Term time contract - retainer fee for holidays?

[bec123]

Hi

I've been approached to look after a 2 yr old just term time - would you charge a fee during holidays? I used to look after a little one whose mum was a teacher so obviously only had her term time - used to charge her £15 a week during holidays - only had her little one 2 days a week.
What do you charge if anything?

[JCrakers]

A lot of childminders do charge a retainer. Ive never had to because I have 6-7 school children who get a space if its there. So my half terms are flexible due to the amount of schol children I have.

During the summer I had busy days and quiet days which I like. A lot of children were on holiday so for 2 weeks I just had 2 children while the other 2 weeks I had a mixture of between 1 and 6.

Becky

[Andrea08]

If parents are only contracted to term time only then i dont charge a retainer fee to keep place if they are in my over 5yr olds also thoes children accessing the grant of 15hrs a week term time only i dont get a retainer for them either,

but for a private family with LO under school age wanting term time only i would consider charging a small fee to keep place but try to fill it during holiday time ..

xx

[nikki thomson]

Hi, I think it depends on the situation, I have 2 before and after school children they are siblings, mum and dad are both teachers so i only have them term time, now i charge 50% in the holidays and this is because I have to use my car to do school runs and they take up 2 seats which means even though I can have more under 5 i can't because I don't have room in the car, but I'm very loyal and wouldn't let them go, I know she'd struggle to find another cm with two places who do our school it's very small in the middle of nowhere. X

[boxtree7]

I have 2 children on term time only this will be the first time i will charge half fees ... I don't have any extra children during the holidays to cover the costs of lossing so much income. I am not sure how to work it.

[bec123]

Thanks for your replies ladies - I think I will charge a small fee perhaps 1/4 of normal weekly charge x