How to Make Parents Pay Their Fees?!

[Kogong]

Hello,

I can't believe I have to ask this, but I was just wondering if anyone has any advice about parents who don't pay for their child.

I don't want to go into details in case anyone recognises this, but I volunteer running a group for children aged 7-10. This is part of a larger organisation which charges an annual subscription fee.

I charge £3 per session and this is the money that I use to rent the hall, pay for equipment/craft materials, etc. The annual subscription fee is £45 which I pay to the organisation. I made parents aware that there is an annual subscription fee when their child started - it's on a letter attached to their emergency contact form. Therefore parents who have read the letter should be aware of what to expect in terms of payment.

The subscription fees are now due. I have sent multiple letters and emails to parents about this. Out of 18 children, 4 have paid. If a parent is unable to pay due to financial difficulties, I will do whatever I can to help (anything to ensure the child doesn't miss out due to finances). However no one has approached me to say that they can't pay.

I feel like I am spending all my spare time asking parents to pay. My emails usually go ignored, although I did get one email asking if it was mandatory to pay.

I am not sure who the parents think is paying for their child - I am a volunteer and I shouldn't be expected to foot the bill for other people's kids.

The fee is based on how many children were on my digital register - this can't be updated once the invoice is sent. So if I tell people their child can't return, I still have a bill to pay. I have had multiple children who have suddenly stopped attending recently and I suspect it's because the parents don't want to pay.

I know you can't make assumptions about someone's situation but these kids are all from the nice part of town where large houses, fancy cars and trips to Disneyland are the norm. It upsets me that these people appear to be happy to lump a volunteer with the bill. There is another group in a much less affluent part of our town and they don't have any issues with parents paying, so why do my parents just ignore me?

I am just wondering if other people are in this situation and how you approach it?

I don't want to let the children down but I feel that the parents are taking advantage of me.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Datafan55]

Are they handing over £3 per session and then this £45 is on top?

Going forward I might change that so you add the £45 to the weekly costs.... So it would go up very roughly to £4.50 per session. Although that would assume someone is coming for a year.... Maybe upfront before they can attend?

People often have a problem for unseen charges to an shadowy organisation... Even if that organisation is (?) covering the insurance, leader training and guidance, DBS checking etc. Often it does subsidise poorer units too though.

(I was in a group recently that left their big organisation as we weren't getting anything for our huge subs paid to them. We set up on our own. Although that was for adult learning, so much easier).

For subs currently due....

Can the umbrella organisation advise? I bet it's not the first time they've seen it. They are leaving their leaders rather open to trouble.

Maybe another missive to the parents making clear;
This goes to the organisation and covers x, y and z.
Without it, I could not operate/these sessions that your child has been attending would not have been running.
It is mandatory to be paid for each child.
If you don't pay, I - as a volunteer - will be liable for £45 for your child.

If you have a local fb group, could consider a factual/non passive aggressive post along the lines of this unit might have to fold due to unpaid subs.

[Datafan55]

Honestly, I'm getting grumpy on your behalf!

[tomago]

Call them out on it publicly

[StrictlyAFemaleFemale]

Assuming this is Brownies contact your district commissioner for advice and support.

[Datafan55]

From a site. Reworded slightly to remove 'obvious details'.
The money collected from the census benefits xxxxx at both local and national level. It covers necessary running costs and ensures that we meet the needs of our children at all times. It also finances:
o   the development of resources for children and adults
o   insurance for all children and adults for (organisation) activities, including our unit meetings
o   training for our adult Leaders and other volunteers
o   the provision of a support structure for our adult Leaders
o   Other Events

I don't remember what we did when I was a similar leader - I have a hunch one year especially our accounts were so good we paid it for all the kids.
It is a bit odd as it is all kids attending on said date... Even if it's their first time.

And the other organisation;

• Youth programme and activities
• Programme support
• Development of (organisation)
• Regional growth and development support
• Support for the recruitment and retention of volunteers
• Development grants
• Adult support and training
• Volunteer training
• Induction and direct support to volunteer line managers
• Safeguarding advice and support
• x Support Centre
• 24/7 critical incident support
• Support and services to the x Movement
• Disclosure checking service
• Insurance for all members
• Legal services
• National media profile supporting volunteer recruitment and inclusive growth
• Member communications and brand centre
• Archive and heritage service​

[Dotdashdottinghell]

I'd add it to your weekly subs, and go monthly too. Our Brownies parents just had a whine about finding the census money just after Christmas, so the monthly fees have been increased.
Speak to your commissioner though, you absolutely shouldn't be expected to pay any fees.
Tell the parents that the dc can't return until the subs are paid.
I'm sorry this has happened, it's shit.

