Would you accept this in the long term ??

[Childminderindistress]

Hi !

I have been looking after a 19 months little girl for 3 months now. She is contracted for 4 days but only come 3 morning on the 4 days as the mum is a freelance but will need the 4 days for big projects (so she said). When we have signed up, she promised me full 4 days working week but it didnt happen so far and I'm still not hearing anything. I charge her 25 pounds for a retainer day, 30 pounds for a morning and 60 for a full day. She gives the planning for the week on the sunday. Tomorrow, I was supposed to have the little girl in the morning but she changed the plan 10 minutes ago saying I need to have her in the afternoon..My question is ? Am I mad ? Would you do this accepting these conditions ??

no, i wouldn't

well, actuallyi would, but she would have to pay royally for the priviledge!

So you think I have been too nice ?? What do you think my prices should be ? We are talking London.

well, i'm not a childminder, but I would expect to pay more for basically taking up a day every week which isn't used... you could be having a paying child on that day. so if she wants it held she ought to pay more

ditto, being super flexible on mornings/afternoons and allowing her to set dates so close to the time.... people ought to pay more than usual for that surely?
your flexibility is great, but isn't it costing you when you could be having other children on set times/days throughout the week? she ought to be covering the cost of that

You are right. Will I have the balls to confront her thats another question, I dont know how much I should charge her. Thank you thisisyesterday.

hopefully some more actual childminders will be along soon with some advice for you!

I hope so as I'm starting to be a bit annoyed by not knowing what to do.

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I've done similar arrangements, where the parent pays full fees for time booked and half fees for the remainder of the time. BUT my terms are

• we agree - and the contract states - when the parent must notify of the days not needed (eg by 6pm of the preceding Friday, or by 6pm on the 28th of each calendar month).

• The reduced retainer fee only applies to the dates the parent has advised IN WRITING they don't need. If the parent doesn't tell me by the agreed day/time about the days they don't need then full fees are due for all the reserved days.

• the parent pays full fees for all time booked, regardless of whether the child attends (except if I am sick). If the child is sick or the parent changes their mind, they still pay full fees*

• if the parent wishes to switch days, they pay full fees for the original booked days/hours which were saved for the sole use of the child and also full fees for the new days/hours required.*

• if either the parent or the childminder want to cancel a planned absence this must be agreed by both parties. If both parties are not in agreement then the original arrangement for the childminder to close/child to be absent stands. So if I book a holiday and then decide to work, the parent is not obliged to send their child - they may well have made other arrangements. Similarly, if I am not expecting the child I may have made arrangements that I can't change eg, a planned outing without sufficient tickets/car seats for the minded child to attend.

• when the parent advises of an absence, I am free to advertise their place as available. If I have taken sufficient bookings that I am now entirely full and there is no longer a place available for the contracted child then the retainer is refunded for the time period the place was unavailable - because another family is paying for the place instead. So there is incentive to give me plenty of notice about any changes/days not needed to give other people a chance to book.

If she contracted for 4 days with me she would pay for 4 days, regardless of when the child came I'm afraid. I have heard of people who do a retainer system, but specify a period of notice to avoid full fee (ie she would need to let you know her times a week, or a month in advance, to get the discounted rate).

ayla99 described it better

I am in London, have a waiting list and would fill that vacancy in a shot (as you would no doubt!), and I would charge full fee for the 4th day (whether used or not) or just have a 3 day contract with her for actual days.

Were I living in the country/area where the demand for CMs wasn't as high I would offer more flexibility, perhaps like you do now, but with a lot more warning (at the beginning of each month ask for the month ahead's timetable).

hth x

If I had someone contracted for 4 days then they would pay for 4 days in advance in full, if they didn't use them then thats up to them but they still pay.
As you started with an adhoc system, charging half for days not used then thats the way it has to stay unless you do a contract review.
You can't really change something afterwards, take it as an expensive lesson learned.

The thing is I took her on because she told me she had a lots of project lined up which means I was going to work often 4 full days. 3 months on and nothing happened. I have been too soft, lesson learned however I'm going to have a chat with her and probably increased her fees. We had an agreement, I have respected my end of the deal. Thank you everyone !! Jennipenni I think I know who you are, would you happen to live not far from Wimbledon Park ?