First mindee..what next?

[mamamoomin]

Afternoon everyone! I had a meeting with a Mum of a 4 year old yesterday and she text me 10 mins after she had left to say that she was happy and could she sign up :clapping:

She has arranged to come back next week so I obv need to get the contract and everything organised.

Little boy is starting school in September so I will be needed Mon - Fri from 3.30 till 6.30 during term time and from 8 -6.30 during holidays. I have said I will work out the fee for the year, divide by 12 and that's what she will pay monthly in advance...obviously she pays full fees for her holidays and sickness but not for mine. How does that work with the monthly payment? I will be invoicing her the week before payment is due so would I just take off any money for my holiday?

Also..and this is probably a stupid question..as I said the little boy is 4 but he is at school so does he still count in my under 5's. For some reason I got it into my head that under 5's were pre school age and over 5's school age so he should take one of my school age places even though he's only 4? Ofsted won't accept that will they?

Thanks for any replies xx

[Kiddleywinks]

If he's at school full time, then he will be classed as a 5 year old :thumbsup:

Everyone works out their fees differently but if it was me I would work it out:
39 term time weeks x rate (1)
13 holiday weeks, less my holidays (4) so leaving 9 holiday weeks x rate (2)

Add rate 1 and rate 2 together then divide by 52 to give equal weekly payments, or by 48 equal payments if they don't wish to pay over 52 weeks (the additional 4 weeks being my holiday)

If a bank holiday/inset day comes along, and a parent decides to use me, I work out any additional fees due and add it to that weeks invoice.

In addition, I keep a running total in a spreadsheet for payments due, received and balance outstanding so should a parent leave before the year is up I know who owes who, as paying over a year means parents can be in credit part of the year, and in arrears for the rest.

Good luck with your mindee!

[bunyip]

Make sure you keep the contract pretty tight, and that mum understands how it works, if you're averaging out the annual charge to a monthly fee. You don't want her believing that she pays a monthly fee and that gets her all the childcare she demands at any time or that she can swap the hours all over the place at short notice. You wouldn't be the first.

Also, be clear about what happens if/when one of you gives notice. These averaged-out monthly fees can often leave someone feeling they've been 'done' in these situations. eg. If, at some point, she ends the arrangement just before the summer holidays, is she going to argue that she's paid you for a higher proportion of short term-time days than long holiday days (i.e. paid for more hours care than you've provided) ?

The little chap is 4 years and in full-time education. He therefore does not count as a "young child" for the purpose of your numbers/ratios. He does count as an under-8 for that purpose. He counts as a "young child" for all other purposes. The new Statutory Framework for EYFS refers (section 3.40, page 21.)