should I increase my fees?

[terrydoo73]

I currently mind twins - Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8 am to 6 pm. Mum supplies all food, nappies etc etc. I charge £4 an hour which comes out at £120 for the week. Do you think this is an acceptable rate?

They have been with me for 1 1/2 years and at present are my only mindees. I cannot seem to secure any other mindees at the moment and to be honest they are enough work on their own. If I was to take on another child full time that would mean they are here on their own 2 days of the week and most parents at present are looking for 2/3 days a week - with me being 6 miles from the nearest town it doesn't seem to suit parents as they prefer someone on their doorstep!

I am seriously considering giving up at present as I just cannot make ends meet at £120 a week.

Another fact in this is that mum has had breast cancer and gone through chemo, she is returning to work later this month having been off for 9 months. She is being paid tax credit hence why I was able to keep the twins on throughout her treatment as they continued to pay for childcare.

Is now a good time to put up my fee to say £5 an hour? Do you think this would sound unfair as parent might think I am being greedy having no other rmindees at present?

[Mouse]

Do you mean you charge £4 each child, or £4 for the two of them?

If it's for both children, I'd definitely be upping the fees as that's way too low.

For those hours I be charging a minimum of £35 a day per child.

If I were you I'd find out what other minders charge. I would guess it's probably a lot more than you do. I would then talk to mum & explain that you are going to increase your fees to bring you more in line with other minders.

[The Juggler]

depends on where you are hon. a £1/hour increase is quite steep especially for 2 children.

If you're out of kilter locally then I might (as she will see you are no more expensive than other minders) but if it's going to make you more expensive she might up and off.

What about upping to £4.25 or £4.50? I would check first what others are charging locally and go in line so if she does just decide to check out the competition she won't need to move.

Good luck:)

[terrydoo73]

I am in Northern Ireland and the £4 an hour is the total charge for the 2. My local Childminding Association set down possible charges we can apply but it is really up to us at the end of the day. The way it is worded on the sheet is ... £3 minimum for part time care per child and a reduced rate for 2 children from the same family should be negotiated!

I know that most people in my area do charge either the £3 or £3.50 per hour regardless of part or full time but no-one that I chat to is in the same position as myself ie with twins! I have had 2 children from the same family before, siblings and I charged £5 on the basis of £3 for eldest and £2 for the second.

I just don't know how to work it with twins!

[terrydoo73]

Just want to point out that in effect it would only be 50p per child increase per hour! The total charge for present is £120 per week for both children and what I am proposing is an extra £30 per week - I have never increased them in the year and half they have been with me!

[suchagoodgirl]

You're charging £2 an hour for each child. YES you should up your fees! The NCMA annual survey for this year has the average rates at almost double that. I work in one of the most deprived wards in the country and charge £3 per hour per child and I'm cheap.
Find out what other local minders / nursery places cost to evidence for mum.
Yes, the increase is going to be hard on mum but if you sit down and explain to her how underpriced youve been I'm sure she'll understand. And tax credits should take the brunt of the extra cost. If you quit or she doesnt accept she'll have to find alternative care that will cost her much more.

[curlycathy]

I think you are seriously undercharging! If your sibling rate is £5 p/h on the basis of £3 for the older and £2 for the younger charge that - one of the twins will be older than the other one :)

I started 2 years ago and charged £3 p/h - the going rate round here, but didnt offer discounts for siblings. Have just put charges up to £3.20 p/h, but do sibling rate of 3.20 for first child and £2.80 for second child and haven't had any complaints - I was really worried about it but it was fine!

Good luck xx

[Mouse]

I am in Northern Ireland and the £4 an hour is the total charge for the 2. My local Childminding Association set down possible charges we can apply but it is really up to us at the end of the day. The way it is worded on the sheet is ... £3 minimum for part time care per child and a reduced rate for 2 children from the same family should be negotiated!

I know that most people in my area do charge either the £3 or £3.50 per hour regardless of part or full time but no-one that I chat to is in the same position as myself ie with twins! I have had 2 children from the same family before, siblings and I charged £5 on the basis of £3 for eldest and £2 for the second.

I just don't know how to work it with twins!

It really shouldn't work any differently with twins. They still take up 2 spaces, just the same as if they were 2 children from different families. The fact that they are twins doesn't mean you have to offer such a cheap rate. It's nice to offer a sibling discount, but you shouldn't feel obliged to do it just because they are twins. It's the parents' responsibility to find double childcare costs, not your responsibility to offer to do it for not much over the cost of one child.

If you are happy accepting £5 for the 2 children, you need to explain to the parents that you have given them a massive discount for all this time, but feel that now is the time to review your charges. Tell them how much other minders charge, how much you could earn for 2 separate children, but stress how you are still giving them a big discount. If they get help through tax credits, it won't be such a big increase the have to find themselves.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

It really shouldn't work any differently with twins. They still take up 2 spaces, just the same as if they were 2 children from different families. The fact that they are twins doesn't mean you have to offer such a cheap rate. It's nice to offer a sibling discount, but you shouldn't feel obliged to do it just because they are twins. It's the parents' responsibility to find double childcare costs, not your responsibility to offer to do it for not much over the cost of one child.

If you are happy accepting £5 for the 2 children, you need to explain to the parents that you have given them a massive discount for all this time, but feel that now is the time to review your charges. Tell them how much other minders charge, how much you could earn for 2 separate children, but stress how you are still giving them a big discount. If they get help through tax credits, it won't be such a big increase the have to find themselves.

I agree and any association that recommendations costings should be challenged - it is not their remit

[The Juggler]

You're charging £2 an hour for each child. YES you should up your fees! The NCMA annual survey for this year has the average rates at almost double that. I work in one of the most deprived wards in the country and charge £3 per hour per child and I'm cheap.
Find out what other local minders / nursery places cost to evidence for mum.
Yes, the increase is going to be hard on mum but if you sit down and explain to her how underpriced youve been I'm sure she'll understand. And tax credits should take the brunt of the extra cost. If you quit or she doesnt accept she'll have to find alternative care that will cost her much more.

I agree! ! but still you need to be careful to keep in line locally. From what you have said you should be on at least £6 so yes I would up to £5 /hour immediately or stage it over 6 months 50p now and 50 pm say in March??

[loocyloo]

i have minded twins in the past, one set only came for 5 hours one day a week, so were both charged my usual hourly fee, another set came 3 days a week, for 10 hrs a day, so i did offer a discount of 50p hour off the total fee for 2 children, as i REALLY wanted these children ( and i knew others did too!!! )