Is my Childminder being unreasonable?

[Tulips99]

To ask for 50% of fees whilst closed to retain my child's place?

We are continuing to pay for everything. We are in the lucky position of our wages not being docked or removed so we will continue to support and pay for 100% of what we normally do. How do you think she's going to pay her mortgage/feed her own kids/etc?

You are paying for a service not rendered so I’d negotiate it further down for a smaller retainer fee. Assume you are having to look after your children during this time or paying someone else, and who knows how long this will last?

'm a childminder. I chose not to charge as I'm not offering a service. I've lost almost my entire income overnight.

On top of this, I am asked to care for key workers children in my own home, risking my own family's health. For £4 an hour. I can't claim SSP if I catch the virus doing this.

I can't claim loss of earning due to a loophole in my insurance - covid 19 wasn't on a list of notifiable diseases when I signed my policy!

No government support for me as my husband earns over the threshold for universal credit, which was £83 a week.

Please, if you can afford to pay, please pay something.

I’m in ROI and a childminder (& single parent so mine is the only wage). We have been told to close til 29th March. Ordinarily if I take time off I don’t charge however in this instance I contacted all the parents I mind for & explained that as it’s out of my control & I’m being forced to close, I would have to charge. However I appreciate not everyone is getting paid themselves so we’ve agreed half the weekly rate for the 2 weeks. 2 of the families have insisted on paying me the full rate which is extremely good of them & the others are all happy with the half rate. After the 29th I intend to take back any children that need me. If our schools close til September then I will most likely lose 2 children as their parents are teachers & obviously won’t pay me for nothing for that long but the others I mind for all have to go back to work.

Please pay if you can. The self employed are currently getting no help from the government. My DP is a self employed professional sports coach and has made himself ill this morning with the worry of earning nothing for the next however many months this lasts. It’s a genuine worry for a lot of people right now.

No, I don't think she is being unreasonable, especially if you are still working.

There is almost no help for the self-employed, and if you can possibly afford it, then please pay her at least something.

Not discussed this with my childminder, but I am paying her full pay. My child goes to school after summer so I dont need place but I couldn't see her struggle after all the help she has given me over the last 2.5 years.

The CM is a person, living at home - of course they’ll ‘be there’ when this ends

Yes but they would give any other child a place over yours if you aren’t prepared to pay to keep your place.

@PeridotPassion childminder may not still be there if bankrupt, and would be very likely to want to give the space to someone else. So "not there" as in not an option any more.

Personally, I don't think it's very unreasonable because your Childminder needs to get payed during this time. But it depends if OP can pay for 50% fees.

I think that’s fine and fair in the circumstances

We can afford to so are paying all our fees for childcare.

They'll be facing an uncertain future so it's only fair we help where we can

What provision is being made for the self-employed? £94 a week isn't a "provision". It's bullshit and you can't expect a childminder to stay open on that.

We are continuing to pay our childminder for as long as we can but, my DP is also self-employed and we expect his work will stop before long. He cannot work from home and the supply chain for materials for his job is likely to dry up sooner rather than later. If the government don't announce something better than £94, we won't be able to pay our childminder but we appreciate that means we will likely lose her completely.

if you don't pay her for keeping the space she will give it to somebody else when this passes. If childminders don't get paid they will need to quite possibly charge any new children at a higher rate. Childcare has been very hard hit and spaces will be a premium.

If you are self employed, it is a different matter.

Not unreasonable. Many nursery's are saying parents are to still pay full fees. There is a mumsnet thread on this with Q&A from the early years alliance. It sounds astonishing to pay while not sending your child in but apparently depends on contract terms. If you want your place when this is over then there's knot much choice

Meh! You’re being unreasonable, but if you you disagree, don’t pay your childminder and best of luck finding one after this.

I think that’s fair, tbh.

I think if you're getting a full wage then that's fine.

On the one hand if you want to keep the CM and have a place after this has ended then pay her.

On the other hand this is what self employment is. If there's no work no one is hiving you money. Dh and I are both self employed and our option is to go on universal credit if there's no work. So we'll be bankrupt in a few weeks. But what can we do. Nothing.

If you don't want to pay the retainer fee, hand in your notice. Pay the required notice fee and look after your own child.

When this is all over, find a new childminder to care for your child.

You have to decide whether you can take the risk of not having childcare when you need it again.

I don't think the childminder is unreasonable to charge a retainer.

Problem is, even those still being paid may not have a guarantee of an income in a few weeks or months. Most people are trying to conserve what funds they have and only the very wealthy or optimistic can pay out for services they aren't receiving.
Shit situation but it's shit for everyone.

If you are still earning money, please do.

I’m paying my childminder 60%

While my husband and I still have our monthly wages coming in, we will to continue paying our childminder full fees. Why should we save money in the face of her losing her income?

I’m still paying mine full pay - given no option but will for as long as I can.

My sister is a key worker and her childminder has refused to opened for her but is still charging full pay.

My CM is asking for 100%

I support that. We get tax credits to help is pay her, so it makes sense that we don't keep those and give them to her since it's what it's there for.

I think she has different rules for those who don't have that help. I've no idea what they are.