Fees rates

[Little Duckling]

Hi every1 i am just going through the registering stage but need advice about fees to charge. I am thinking of charging £20 for half a day that's either 7:30-12:30 or 1:00-6:00 then £34 for a full day all snacks, meals and outings will be included. I live in Halifax West Yorkshire, what do you think about these rates? I am trying to stay clear of an hourly rate as this may cause problems if hours overlap and go into both sessions that will effect the ratios.

[loocyloo]

welcome to the forum and good luck.

fees are a difficult thing for people to comment on, without knowing what the average rate is in your area. you don't really want to price yourself out of the market, or sell yourself too cheaply.

work out how many children you could have, and cost of food/resources/outings etc and therefore how much you need to have in your pocket at the end of the day ; remembering that a full time, all day 5 day a week child is rare these days. Alot of my Early years minded children are just one or 2 day a week places, and/or come for school hours. I then have other children who come before/after school so I have 2 children, but they fill one space! personally I like to charge by the hour, as then parents know exactly what they are getting. I know one of my parents could collect a good half hour earlier, but because I charge her by the full hour - leaves her child here to 'get her moneys worth' !!! if I did a daily rate - that child would be here for as long as possible if she was paying for it!

maybe talk to some local minders and find out what they charge. you don't have to do the same at all, but it is beneficial to be more or less in the same ball park!

[natlou82]

I agree fees are difficult to comment on. You are roughly in my ball park and I am in the Midlands. As Loocyloo suggests it may be beneficial to get a feel for rates in your locality. I felt hourly could get messy and used to charge full and half days but that did mean that people leave the children for as long as possible to get their money's worth - so I was working 11 hrs for my full day rate (which works out very low per hr). I have now decided to charge session fees, they tell me the hours they require and I tell them the fee, they then pay for those set hours. So far this system is working for me.