Fees Policy - does this sound okay?
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  1. #1
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    Default Fees Policy - does this sound okay?

    My fee is £3.50 per child per hour. I work 7.30am - 5.30pm, Monday to Friday. I do not usually work weekends or after 5.30pm unless mutually agreed in advance.

    I do not charge if my service is unavailable. If my service is available but not used then full fees apply.

    Fees must be paid weekly or monthly in advance by cash or cheque.

    My holiday period runs from 1st January to 31st December. A minimum of two weeks notice is required by both parties. If parents give less than two weeks notice then full fees are payable. If I give less than two weeks notice then no fees are payable. Both myself and parents can take up to 4 weeks holiday per year (4 x number of days cared for in a week) plus Bank Holidays. This includes time taken over Christmas and New Year although I may be able to help if agreed in advance.

    If I am on holiday, no fee is paid. If a mindee is on holiday, half fee is paid. If parents wish their child to have more than 4 weeks holiday this is fine but full fees will apply during the extra days/weeks holiday.

    I do not usually work Bank Holidays unless mutually agreed in advance. If my service is required on a Bank Holiday double fee is payable.

    Outside agreed annual holiday time, if I am not required in School Holidays half fee is payable to retain my services. If the mindee attends during this time, then the full fee is payable.

    If you require me to act as an emergency contact for your child whilst they attend nursery or school, half fee is payable during the hours your child is attending nursery or school. I am willing to act as an emergency contact on contracted days only.

    My fee includes local trips/days out and all drinks and snacks. It does not include meals. I ask parents to provide a packed lunch and something for tea if needed. Tea can be provided if required but at an extra cost of £1.50 per meal.

    My fee also does not include nappies, wipes, creams, formula milk, extra clothing (hats, gloves, wellies etc), suncreen or medicines (Calpol etc). I ask parents to provide me with a good supply of these items and I will let you know when they are running low or need replaced.


    Does this sound okay? Is 5.30pm too early to finish, do you think it should be later? Also do my fees seem ok...double fee on bank holidays (I don't want to work them as other half gets them off too)?

    I've probably missed something
    Last edited by sprinkles; 03-06-2012 at 09:32 PM.

  2. #2
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    I think 5.30pm is OK as a finish time especially as you are starting early.

    I'd move the bits about what fees include so they follow on after the bit about how much fees are - that way parents can see easily what they're getting for their money.

    I'd include the day/date fees are to be paid by (mine is the first of the month)

    I'd add something about late payment fees (when they will be charged/how much) and also about charges if a child is sick.

    I'd rewrite the bit about emergency contact when child is at school - no-one would expect to pay half fees if a child is in FTE (I dont think that's what you mean but a parent might). Are you sure you could afford to only charge half fees if a child under 5 is at nursery all day as they will still be taking up a place.

    HTH's

    Miffy xx
    Keep smiling!

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by sprinkles View Post
    My fee is £3.50 per child per hour. I work 7.30am - 5.30pm, Monday to Friday. I do not usually work weekends or after 5.30pm unless mutually agreed in advance.

    I do not charge if my service is unavailable. If my service is available but not used then full fees apply.

    Fees must be paid weekly or monthly in advance by cash or cheque.

    My holiday period runs from 1st January to 31st December. A minimum of two weeks notice is required by both parties. If parents give less than two weeks notice then full fees are payable. If I give less than two weeks notice then no fees are payable. Both myself and parents can take up to 4 weeks holiday per year (4 x number of days cared for in a week) plus Bank Holidays. This includes time taken over Christmas and New Year although I may be able to help if agreed in advance.

    If I am on holiday, no fee is paid. If a mindee is on holiday, half fee is paid. If parents wish their child to have more than 4 weeks holiday this is fine but full fees will apply during the extra days/weeks holiday.

    I do not usually work Bank Holidays unless mutually agreed in advance. If my service is required on a Bank Holiday double fee is payable.

