Holiday entititlement

[Carla Watts]

So, i guess everyone is different, some ask parents to still pay whilst they are on hols, some charfe half fees.

Is there some guidance, that i could look this up, as i find it very difficult to know what to charge etc????

I have full time kids, part times kids, some kids come 1 day a week, some 3 days.

It would be really helpful to get some guidance on this.

Thank you.

[Rick]

Normally CMs charge full fee for parents holiday and none for their own. Others charge half for parents and half for theirs. It is entirely up to you, I'm not aware of any document you can read to help you....lit is your business after all

[Mouse]

There really isn't any guidance as we're all self employed and set our own fees. What do your contracts say at the moment?

Personally I work to the rule that if I am available to work I charge, if I'm not available to work I don't. I explain to parents that they are paying for the childcare space to be available, not paying me for the hours I work.
So, if they are contracted for 8am-5pm, 5 days a week, that is what they pay for. If they're late to drop off, or early to pick up it doesn't matter. They're paying me for the space to be available between those times. If the child is away on holiday, or off ill, they still pay as the space is available.

If I'm on holiday, or off sick, or having an occasional day off, i don't charge as the space isn't available.

I find that way works well as it's easy for parents to understand when they have to pay. Am I available to work? Yes...they pay, No...they don't.

For bank holidays I work to the same principle.

If I am willing to work a bank holiday (ie. the space is available) parents pay. If they chose to keep the child away it counts as their time off, so they pay. If they ask me to work I charge double fee.
If I don't want to work a bank holiday, I don't charge for it.

I'm sure you'll get a lot of replies giving different ways of working it. Decide which is best for you, then stick to it for everyone. It's too confusing if you have one rule for one set of parents & another rule for another.

[shortstuff]

I am the same as Rick and Mouse, with one exception to Mouse. I am never willing to work bank holidays so never charge for them.

HTH

[SammySplodger]

I do term time only contracts with additional hours available sometimes in school holidays (ie: I'm only available to work for 3 out of the 6 weeks over the summer break, but they don't have to send their child to me at all during the holidays if they don't want to).

Parents arrange their holidays during school holidays and do not get charged because I don't really want to work. I choose to spend the time with my own school age children but have to put money aside to cover it. Works well for me and two of my parents are teachers.

[natalieatk]

I do 2 weeks half fees for parents/children and any other time off full fee.
My holidays I do not charge.

Bank holidays I'm still debating what to do! My contracts say I charge but I never have in to soft!! Advice would be grateful for what to do!!

[lubeam]

I do 3 weeks for them 2 weeks for me with out charge , I don't charge for bank holidays but if I was asked to work them I would for normal fee as dh HAS to work anyway !
Each to there own , if its the difference between a contract or not it might be worth considering , I work with my parents to coincide holidays as that's the most convent for everyone , so far so good lol holiday in August and October booked same time as mindee and 2 week off at Xmas means all
Holidays used till April :)

[wendywu]

I am the same as Rick and Mouse, if i am working then you pay. But i dont work BH but charge for them :)

[tulip0803]

Same as Rick, Mouse and Wendy.

If I am available to work then parents pay, if I am closed they don't.

[bindy]

I am the same as Rick and Mouse, with one exception to Mouse. I am never willing to work bank holidays so never charge for them.

HTH

I'm the same with one exception , I am never willing to work bank holidays but do charge for them

[jackie 7]

Ok well I am different. I charge full for parents holidays outside mine and half for my holidays. Nurseries charge for 51 weeks a year. Ncma used to say we should charge for our holidays.

[Amandak28]

Ok well I am different. I charge full for parents holidays outside mine and half for my holidays. Nurseries charge for 51 weeks a year. Ncma used to say we should charge for our holidays.

Im thinking of doing the same as you.
Im hoping to work term time only with the exception of 3 weeks in the summer hols. So it works out pretty even.

:-) x

[rickysmiths]

Ok well I am different. I charge full for parents holidays outside mine and half for my holidays. Nurseries charge for 51 weeks a year. Ncma used to say we should charge for our holidays.

Yup! I charge for 49.5 weeks a year. All parents pay full fee unless they go on holiday at the same time as me and then they pay half fee.

[swimmer]

I am really struggling with knowing what to do. I have been child minding for 8 months and have only just found out that I could charge half fees in hols. Most of the children I have, I only have in term time , so I don't earn anything in the hols , apart from one child that I have one day a week. The contracts are all up for renewal and I have put this to the parents about half fees for half of the holidays (as I take my holidays for 6 weeks of the school hols). I was quite surprised when one turned around and said No , and now I don't know where I stand .I have tried ringing Pacey. Any ideas gratefully received.
Thanks

[dawn100]

Swimmer it's up to you what you charge, might be worth finding out locally what is the norm. For term time only I don't charge them holidays (but do charge if they take time off in school time) but charge an enhanced hourly rate.
If you want to change you fees and terms you can but have to give parents relevant notice in my contracts it says 4 weeks, you will need to check what is written in your contracts, but you might have to be prepared to lose some parents if they don't like your new fees and terms.
I would check locally what others do make your mind up what you want to do and if you want to change then inform them with the relevant notice period what you are doing, don't ask them tell them (politely) they might not be that happy as who is happy when prices go up. But if they start to look elsewhere and find its the norm they might then accept it.

[watgem]

Mouse please can I copy and paste yur advice into my policies lol-or could you just speak to my parents lol-you put so well in plain english without any waffling:):):)