CMs - do you charge if you're ill?

[allegin]

I'm a new childminder - I've been lurking and reading all the useful advice but haven't found a thread about this.

So does anyone charge if they're ill? I'm planning to charge if the mindee is ill but not if I am.

My dh thinks I should charge if I'm ill but it seems wrong to me.

I don't really ever get ill but obviously still need to have it in the contract...

I don't charge (generally) if I am not providing a service

Your DH is thinking like an employed person - as a S/E person you put up your rates to allow for Bank holidays/sickness/holidays etc

mine doesn't charge when she is ill nor does she charge for her holidays.

I would not be happy paying for CM who charged when she/he was ill in case she took a "sickie" I have many friends/associates who are CMs and I did meet some financially unscrupulous ones! The majority weren't though.

If my CM was ill for a while (unusual in her case) or had an unexpected family trauma that I would be inclined to give her some money still as a goodwill gesture.

Personally I would rather pay a higher hourly rate and not pay for CM holidays but which ever way you decide to do it make it clear to the parents. Unless CMs are very much in demand where you are you may have to accept a little lower pay to start with until you proven experience and customers IYSWIM. Ensure that your contract can be reviewed regularly etc to cover yourself.

Thanks - that's what I thought!

I don't charge if I am sick..but some cms I know charge half rates.

I don't charge when I'm ill. If I have something like a really bad cold, I sometimes phone parents and say I am ill, but you can send your children if you like and usually get about half the children (I don't charge for the ones who choose not to come). I think I have had 4 days off sick in the last 10 years.

No I don't charge anything.

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

burtie If you have agreed to pay when she is off then she can charge you, however if you are not happy with this you can discuss it at your next contract review. CM's are s/employed so set their own terms and conditions and that is what will be in your contract. Ofsted, NCMA etc don't regulate T&C's but NCMA do suggest that minders take 4wks hols a year, however this is entirely up to indvidual cm's some take lots some none some only work term time, varies a lot.

allegin Hello 2 U I don't charge if the service is available, but do if it is and they don't use it. I also if feeling a bit rough will phone parents and give them the option (as long as it's not infectious) they all still come though:LOL. I know a couple of CM's that charge for sickness and surprise, surprise they have a lot of sick days, one of my parents lost her job as she was so unreliable, think it's very .

One of the childminders we have used was paid for sick days. This wasn't in her original contract but when she was due for a pay rise she asked instead for sick pay and holiday pay. This was fine with us although we did ask for a max number of sick days to be specified. It worked fine because she is a lovely lady

The other cms we've used do not get sick pay.

If I can't look after children because I am ill then I make no charge, not that i have ever taken a sick day yet. If one of my children is ill then it depends on what is wrong. Normally i ring parents and explain and let them decide if they want to risk it or not. If they decide to stay away I don't charge because i still feel it is my fault. If mindees don't come for any reason but i am here and open and ready to have them they they get charged.
Holidays are dealt with similarly. I decide my holiday dates as far in advance as possible, normally start of the year and make no charge for those days as I am closed. If parents go on hols outside of those dates then they will be billed as normal.

have to say i wouldnt want to pay a cm if they are off sick or on holiday as it would mean im paying twice for childcare as id be paying someone else.
my cm doesnt charge for her holidays but charges full for ours which seems reasonable