    Outside agreed annual holiday time, if I am not required in School Holidays half fee is payable to retain my services. If the mindee attends during this time, then the full fee is payable.

    If you require me to act as an emergency contact for your child whilst they attend nursery or school, half fee is payable during the hours your child is attending nursery or school. I am willing to act as an emergency contact on contracted days only.

    My fee includes local trips/days out and all drinks and snacks. It does not include meals. I ask parents to provide a packed lunch and something for tea if needed. Tea can be provided if required but at an extra cost of £1.50 per meal.

    My fee also does not include nappies, wipes, creams, formula milk, extra clothing (hats, gloves, wellies etc), suncreen or medicines (Calpol etc). I ask parents to provide me with a good supply of these items and I will let you know when they are running low or need replaced.


    Does this sound okay? Is 5.30pm too early to finish, do you think it should be later? Also do my fees seem ok...double fee on bank holidays (I don't want to work them as other half gets them off too)?

    I've probably missed something

    It sounds a bit long and complicated to me.

    Why do you give the parents four weeks annual holiday at half fee? I couldn't afford to do this. It could mean if all my parents took holiday at different times I would have to work for 25 weeks of the year at half fee. This always seems nonsense to me because you may be open and working when they are away. I give my parents my main holiday dates by the end of Jan each year and if they choose to go away when I am on holiday they pay half fee but any time when I am working they pay full fee. All your parents will have more than 4 weeks holiday as the min employers can give is 28 days, in my experience and I take 25 days holiday all my parents have more than me I am thinking of increasing to 30 days from next Jan.

    It is your business and your choice what time you finish for the day but I know where I live I would get any business if I finished before 6pm because most of my parents work until 5 or 5.30 and have to drive or are getting a train to get back to me.

    I will not be an emergency contact for school. If there is an accident then the parent should be called, if the child is ill and needs collected because they can't stay in school then they are too ill to come to me. The only non school days I will do if I have space are Inset, snow or other school closure days.

    Nor will I be an emergency contact for Nursery or Pre-school for the same reasons.

    If I deliver and collect from Pre-school or Nursery I charge for the hours they are there in full because I can't fill that space with another child.

    Is there a reason you are happy prepared to provide tea for a fee and not lunch?

    I also have in my fees policy that the Deposit (I take a four weeks fees one when the contract is signed) is held until the end of the Contract to cover the Notice period.

    That if a payment is late there is a £5 per day charge.

    If fees remain unpaid after four weeks childcare will be stopped.

    If they are late collecting fee of £5 per 15 mins or part of 15mins late will be charged.

    I hope that is helpful.
    Last edited by rickysmiths; 04-06-2012 at 09:25 AM.

  4. #4
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    I think 5.30pm is a bit early to finish, most traditional full time jobs finish at 5pm at the earliest and a walk to your car followed by a few miles rush hour commute would very easily push you past 5.30pm.

    I would worry about the emergency contact bit - do you really mean that? The only time I have ever been called to my children's school or nursery is in the case of illness or accident (and once for snow - once in 12 years!). Oh, and once when my eldest lost her bus pass and was stranded eight miles away and I had to go and get her. Would you be taking a child in who is ill, has sickness/diahorrhea/temperature etc, or going to hospital with a child who has fallen and broken something, or dropping everything to fetch a child if you have other children or are out on a trip/at a group? I don't think you would want to do this, but if a parent pays you to be an emergency contact, they would expect you to.

    Also on the holidays bit, you state that your holidays are taken with at least two weeks notice, and no fee is payable, but if you give less than two weeks notice, no fee is payable. That's the same thing - no fee either way, so maybe a typo? As a parent, two weeks would not be sufficient for me to find a replacement for you, nor to book time off work myself - it would be an absolute deal breaker for me because I would have no security or peace of mind. You stating 'if less than two weeks notice given' would compound this worry as it would raise the possibility that you could announce you were taking annual leave with little or no notice and leave me in the lurch.

