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View Full Version : Could you help with an enquiry please



Cazz
31-08-2012, 09:41 PM
I had a phone call from a lady who is due to have a baby in October.

She wants a childminder from September 2013! I explained that I couldn't commit to having a space a year away but would be happy to hold her details and speak to her after Christmas - do you think that's acceptable? I've got a new mindee starting at the end of September and the parents are probably going to send her to the Montessori Nursery next September but I need to be sure of this first.

Also, could you advise how to charge for this prospective child. The mum works shifts on a 3 week rolling pattern. It would be:-

Week 1 - 16 hours over 2 days
Week 2 - 25 hours over 4 days
Week 3 - 20 hours over 3 days

The days vary but she needs Monday - Friday at some point over the 3 weeks (although a Friday only on week 2) so it would mean holding a place for the whole week.

How would you charge for this please?

miffy
31-08-2012, 09:51 PM
Tbh I'd probably tell her to ring back at Easter when you've got a better idea about spaces.

Shift work is always difficult to work out but you need to think about what the place is worth to you - she needs a full time space saving but for only part time hours.

I'd be wary of committing too soon, other more profitable work might come up.

Miffy xx

Cazz
31-08-2012, 10:01 PM
Tbh I'd probably tell her to ring back at Easter when you've got a better idea about spaces.

Shift work is always difficult to work out but you need to think about what the place is worth to you - she needs a full time space saving but for only part time hours.

I'd be wary of committing too soon, other more profitable work might come up.

Miffy xx

Thanks - I didn't want to say as long as Easter in case she thought I was fobbing her off. She's panicking a bit because people have told her that childminders fill their spaces quickly and I've been recommended to her (by my hairdresser!). One of my other parents is also having a baby in October who will be coming to me sometime after Christmas so this little one would be the same age which would be nice.

An ex-childminder friend used to do a lot of minding for shift workers and she said she would require 6 hours payment per day to hold the space, so basically they would have to pay for 30 hours a week regardless of if they used the hours. This does seem a bit extreme to me in this case for the 16 hour week although I realise I could well be turning other people away and losing money.

The other thing I forgot to mention is that for 2 of the days each week she would need a 6.45am drop-off - I've never worked that early before!

tamsin
01-09-2012, 01:32 AM
It really depends on you - do you need the income of someone paying full fee five days a week (in which case you might have to turn her down), or would you like the slightly lower income but lots of free days.

You could charge full fee for the hours used ie 20 per week on average and half fee on the other hours eg 20 per week avg (to add up to 40hrs ie full time in total). That would give you the roughly the equivalent of someone full time 4 days a week - but extra time off. Maybe add in a little extra for the unsocial hours in the mornings.

bunyip
01-09-2012, 09:30 AM
I wouldn't consider making any arrangement before the birth. Too upsetting all round if something goes wrong. After the birth, do get her round for a visit, just to make sure she actually wants to use you when the time comes.

Retainers can be tricky: long ones especially so. On the one hand, mum can feel she's paying you a lot to do nothing. OTOH, if a CM turns someone else away cos they've taken a retainer, they can end up resenting it: like, "I'm getting half the money I could've for that place."

I have an enquirer who asked me to hold spaces for September 2013, or possibly even as long as 2014, depending on circumstances. But so much can change for me or her before then. We've agreed that we do nothing for now, but if I get another enquiry that would fill the space, then I offer her first refusal and that's when she'd start paying a retainer.

As for shift workers, well I know it can be difficult, but I'd always try to be fair with them. These are people we all rely on at some time; people like transport workers and medical staff. I'm not comfortable with charging them too heavily, then expecting to use their services when we need them. That said, I can see both sides of this, because you'll possibly have difficulty filling the spaces. Tricky.

The Juggler
01-09-2012, 11:05 AM
I think I'd tell her to come back after xmas too honey - good idea. And even then I'd not really want to hold a place on a retainer for that long. If you KNOW you have a space coming free I'd take a deposit and sign contracts but I'd not want to be on a retainer for 8 months.

I would charge a min. of 20 hours per week or whatever works for you and extra for any other hours needed each week. I'd also charge at an enhanced rate (say £1/hour more) as you will lose out by not holding all the days of the week free. She's basically wanting you to hold the whole week for her when she only needs a few days.

So you will charge her 20 hours when you could be working say 50 hours a week - so she is still getting a good deal:thumbsup: