Advice needed please!

[loobs2]

A close friend has asked me to look after her child for an hour after school from Sept 2 days a week - which quite honestly I'd be happy to do for nothing. But she is insisting on paying me - and £5 an hour! I feel very uncomfortable about this - can anyone suggest what I should say/do?

If she's happy to pay it, then great. If I were her, I'd rather pay too because then I'd feel confident that it was a more professional arrangement and my friend wouldn't casually say 'sorry, can't have your DC this week.'

CMs round here charge £3.50-£4ph. If the £5 makes you feel uncomfortable why don't you find out the CM rate and just charge that?

Think carefully before you agree to do it though. Make sure you can offer the commitment. How old is her DC? Do you have a DC the same age? If you're available and have a similar aged child, it's probably a good deal for both of you.

if you are all happy then no problem

if it is ever more than 2 hours of care (ie holidays) then you need to be a registered childminder

If it's childcare for over 2 hours but unpaid I don't think you need registered childcare.

yes, I meant (but didnt say) 2 hours PAID

It is term-time only, won't even be every week, and will only be for 1 hour for 2 days, so is that OK do you think? I certainly don't want to do it if it means having to get registered or anything

im pretty sure so long as on any single day its no more than 2 hours its fine!

Thanks!