[OhBeAFineGuyKissMe]

When I was in guiding I included it in termly subs (didn’t ask for weekly as for most a termly bank transfer was easier than weekly cash). Going forward is that an option?

Alternative is to do some fundraising, though £45 per child is quite a bit to raise. Make it clear to parents why the fundraising is happening.

[Kogong]

Thank you everyone who has replied, I really appreciate it. There is some really helpful advice here.

In the past I have done fundraising but unfortunately it's always the same parents who pay (the ones who actually pay their annual subscription).

I think I will definitely need to consider raising my weekly fees - the subscription is actually £55 and I have contributed £10 per girl from the funds already but it's clearly not enough.

It's mainly just disappointing that people just expect someone else to pay for their child. I have always had issues getting people to pay but this year has been worse than usual.
In the past I have had parents who were supposedly struggling financially to the point that I paid for their child, only for the child to tell me a few weeks later that they were going to Florida for the Easter holidays. I must have "mug" written on my forehead!

I am very grateful for all the advice and support here. Thank you everyone!

[Nomaj]

Add the annual charge to your weekly fee.

That’s pretty standard for Girlguiding groups.

[crew2022]

How awful OP.
I agree if it's genuine no one wants the child to miss out but it's a joke when they are affluent and off on holiday.
I'd call them out.
Please don't pay from your own money. You already do enough

[Beamur]

Parents have to pay £12 a month all year round for what is I suspect the same organisation - with our unit you don't pay per session and we fund the subs from this. If you set it up like this you can also ask parents to fill in gift aid forms and this will generate another 30% of the value for you. I'd suggest you change it from 1st April.
No cash to faff about with either.

[Beamur]

In the meantime I would say contact your DC but you may have to threaten to remove children from the roll if fees aren't paid.

[Tillycx]

This would not be possible with any of the clubs our DC attend, fees are taken either in advance or on a monthly basis, no doubt that if not paid our DC would not be allowed to attend

[AppleKatie]

Add the charge to subs and make them pay termly/half termly by bank transfer going forward.

I also charge a joining fee which tops up the census pot for those joining in September.

never ever ever spend your own money - there is money available (at county level of not more locally) to support units who cannot pay. It might be embarrassing to ask (go via your DC) but much better than being out of pocket.

long term also think about building up funds, my unit has a contingency roughly equivalent to a years census and I find it takes the pressure off.

in the short term send out red letters to parents asking for immediate payment. If you have a parents WhatsApp group then write a list of those who have paid and publish it as a thank you, keep updating the list as more pay- it’ll shame the late payers. obv keep up the reminders to speak with you if in financial difficulties (they do this privately and you work something out- with unit or district funds and discretely add them to the paid list).

if that fails get your DC to stand at the door at drop off/collection asking for payment.

[Kogong]

Thanks so much for all this useful advice, and all the support.

I have definitely learned my lesson and will be doing things differently going forward!

[GuidingSpirit]

Brownie leader here and this sounds so familiar. Definitely seek advice from district, division or county commissioner. When this was an issue in my unit, we wrote to all the parents, explained clearly that we were volunteers, that we had our own family and jobs etc etc, that we were not continually chase non payment. We offered a vote on whether the annual subs should be included in termly subs or paid separately (as it sounds like you arr doing). We made it clear that if the separate payment option isnt received by the time the trial invoice is fixed, or a payment plan / grant discussed, then their child's place will be withdrawn. Our parents overwhelmingly opted for the separate payment and so i just remove any girls that havent paid at lunchtime on the day the invoices are issued.

DO NOT PAY YOURSELF. If you dont enough funds in your accounts, you need to tell your DC as soon as possible. I've been a DC, and ive literally been to meetings and told every parent they need to pay at the door on drop off / collection (so as not to pick out the non payers, but they obviously know if theyve paid already).

I would also suggest moving to termly rather than weekly subs. We give them the first 3 weeks of each term to pay (including offers or grants and payment plans in case of any cost of living issues) and if they haven't paid by half term, then they are told the place will be withdrawn.

Also, if you havent already done so, join some of the Girlguiding Facebook groups specifically for leaders (girlguiding brownie leader support group and girlguiding programme support group). These groups are pretty wild, so take them with a pinch of salt, but they are full of knowledgeable and experienced leaders who have a tonne of advice on things like this.

[mrssunshinexxx]

Ask for payment upfront before the next block booking