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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

Should a childminder still charge when the child is a playgroup?

34 replies

nakkered · 20/07/2009 19:34

I am a newly registered childminder and I have had an enquiry to look after a child before and after playgroup. I cannot then fill this space so therefore can I still charge for that time?

OP posts:

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lou031205 · 20/07/2009 19:37

Yes.

knittingmama · 20/07/2009 19:49

Our childminder does, based on the fact that she cannot fill that time with another child so therefore must charge for it. It's only fair. She also charges when children go to nursery for half a day.

shoshe · 20/07/2009 19:54

Hi nakkered (love the name by the way), I have always charged when a child is at Pre school, would you like a copy of my handbook, it has the policy for it in it?

email at nanny 475 at hotmail dot com.

frAKKINPannikin · 20/07/2009 20:00

Yes purely on the assumption you be expected to take care of them if playgroup is closed.

Katymac · 20/07/2009 20:05

Where will the child be if playgroup is closed?

If the parent wants it to be the childminder, then they need to pay

HSMM · 20/07/2009 20:45

I charge. Presumably the child will also need that space during the holidays?

raindroprhyme · 20/07/2009 21:45

same here. My child minder charges if she is expected to be avaialable if nursery is closed. so if i am at work. She is also one of the emergency contacts so can collect and drop him at grannies if he is sick.

Ripeberry · 20/07/2009 22:56

What happens with school aged children? Or is it because the contract is specific such as before or after school?

harpsichordcarrier · 20/07/2009 22:57

yes

cece · 20/07/2009 23:03

Yes

cat64 · 20/07/2009 23:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Katymac · 20/07/2009 23:07

School age children are in a different age band so are treated differently

So 3 under 5's plus 3 5-8's - iyswim

hksi · 27/07/2009 12:12

What about if the child is going to the childminder for the morning then play school after lunch and picked up by parent after play school? Would it be o.k to charge whilst the child is at play school??

thesilverlining · 27/07/2009 12:33

hksi - I would say no - if you drop off at playschool and mum picks up I would say thats a part time morning only space. But mum needs to understand that you are not available if playschool is closed. If she wants you to be then she must pay the retainer.

re the op's question - I charge a half fee retainer for the hours they are at playschool - and then if the child ends up with me I top up to the full rate

atworknotworking · 27/07/2009 15:24

We do the following

If we drop off and collect - full fee

If we collect only - pay from collect time

If we drop only - pay until drop time

But if parents require us to be 1st contact if child is ill or nursery / play group closed they pay full fee otherwise if nursery /playgroup call and ask us to collect we say no. If parents are not paying whilst the child is not with us we are not insured that's my rule.

For mindees who start school we charge a fee for before and a fee for after school.

lucy65 · 29/07/2009 23:23

I have always charged full fee. Its parents choice for them to go. You couldnt possibly fill that space for the 2 hrs slot on whicheverodd days parents decide. You also have the pleasure of walking little Johnny there and back in the rain maybe. Youre the one who will have to stay behind if mindee doesnt settle. Usually you will be on call if theres a problem/illness etc. It its closed one week theyll soon want your services then! Oh and by the time you`ve returned home in the rain you probably have just enough time to dry off before you reverse the trip for another soaking!!!!!!

Yeah right. FULL FEE EVERY TIME!

hksi · 30/07/2009 08:27

Glad you're not my childminder with that attitude!!!!!!

frasersmummy · 30/07/2009 08:38

midweek blues lucy??

lisad123 · 30/07/2009 08:43

I have 2 CMs, one does, one doesnt.

hana · 30/07/2009 09:09

I think until you are able to fill the space you shouldn't charge

Our cm charges half fees as we drop off. charges from when she leaves her house to pick up dd.

Illhavethisinsize12 · 30/07/2009 10:02

shoshe could i have a copy to please? I will email you. thanks

SecretSlattern · 30/07/2009 10:15

My CM does charge, but her charges tend to be for the place rather than for the amount of hours the child is there. Another parent sends her DD to the same CM after school and holidays only and still has to pay full fees because it is for the place rather than hours.

dietstartstomorrow · 30/07/2009 11:54

I currently charge half-fee, but am going to charge full for new mindees.

Tanith · 30/07/2009 19:56

I charge full fee whilst a child is at nursery.

For one thing, the child is taking up two childcare places and I don't see why they should expect me to subsidise one of those places. A daycare nursery wouldn't hesitate to charge in the same circumstances.

For another, it's certainly not money for nothing. As Lucy says, we have to do the running around, travel costs etc. and look after the child for holidays and Inset days. Also, the EYFS means that I now have to work and liase with the nursery. That means extra work that wouldn't be necessary if the child wasn't attending the nursery.

I think I'm entitled to expect payment for the additional hassle and work involved.

burtie2u · 11/08/2009 10:06

My childminder is away (ie out of the country) for the whole of January. I know if I notify her about any holiday's I have, I only pay half for the week. Which I understand as I am paying for his space. But she still wants me to pay half when she is closed?? for a month, is this right? As I will also have to pay someone else to look after my son for the whole time she is away? Can someone let me know if she is right or should I question it? Burtie

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