Do you travel to pick up mindees?

[sprinkles]

As it says really, do any of you travel to pick up mindees/pick them up from home? If so, how far do you travel?

[angeldelight]

No I don't

I don't drive though so it wouldn't be ideal.

If someone lived on the way to school I would consider it

To be honest in all my years of minding I've never been asked

Angel xx

[sprinkles]

We will be moving by the end of the year and I thought I'd have more chance of getting mindees in the new area and being able to continue with them when I move than only being able to offer a few months care here. We're only moving 7 miles away so I was thinking of offering to pick mindees up at home (depending on other mindees, timescales etc) if it was out of parents' way to come to me.

[Helen Dempster]

I used to, when I first started 'minding. One mum used to go to college (and was on a driving ban!) so I used to meet her at the college (not far) and bring the kids to mine, then take them home when the time came. I also did it for a couple of brothers I cared for as again, their mum didn't drive. I used to pick them up from their house in the morning and take them home again (not miles and miles away, but it was still a pain!) Couldn't do it now, as my own DS is older and needs getting to school etc so wouldn't be do-able. Sometimes one of the sibling brothers I look after now is off sick and I've picked the other one up from school and taken him straight home. But as a general rule, I don't do this anymore - so much easier when they're dropped off and collected to you :)

[rickysmiths]

No I don't do it as part of a regular contract. I am a childminder not a taxi service.

If you do do it you need to think about a few things:

How long would other mindees be in the car as a result?
What would happen if you broke down or your car would start in the morning?
What would you do in very bad weather?
How much will it actually cost you in petrol and time compared to your hour rate?

[caz3007]

I dont drive, but have collected on the school run and also met lots of small mindies at the school in the morning. But I wouldnt go out of my way unless it was a one off.

[AliceK]

I wouldn't do it because I would be too worried about having car problems and not being able to go and also if we get really bad snow I don't want to be driving unless I really have to. When we moved I even had to move to a house that was walking distance to the school for the same reasons. I don't want to ever have to rely on my car for anything. I'm a bit neurotic aren't I? :blush::blush:

xxx

[HELEN10]

I do pick up and drop offs now for two families, one just drop off only 5 nights a week as parent's job as taken her further away and she would not be back till late.

2nd family I have for two full days and two half days as she moved house and does not drive. Both families are in different directions but only just under one and a half miles away. They pay £5.00 per each pick up or drop off.

It works at the moment, I have vacancies though in September but I would just work around any new ones, the above parents know that the times I drop off will be to suit other parents that are collecting and may not always be their contracted times.

If I could not use my car for any reason then it is their responsibility to deliver and/or pick up and of course the charge would then be deducted.

[Chimps Childminding]

I wouldn't do it because I would be too worried about having car problems and not being able to go and also if we get really bad snow I don't want to be driving unless I really have to. When we moved I even had to move to a house that was walking distance to the school for the same reasons. I don't want to ever have to rely on my car for anything. I'm a bit neurotic aren't I? :blush::blush:

xxx



Same here, won't drive in snow :eek: Plus I don't think its fair on other mindees to be dragged in and out to pick other children up - one of my ex mindees went to a cm who did pick up by minibus - the child was in the minibus for almost an hour every morning and evening!

It could also have an impact on other parents who may need to drop mindees off at a time you are out collecting other children!!

Having said that I did pick siblings up from home one day last week, only because it was an extra day and I had already palnned to drop DS1 at work, and as they live literally 2 minutes up the road from his workplace and dad would have been dropping off at the time I was out I said I would pick them up instead - I wouldn't do it on a regular basis!!

[Bridey]

No and I wouldn't either.

[Ripeberry]

I do pick up and drop offs now for two families, one just drop off only 5 nights a week as parent's job as taken her further away and she would not be back till late.

2nd family I have for two full days and two half days as she moved house and does not drive. Both families are in different directions but only just under one and a half miles away. They pay £5.00 per each pick up or drop off.

It works at the moment, I have vacancies though in September but I would just work around any new ones, the above parents know that the times I drop off will be to suit other parents that are collecting and may not always be their contracted times.

If I could not use my car for any reason then it is their responsibility to deliver and/or pick up and of course the charge would then be deducted.
You cant charge for hire and reward. You have to specify it as xtra hours. Otherwise you would be a taxi.

[sprinkles]

It would only be for a couple of months until we move. If I can get enough work here until we move (already got one mindee lined up but will still be coming to me once moved) then I won't need to advertise in new area until we are moved.

[ziggy]

i did it when i only had one family but got too complicated when i took on other mindees, wouldnt do it again

[Bridey]

It would only be for a couple of months until we move. If I can get enough work here until we move (already got one mindee lined up but will still be coming to me once moved) then I won't need to advertise in new area until we are moved.

If its to YOUR advantage then do it! Just make it clear to the parent, in writing, that once you have moved that you will be expecting them to drop the child off :)

[catlyn]

I drop a little boy and his mum home 3 nights a week...she doesnt drive and gets 3 buses to work each morning one to town ..one to my house then one to work...this means she leaves the house at 6.45 every morning for a 9.30 start at work...she would have to do the same journey in reverse each evening so I meet her at the bus stop just up the road from me and take them both home.....this way she is home by 6.30 every night instead of after 7.30

[Daftbat]

I pick up one mindee three times a week from their home which is approx 1.5 miles away. I record the mileage and add it to my expenses. We actually attend a toddler group or meet up with others at the park or something so I would be going out anyway. Any time I need the parent to drop off to me instead it is no problem.

I wouldn't start operating as a taxi service though. I do it with this mindee because it suits my arrangements really and nothing else.

[loocyloo]

i used to pick up and drop off a funded child as part of the deal of the child accessing funded sessions. it was only for a term, and it was a pain! i will and do pick up/drop off IF it suits me/more convienent any time or if parent asks very nicely and i CAN do it. but always on my terms!

[md0u0131]

I don't mind dropping off occasionally as one family travel 5-miles to come to me anyway so if I have to go into town then I'll drop the kids off to save the Mum some petrol. However, one huge advantage for me is not having to get up and drive to work - I like just crawling downstairs to work so I'm not sure I'd like to pick up every morning.

[Splodge]

Yes i do for siblings whos mother is epileptic and who doesn't live on a bus route to our house as we live in the country. I only take them home which is 4 miles away. Dad drops them off on the way to work in the morning and is unable to collect as he finishes very late. Take home is when it suits me and the other children i mind. Mum and Dad pay a higher hourly rate and if the weather is bad or the car isn't working they make alternative arrangements.

[lulubelle]

not quite the same but i am just giving up a child who goes to school 5 miles away, it doesnt sound far but the other children really hate being dragged that far twice a day every day! i also picked up his brother from nursery 2 days at 6pm which was the last thing my ds's wanted to be doing at that time of night (one is in bed by 6.30) and quite often clashed with other pick ups! i def wont be aggreeing to that sort of thing again!

[jumping j]

I do it for a family who were struggling for care and only have one car, both parents work shifts.
one week I collect lo and the next I drop him off, I charge a slightly higher rate for the 'hour' i'm driving

[miffy]

I've only ever done it once, on foot, and it was on my route home after school drop off.

TBH it was a pain and once that child finished I never did it again.

Miffy xx

[Tazmin68]

Hi
Like someone else yes I do for two children who are both funded childcare and the travelling time is included in the funded hours that I provide. One finishes in July and the other the end of August. I put through the mileage in my accounts.