Calling All Childminders: What holidays should you take

[MyBoo]

I am hoping some childminders are reading this.

My Childminder contract states that when I am on holiday I have to pay her full money but when she is on holiday I don't have to pay her. I think this is pretty standard ...But .... My childminder is not taking any holidays this year so I will have to pay her for 52 weeks and so will the other parents.

Is this correct - can she do this. Between Christmas & New Year when all the parents are not at work she will not have any children but she will receive full pay from all parents.

Is she allowed not to take any holidays. Surely she is subject to the working time directive like the rest of us and should take 20 days off work?

I used to receive full fee from all parents when I was on holiday and this included the period from Xmas until the New Year.

For the past 3 years I have been taking 4 weeks annual leave at half fee.

Then again, this doesn't always work out as some parents take a lot more time off (4 weeks here and then another 4 weeks there etc. (some taking 12-15 weeks a year) so adding to my loss.

I am actually thinking of just charging full fee for parents leave and nothing for my own time off.

Childminders are self employed so it is up to them what holiday they choose to take.

She can do what she likes its up to you to negotiate a contract that you are happy with before you sign it.
If she is open for business 52 weeks of the year that is up to her, but she then has to be available for all those days and it should be very clear in the contract.
If you are not happy ask for a contract review so you can discuss it, if you are still not happy then you have the choice to give notice and move to another childminder.

''I am actually thinking of just charging full fee for parents leave and nothing for my own time off.''

That is what I do, but I reduce it to 1/2 fee if the child is sick because I don't want them bringing sick children to me, so far I don't believe it's been exploited, maybe it will in the future but I hope that is not the case.

It so happens that this year I have taken the BHs off so far and a single day in June to go to a concert, and I've got a week off in September but that's it.

i don't think anyone can be at their best (or anywhere near it) working flat out at 52 days a year.

i would find another CM.

I was happy when we put the contract together, ie full fee when we are on holiday and no fee when she is on holiday.

I have pushed her to tell me when she is going to take leave as my work are pushing me to put leave requests in and also I wont have enough days so we will have to arrange for grandparents to take some time off work as well etc.

Thats when she said she wasn't taking any holidays this year. I just thought that everyone had to take a break from work.

I have to admit I am begining to worry whether we have made the right decision. Oh I hate working!

Maybe she assumes that her mindees will be taking holidays and therefore she will get days off anyway so she's not arranged any holiday off her own back? As I said before, I've only booked a week and a couple of days off but I've had far more than that through cancellations and mindee holidays.

as shes self employed and recieves no pay for her holidays maybe she cant afford to take time off. i know if it didnt work my fee out so that i got paid the same all year round whether im on holiday or the child then i could not afford to take holidays as i just have to many bills to pay.

if it were a nursery you would pay 52 weeks of the year so i think parents should expect to pay 52 weeks then its a bonus to them when the childminder takes holidays and they olny pay half fee or nothing

My parents would think it was great if I worked 52 weeks a year. I normally take 3 or 4 weeks. I often work between Christmas and New Year and I do look after children during that time. Your CM may well have other people's children to look after while yours are off. I would however encourage her to take a break, for her own sake, as well as for your children.

Thanks for your comments. I pay £875 per month so I guess the other kids pay the same - Money is not the reason for no holidays. I wish I was earning the same!!

I suppose I just feel a bit bitter. I'm not used to paying for childcare as we are new at this!

Thanks again guys. Its been really helpful.

you cant win as a childminder. If you take more than two weeks a year, the parents complain. If you dont take any the parents complain. If you think shes a decent childminder in other respects, then pay the fees and just accept it. My sister is a childminder and takes 24 days a year, every time she goes on holidays one or other of her set of parents complains about her inconveniencing them! I used to be a childminder too and always dreaded taking time off, and then when I did I would be out of pocket. Some childminders charge full fee even when they are on holiday. Childminders are self employed so they can decide to take exactly what they like as holiday. Also, how do you know what her outgoings are? Thats not really relevant. Childminding is an incredibly hard job, its a lot of work and much of that work is unpaid, in your own time, often at the expense of spending time with their own family. IMO they aren't paid nearly enough. Childminders look after the most precious thing in a parents life, and most of them do a fantastic job, you only have to look on this board to see how hard they work and how seriously they take their jobs.

If you wish you were earning the same, go for it, register as a childminder youself!

I dont mean to sound short, I understand the cost of childcare can be a shock, but childminding is a very demanding job and one that carries a lot of responsibility. So yes, it's a service you do have to pay quite a bit for.

I take as many holidays as I want to as I am self employed and make those decisions for myself. I charge full fee for parents holidays and no fee for mine, I give as much notice as possible (have just told parents about my August holiday) and I always take time off between Christmas and New Year.

