help needed with early educational entitlement

[Fi Apple]

Hi I am a newly qualified childminder and have just been registered to deliver the early educational entitlement. I have been asked to look after a 3 year old 10 hours per week and the parent wants to use their entitlement to free hours. The problem is that the rate of pay for this is just over half what I normally charge per hour, and I cannot possibly afford to provide the hours for £3.58 per hour. It is fine for the two year old I look after as the rate is much higher. How do other people work round this problem?

[sarah707]

There are not many options ... you can charge extra for food or parents bring their own ... you can charge extra for outings but if parents say they don't want to pay you'd be stuck in the house ... you can charge extra for non-funded hours if the child attends on other days ...

Otherwise you are going to struggle I'm afraid it is very unfair to providers when it's sold as 'free' to parents :(

I hope that helps :D

[moggy]

Many of us choose not to offer the 'free' entitlement as we'd lose too much money. In some areas the LA rate is high enough, but in others it is way too low. You do not have to offer it, you can say no.