Is my Childminder being unreasonable?

[Tulips99]

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

If you can afford to pay her. You trust her enough to look after, care for your kids. Treat them no different than she would her own so why the hell wouldn't you?

We have told our childminder we are paying her full rate and will continue to do so. We are both lucky enough to be receiving full wages so there is no reason for us not to do this.

If you cant afford to pay that's a different story but if you can you're being incredibly selfish imho.

People saying ‘do you want your CM to still be there?’ - are you maybe getting confused with nurseries?

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

i wouldn't be taking back the child of someone who would happily see me lose my livelihood and into poverty, potentially.

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

But she may be out of business if she goes for months without an income. It costs money to run a business out of your home! Or should she be expected to go into debt in order to do that?

As many of us here CMs are self employed. If you can afford to pay them, pay them. If you can't afford what they are asking for talk to them and see if they will accept what you can afford!

After next week I won't have any work at all and no way of asking anyone for a retainer! I am stuffed. But don't begrudge others any of the money they can keep being paid.

Don't be so bloody selfish! Be part of the solution to this fucking global issue!

It depends, if you can afford to then absolutely, and if you don't I would expect her to offer your place to someone else when this is over; a nursery here has already announced they won't be reopening so chances are other places will have a demand for childcare. If you cannot afford it as you arent earning due to everything going on I would suggest talking to her and seeing if you can pay a lower token retainer. It's pretty disgraceful that they have been left hung out to dry, most nurseries can claim the 80% for staff, childminders get £94 a week which is unlikely to be enough to cover bills. Obviously if you are finding yourself in the same situation it isnt so straightforward. We are paying full fees as we are fortunate to be getting full pay, another after-school mindee isnt paying anything and none of us are bothered (they told us, not the childminder), because us being able to pay is helping her keep her place too.

Also the childminder won't have a home in some cases if they aren't getting enough money.

They are being more than fair!

Yes that’s fair. Lots Or nurseries are asking for full pay to keep them going.

@2020bye Shocking, can she give notice, LAS have lists of who is open find somebody else, I know its hard with little ones being established but really would she want to have an ongoing relationship with her? Contractually she is choosing to close so can't force payment?

*of

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

My childminder doesn't charge when she can't take children. However she is relying on the children of keyworkers to keep coming so she can support her and her family. Her husband is self-employed and will not be working so will have no income.

I’m sorry but no. Her business has got almost zero overheads - no staff, no rent due, no special supplies/contracts she’s signed that she still has to pay.

Would you still pay a gardener 50% if they couldn’t work? Would you pay a freelance writer? A decorator?

The idea that you “keep” a place open for your child works if there’s a shortage of services. I’m sorry but the sad truth is that she’ll be scrambling to fill places in the future.

Mine offered to keep having mine but I said no (supposed key worker but I’m not) but will pay full amount. I’m being paid so I’m paying her.

I need her at the other end. And she needs to survive too.

I'm a cleaner and hardly any of my clients want me to go which I fully understand. I know a lot of then will work from home and still be on full pay.
I can't expect then to pay me of course but I'm now looking for other work and have doubts whether I'll go back to a lot of them.

I think if you can afford it then you should be helping your childminder as much as possible. Us self employed will be really struggling In the coming months.

@category12

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

i wouldn't be taking back the child of someone who would happily see me lose my livelihood and into poverty, potentially.*

^ This, absolutely.

It is frustrating and I get that they need to earn a living also but if the childminder can no longer look after your child which in turn means you can't go to work which means that you are now not earning a wage it is unreasonable for your childminder to still expect you to pay to pay them (albeint half fees) to look after a child they legally can't look after. They can't give your place away (unless they have an influx of keyworker children who then stay on with them after all of this) so they will still be there at the other end to recommence looking after your child if they want to start to earn a living again. Yes, they have bills to pay, a mortgage, a family to provide for - so do you. Sad that they lose money in the interim but we are all in the same boat.

We are paying our childminder full price, we are still working and getting paid so only fair we pay her. She lovely and has been looking after our children for 8years now I would hate for her to struggle.

I haven’t even discussed this with my childminder. Me and DH still earning so we’ll keep paying her in full unless told otherwise

I’m sorry but no. Her business has got almost zero overheads - no staff, no rent due, no special supplies/contracts she’s signed that she still has to pay.

I presume you are not self-employed or have never been self-employed as all self-employed businesses have overheads whether they WFH or not. For starters childminders have to be OFSTED registered and there is an annual fee for it.

@Butterfly44 would you mind linking the thread?
Our nursery is charging 100% fees.
I’ve had to shut my business and my tenants have just given notice meaning I now have zero income and can’t claim anything.
Even if they knocked off the £12 a day food cost, that would be something, a small gesture, but no, they want 100%. They were crying on the last day, keep repeating they don’t know how they are going to pay the staff.... urm with the 100% you are charging me and the food money you won’t even be using perhaps? Feels to me like they are making a profit.
This doesn’t even take into consideration any government help they’ll be eligible for or their insurance.

They can't give your place away

Yes they can. They will just give you notice on your contract with them.

There is already a shortage of childminders due to many finding out it is not as profitable as they think it is and they can earn more money in another job.

the childminder can no longer look after your child which in turn means you can't go to work which means that you are now not earning a wage Except PAYE workers have other options throught their employers... self employed do not - though I hope that will change shortly. And then everyone can re evaluate their options.

I’m sorry but no. Her business has got almost zero overheads - no staff, no rent due, no special supplies/contracts she’s signed that she still has to pay.

Our childminder has four members of staff. She is charging a 50% retainer to keep places open and she has our full support in this. DH and I are key workers so DS will continue to go for now on full fees and we are happy to be able to support her.

The idea that you trust this person with your child's safety and wellbeing but are happy to stand by while they lose their entire income is absolutely reprehensible.

No rent due? Do all childminders owe their properties outright then? What utter nonsense.

I’m sorry but no. Her business has got almost zero overheads - no staff, no rent due, no special supplies/contracts she’s signed that she still has to pay.

Eh? My childminder has staffs, insurance, mortgage to pay, a massive car to pay for.
All the things that allow her to be a childminder.

Those bills still exist!