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greenfields
01-08-2012, 08:29 AM
Does anybody look after a child a couple of days a week and also a day every other week? Someone would like childcare 2days a week and 1 day every other. Would that 'every other' day be difficult to fill?
Don't know if I can do it yet anyway but thought it would be interesting to ask those with more experience than me. ;)

karensmart4
01-08-2012, 08:41 AM
I would say it would be very difficult to fill that gap.... I would talk to parent and say that you could accept her child but.... because of this gap that will be left you need to charge her £.... and do a set charge.

So if she wants 16 hrs one week and 8 the following @ £3.50 per hr I would charge a set fee of £49 per week. Also I would stipulate that any changes to these hours would need a review of the fees. (This is just an example I'm not saying you charge her £3.50 an hr :blush: )

melco
01-08-2012, 08:51 AM
Hi,

I had a smilular problem I had 2 children for four hours on a Monday and one child on a Wednesday each week. But I had the knowledge I would be getting a full timer starting so these filled up the spaces. It would depend if you could afford to do it. Also I did state in my contract with the one I had for 4 hours a week that if I had someone wanting a monday and more days that I would no longer be able to do it and without notice which she was happy with. You might just need to explain the business side of things that you have only recently started and don't want to turn people away but that you will be still looking for someone that needs more hours. I now have my full timer and a few part timers and its working out well.

hope this makes sense

melco

smurfette
01-08-2012, 05:39 PM
I have this with one of my little ones .. Full week one week then only 3 the next as mum and dad couldn't afford full time. I have had him a year and have always been lucky enough to fill the spaces with two mums who had new babies and wanted the toddler minded while on maternity to have some peace! They have only been half days though so I am down a few hours but this is a lovely baby and mum and dad are just lovely so I am willing to accommodate at the moment. I have said that if I cant fill the space and get enquiries for those two days but every week I will go back to her and she can choose to pay full time or just do three days a week ... I feel it is all saving money for her so if it comes to that at least she has had this for a while! It has worked out ok for me as it happens now I have Monday's with my own kids now every second week and the other Monday I only have him (and maybe the part timer in the morning while mine are in school if it suits me) so am happy enough at the moment

I guess it depends why she has these hours is she saving money or are those her work hours .. Could you charge her half for the day a fortnight she doesn't use?

sarah707
01-08-2012, 05:41 PM
try advertising for someone self employed - they can often choose their days!

Or doctors, nurses on bank staff might be able to pick and choose :D

CH1957
02-08-2012, 12:34 PM
All my children are like this. 2 sisters 2 days a week, sometimes wanting an extra day as mum is self employed. 1 LO started as an ad-hoc child and is now 1 day a week, 1 LO's mum is a nurse so does different days each week and Ive just had an enquiry for another ad-hoc contract and am hoping it will turn into more, and 2 school age children I have as and when during hols.
I havent had any enquiries for full time since I started so Im just doing what I can get at the moment as work is very slow.

Chatterbox Childcare
02-08-2012, 01:40 PM
I have loads of part timers and would be happy to accommodate a shift pattern but would charge 50% for the week not used as a retainer if they were under 8

samb
03-08-2012, 10:28 AM
I agree it would be difficult to find someone to take the exact time you have available unless you had an enquiry where someone didn't mind the days at all. I had a Mum who needed to change one of her days short term (10 weeks) and my other parent was very accomodating and changed her working days to fit so I could still do both.

For this I would just charge either a retainer for the day she is using every other week that she can top up when she needs it or a set charge for the week whether she uses 1 or 2 days. I would do the sums and then work out what I wanted to charge and the minimum I would accept - as parent may try and knock you lower. I don't mind being knocked down to something I have previously decided I will agree to as then they still think they have got a good deal too!