Holiday only childminding: how do you charge if the child is away?

[Numberfour]

For the first time, I will be having a child only during the school holidays. I am not sure how to invoice the parents if they are azway on holiday over that time and the child is not with me.

Do you charge a full fee seeing that the place is booked? Or do you charge a retainer rate simply because it is only very part time holiday care?

I am not sure what to do.

Full fee, same as any other person. If they decide to go away but you're still open for business then I'd charge as it's not fair for you to loose out.

If they are over 5, I'd charge for the days I have them, under 5 I'd charge full fee.

thanks, looneytune and picante. picante, out of interest, why do you differentiate like that?

Imo the age has nothing to do with it, it would be hard to manage to fill just that time they are away. I have an ADHOC school holiday mindee and they pay as and when needed, but that's only because it's adhoc and no proper contracted hours.

thanks again, looney. i think i may go with a 50% retainer because i have another schoolie on retainer too.

i only charge if they are with me however if they are booked in that week and on wed dont come i charge them for that day.

i always give parents a list of dates i am working over the summer hols in june and they tick when they need me then i plan around the children i have

I've always only charged term time for school age children, and if I have them in the holidays I just charge for the days I've been booked. I couldn't charge for the whole holidays if someone just wanted an after-school place with the odd day in the holiday - I'd lose all my clients.

Mine have holiday only contracts and if they are away, they are charged, because I am available. I do have a couple of families who do adhoc care during the holidays and they are just charged when they are here, but they are also not guaranteed a space.

i think that that is the crux of the matter: is the place to be guaranteed.

hmmmmm...... will think on it a bit more. still may well go with the 50% if they are away.

thanks again, everyone.

Exactly the same as HSMM. Maybe you could offer the holidays on a no contract basis but that the space isn't guaranteed? I don't know. I just couldn't afford such a loss if the parents decided to take holidays a lot in that period.

I suppose it depends on supply and demand. If you find it very hard to get holiday work and still have other spaces then you could see this as extra income when they DO come. But if you could easily fill that space with someone who'd want you throughout the holidays then why should you loose money? 50% is a good compromise if you're happy to do that. I personally couldn't afford to so you really need to look at the overall picture