for pay as you are taking up a place?

Maybe when contracts were signed you should have asked for a reduction in fees with you having 10 weeks holidays.

I used to childmind and would have offered you a reduced rate but also would have suggested you still bring your child one or two days/mornings.

Most children love going and then the parent can have a bit of time to do the weekly shop, etc.

mine dies but we go wed to fri si not affected usually

mine dies

I too am a childminder and I do not charge for bank holidays either. I take 2 weeks holiday per year which I do not charge for and I let my mindees parents take up to 4 weeks per year which I do not charge for but if they take more than 4 weeks I expect them to pay me for the extra.
Are some of these childminders greedy or am I stupid??

feelingold - I charge full rate for parents holidays, and half rate for mine (4 weeks) but I'm prepared to try and fit mine in with parents (iyswim!) My ICP tutor told me to charge full price, she said granted we are self employed but most people get at least 4 weeks at full pay a year, why shouldnt we.

I thought that was a bit mean though, hence half price

I cahrge for 50 weeks out of 52 - then I divide it by 12 and they pay a monthly fee

the 2 week I don't charge for are a week at christmas and a week in august.

I also ask for up to 2 week paid holiday - so far in the 2 yrs I have worked I have only need 1.5 days of that - but it is a contingancy. I cover my own sick leave , so parent would not be without care.

But I do charge for B/H.....in the monthly fee - but as they pay the same each month it doesn't seem as bad (I have been told)

I could not charge for B/Hs and holidays but I would put my rate up by £15 a week really its my parent choice - which they would rather

We pay the same amount over 52 wks of the year - altho our minder did take off her holidays and bank holidays when working it out. Have to say, she charges nowhere near the amount she probably could, we were really struggling at one point and she suggested cutting her fee slightly as she was attached to our kids and they are very attached to her. She's absolutely brill and I wish that i earnt loads so that i could pay her what she's worth! Altho having said that we've recommended her to a couple of friends and she looks after their children too.

Kath that sounds great for both of you!

Hi im a childminder i only look after one child,i charge for bank holidays and any days the child is ill,but if my kids are ill they dont pay.And if my charge is ill i will normally take her as long as not infectious,i did have her with chicken pox!.i dont ask mum to pay for anything i pay for all activities.so come on we are not out to get as much as possible.My charge has my sole attention its how i like it.

My childminder charges half rate for her holidays, full rate for bank holidays. Any time I choose not to send my children to her outside this time I still pay in full. I have absolutely no problem with this. Sure, it's a lot of money to me sometimes, but what has that got to do with the fact she needs to make a living too?

Incidentally, I am self-employed too, and I don't get sick pay or holiday pay. That is completely different IMO. I pay my childminder for a year-round service, which I feel she provides extremely well.

Oh, and she's not greedy; she's a skilled person who's worked in childcare for around 20 years and looks after quite a few children. I pay her £230 a week, for two children, four days, and what I get back is the immeasurable happiness and self-assurance of my daughters.

hi motherinferior thanks for sticking up for us childminders i have looked after kids for 23yrs and love them all very much.

I'm a childminder, I used to charge single rate for BH if it was the childs contracted day to attend and they didn;t attend, and double for all children i did have. It was upto the parent if they wanted me to Have their child or not.
I now do not have the demand for BH anyway so i dont work them anymore, hence don;t charge either.
But if you're a parent worried about paying your childminder for certain things then you are mor ethan welcome to say to them that you feel that the costs are too much for you and could you come to some arrangements. If a parent came to me and asked me that I would only be too happy to accomodate them. All contracts are tailored to the individual child and family, and are always negotaible.
I do have to say that just because we are self employed doesn't mean that our bills or mortgage cost us any less, we have expenses just as much as employed people. To some extent i think that being self employed is harder to manage than being employed by someone, if just one child leaves you it could have a huge impact on bill paying etc. plus you don't get the perks that employed people do.