While it may be in your CM's own best interests to take a holiday (there's no way I could or would want to work 52wks straight) it is entirely up to her if she chooses to do so or not.

er... about my post above: 52 WEEKS of course

and I second what gerladine says above - but I do believe that because of the very nature of the work we do, we as CMs should take a break! it is not healthy not to do so.

yeah, I couldnt have done it without the break, but maybe some of the other kids are only term time or take holidays at same times so shes going to get quieter times. It just annoys me when people think childminders are on the make and sit there trying to work out how much they must be earning - and then say "Im in the wrong job" or whatever. Go for it then, register! It is a lovely job a lot of the time but its also a hard, relentless slog of a job a lot of the time, they're not just sitting back and counting the cash!

Do you know that all the parents are off between christmas and new year? Just because you are off work doesn't mean everyone else is so she may still be working just with less children.

My parents would be unhappy if I took too many holidays, I take 2 weeks a year in the summer. I would love to take more but my parents don't have much holiday and not always at the same time I want to take it so are happy for that. I also cannot afford it, I don't charge £875 per child but I don't get paid at all when I'm off so that halves my earning for the month of August and is enough of a struggle. As someone else said you don't know how much her outgoings are so don't know if its a financial issue or perhaps she's trying to provide you with maximum flexibility.

I quite often wait for parents to tell me when they're off over the summer, not so I can earn as much but so that they don't book a holiday and then have to find childcare cover when I take a different two weeks. But then we don't usually go away so don't have to book anything.

While she is available she will charge as she cannot possibly know at the start of the year who will take time off when. As someone else said if you used a nursery you would be charged 52 weeks because that's when they are open, although I do appreciate different members of staff will have their own holidays in that time.

Perhaps when you review your contract you could suggest that you'd be happier if she took 2 weeks a year holiday and put it in the contract but if she chooses not to it is upto her and you will have to find another childminder if you are not happy with her answer.

Whilst perhaps no-one is at 'their best' if they work 52 weeks per year has it occurred to you that this childminder needs the money, it could be there are financial problems in the family and she (hubby) are busting a gut to get themselves out of a dire situation. I know that I have had to work flat out because of this very situation.

CM's can take as many or few holidays as they choose - they are self employed. CM's are individuals and know their physical capacties.

My contracts provide for my parents to take 4 weeks holiday per year. Their holiday is at full rate and they give at least four weeks notice if it is anything more than the odd day or two. This ensures that I get 4 weeks paid holiday. In most employment (other than self-employment, employees can now expect 4 weeks paid holiday and I believe C/Ms should have the same expectations. This might seem draconian but over the years I have found myself in the position of parents not taking any holiday and I end up working 52 weeks! If I take holiday then there is of course no charge to the parents.

my childminder takes 8 weeks holiday e pay her a set amount every week, otherwise it would cost us a fortune in 6 weeks holidays,
therefore we have to take our holidays when she is off as we would have no other childcare....
does anyone reckon 8 weeks is too much ?

Millenium - That wouldn't work for me, because all the parents take their holidays at different times. I don't charge when I am not available anyway, so it doesn't make any difference.
em83 - 8 weeks? I wish! Entirely between you and your CM to negotiate the contract though. She can have 6 months off if that is what you agree.

No self employed person is obligated to take holidays.

This is the first time I've ever heard a parent complain re a CM not taking a holiday, they usually complain when they do...

I am completelyat £875, my dd nursery is £540 full time monthly and it closes for 2 weeks at Christmas, so we only pay 50 weeks.
I am a NHS nurse and could never afford to work if I had to pay such an amount.
But then I live north of the border!

The amount of payment surely depends on the hours cm is having your child for? i take 4 weeks half pay hols and close one week at christmas, full pay. parents pay full fee for their holidays. i can usually give at least 6 months notice of my holidays. surely you knew all this before you started with the cm.
Agree with other poster, how can you coment on her financial situation!!!!
We can never do anything right lol

Agree jennipenni and timefor dammed if you do and damned if you don't.

Would LUUUUUVVVV 8wks a year though, some hope.

All right, I cannot comment on her financial situation and I apologise but also the CM's who I appear to have upset by not knowing anything about how hard it is to be self employed - think again. My husband is self employed so I totally understand how difficult it is when you go away and don't get paid.

I suppose because when we set the contract up she stated that she takes time off at Christmas and I know all the parents are off over Chistmas, I begrudge the fact that she she has decided not to announce it as holiday then we all have to pay her and she wont have any kids but I guess it is something I have to accept or find an alternative.

Given some of your comments about nursery I have looked at ours locally - Got to seriously think about it because as you all know childcare is not all about money its about fit.

Thanks for your comments.