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View Full Version : Do you charge for settling in sessions?



lauren1979
28-09-2010, 03:56 PM
Maybe a daft question but a friend of mine is starting her daughter with me mid-October - my first mindee!!, obviously she knows me and the house etc but still needs settling in.

So do you charge for these sessions? Same as normal rate? And are contracts etc done before or after?

littlestar
28-09-2010, 03:58 PM
hi i do not charge for settling in as it is for a short time only if the child knows your home and you and is comfatable you can arrange a few days 1 hr at a time all my contracts are signed asap incase she pulls out and you have turned away buissness

caz3007
28-09-2010, 04:00 PM
I dont charge for settling, but do the contracts before the sessions. I feel the settling sessions are beneficial to all of us. Although had a LO that cried through all these and I thought how am I going to cope, but once he came properly he was fine

Blaze
28-09-2010, 04:03 PM
Yes I do- stops timewasters trying to get free childcare!:thumbsup:

MAWI
28-09-2010, 04:05 PM
My settling in sessions goes something like:

Parent/child initial Visit to view me and my setting ( usually when I have children) for a short visit.
2nd and or 3rd Visit- parent either stays with child or leaves them for an hour ( subject to spaces of course). At this point they then decide if they want to sign contracts or not and pay a deposit, usually £50 -£100, depending on when space is required (and all on a 4 week settling in period)

return in an evening to do paperwork

Settling in is usually gradual i.e a few hours building up to a full day, but I definatley charge for it,( there are a lot of timewasters out there) I take the settling in sessions out of the Depsoit that they have already paid me, deduct it off their first months invoice.

I think you have to find something that works for you

Pixie dust
28-09-2010, 04:18 PM
I don't charge for settling in sessions either but they are only short about 1-2 hours. I try to get contracts signed as soon as possible but I use NCMA contracts that have a settling in clause anyway if parents choose to end agreement in the first 2 weeks they don't have to give notice or notice payment.

Alibali
28-09-2010, 04:33 PM
I don't, but only offer 2 sessions of 2-3 hours free, any more is paid for.

mamasheshe
28-09-2010, 04:38 PM
i offer two settling in sessions of about 2 hours each after we've signed contracts:thumbsup:

miffy
28-09-2010, 04:51 PM
I don't charge for settling in sessions but would not start these until the contract was signed and the first months money was in my bank account.

I offer as many sessions as I think is necessary depending on the child - some take longer to get to know than others.

Miffy xx

*donnalouise*
28-09-2010, 06:46 PM
I charged for mine... I only have one mindee (full time) as I have 2 daughters of my own (under 5).

I was gonna do maybe 2 hr as a freebie, but mum wanted 2 whole mornings! The mindee settled like a dream though!

funemnx
28-09-2010, 06:55 PM
I charge normal rates for mine. The baby I'll be minding starting next month is booked in for 4 x 3 hour sessions, so amounts to quite a lot of free childcare otherwise!

Chimps Childminding
28-09-2010, 08:51 PM
I normally offer 2 x 2 hour sessions for free (days/times to suit me around other mindees). Parents are welcome to book more if they want, but these are charged at the normal hourly rate!!

Ripeberry
28-09-2010, 08:53 PM
Yes I do- stops timewasters trying to get free childcare!:thumbsup:

I do free 2hr settling in sessions (up to 4hrs) but they can't be done all at the same time.
That seems to stop people messing around as they can't get much done in 2hrs ;)

Daftbat
28-09-2010, 08:55 PM
I don't charge - never have. I take the view that some children may take more time to settle than others and i don't want parents worrying over costs to affect how well the child settles. In practice its only taken a couple of 2 hour sessions normally to get settled.

lauren1979
29-09-2010, 05:16 AM
Thanks everyone! Think I will offer 2 X 2hour sessions for free, now to sort the contracts etc!

Millenium
29-09-2010, 10:32 AM
I generally invite new parents to bring their child to me for 3-4 sessions in increasing lengths of time building up to the full day although with all my current mindees (four), it has only been one session and then they stayed for the whole day.

I normally start for about 3 hours and then try and get the second session to include lunch time to see how that goes! The problem I find with settling sessions that are too short is that the baby may sleep for most of the time so it doesn't really help either party. Parents are invited to stay for a short while on the first session but I do find that the quicker the break is made, the better for both child and parent.

I do charge for these sessions as I am working and cannot work "for free" and they are contracted. Like others here my contract has an "either-way" cancellation clause within the first month so that either party can end the contract without notice and without penalty if things are not going well

georgie456
29-09-2010, 12:21 PM
I offer two hours worth of settling in for free and if they want more they have to pay....
They can use the 2 hours however they want - most parents have done 2 x 30 mins and then 1 x 1 hour which has always worked well.

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
29-09-2010, 03:43 PM
I never used to and then one parent asked me how much she owed me so I thought if she is offering I will take it:D so now I do charge as it then saves people wasting my time and only using me so they can go and do shopping. x

grindal
29-09-2010, 08:26 PM
I offer 2 sessions the week before the agreed start date. A one hour and a two hour session. I do not charge for these sessions but I do charge a £50 non refundable admin fee with my deposit.