  5. #5
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    I finish most days at 5.30pm . apart from one child who is here 2 days a week and here till approx 6-6.15pm that is because her mum goes shopping! meant to collect at 5.30pm but never has, too late to do anything now had the child 11years

    I think it's up to each childminder to say what hours she works. parents will only go with the one that fits in with them.most childminders are flexible.

  6. #6
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    I would charge full fee for their holidays esp if you are not charging for your holidays x

  7. #7
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    Sorry folks getting myself all confused. It's good to get feedback though and see what I need to change.

    Do you start at 7? Just seems like such a long day if I finish at 6?

    Tbh I'd rather not provide any meals if I didn't have to just thinking of having to faff to make lunch when heading out to nursery, groups etc.

    How many holidays do you suggest I offer? Baring in mind I'd rather not work bank holidays?

    How does it seem now?


    My fee is £3.50 per child per hour. I work 7am - 6pm, Monday to Friday. I do not usually work weekends or after 6pm unless mutually agreed in advance. Late drop off does not constitute late pick up.

    My fee includes local trips/days out and all drinks and snacks. It does not include meals. I ask parents to provide a packed lunch and something for tea if needed. Tea can be provided if required but at an extra cost of £1.50 per meal.

    My fee also does not include nappies, wipes, creams, formula milk, extra clothing (hats, gloves, wellies etc), suncreen or medicines (Calpol etc). I ask parents to provide me with a good supply of these items and I will let you know when they are running low or need replaced.

    Fees must be paid weekly or monthly in advance by cash or cheque. Fees are payable on a Friday, if weekly, or the first day of each month, if monthly. If a payment is late there is a £5 per day charge. A deposit of four weeks fees is required at signing of contract, this will be kept until the end of the contract to cover the notice period.

    If I am required to drop off and collect a child at Nursery or Pre-School full fees are payable whilst the child is attending Nursery or Pre-School.

    My holiday period runs from 1st January to 31st December. A minimum of four weeks notice is required by both parties. Both myself and parents can take up to 4 weeks holiday per year (4 x number of days cared for in a week) plus Bank Holidays. This includes time taken over Christmas and New Year although I may be able to help if agreed in advance.

    If I am on holiday, no fee is payable. If a mindee is on holiday, full fee is payable. I do not usually work Bank Holidays unless mutually agreed in advance. If my service is required on a Bank Holiday double fee is payable.

    Outside agreed annual holiday time, if I am not required in School Holidays half fee is payable to retain my services. If the mindee attends during this time, then the full fee is payable.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dragonfly View Post
    I finish most days at 5.30pm . apart from one child who is here 2 days a week and here till approx 6-6.15pm that is because her mum goes shopping! meant to collect at 5.30pm but never has, too late to do anything now had the child 11years

    I think it's up to each childminder to say what hours she works. parents will only go with the one that fits in with them.most childminders are flexible.
    This is, of course, true! Her business, her choices!

  9. #9
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    Thanks Laura.

    How is it looking now? I've tweaked and reposted it a couple of comments down.

  10. #10
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    It looks good, I think . I feel a bit sheepish that you've changed your working hours - I know that I said that what you'd originally posted was a short-ish day but (obviously!) it's you that will have to work the hours, so don't be swayed to work longer if it's not what you want. You will only resent it

    It's tough making decisions on all this stuff, isn't it!

  11. #11
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    I'm not sure if I should change it to 8am start as it looks like such a long day?

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by sprinkles View Post
    I'm not sure if I should change it to 8am start as it looks like such a long day?
    You could change it to 8am but state that hours are negotiable and any hours outside these working hours are considered overtime and are charged accordingly

  13. #13
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    You could say I work between x hours and x hours but hours outside of these times are negotiable.

    I charge £25 for bank hols which is double time for 3 children as I won't work on a bank holiday for 1 child for the payment of 2
    Debbie

 

 

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