When is a drop off early and when is a collection late?

**greenfields** · 09-09-2012, 10:20 PM

At what point do you class drop offs as early and collections as late? Per 10mins, 15mins, an hour? And what do you charge? My fee list states £2 per 15mins but I've not put it in place yet (my hourly rate is £4).

I will be reviewing fees and/or creating a policy as I've just had two new mindees and another starting next month.

**Ripeberry** · 09-09-2012, 10:26 PM

Anytime where it gets annoying! With no warning then every 15 minutes a full hour charge.

**EmmaReed84** · 10-09-2012, 05:34 AM

I had a parent whose contracted time of arrival was 7am, gradually she was dropping at 6.50am, which was annoying as I was not getting enough time to do what I needed. I spoke to parent who said she was having trouble getting to work on time so we amended the contract to a 6.45am drop off (charged 30 minutes for very early morning.

I state in my policies that late collection is £2 per 15 minutes and starts after the first 15 minutes... I am yet to implement this as there are only a few occasions when there has been a late collection and each time I have been warned...

If however a parent was late ALL the time, never contacted me I would then talk about amending the contract to suit, if not then I would charge.

**Wheelybug** · 10-09-2012, 06:13 AM

I agree with the other comments. I have it in my policies that I will charge for late collection / early drops offs, but think I have only implemented it once. I see it as swings and roundabouts, if parents generally pick up early, then I ignore the occasion when they may be a bit late or early. Obviously if it becomes a habit and gets annoying then I will charge, I have come close to this recently!

Cathy
www.pre-schoolplay.blogspot.com

**bunyip** · 10-09-2012, 08:12 AM

I make it clear to parents that I only accept early drop-offs by prior arrangement and will usually charge by full hour. That way, they only do it when they really need to.

I have a discretionary charge for late pick-ups. If a parent 'phone me to say they're running late due to traffic, etc. and it doesn't happen often, then fine. Far less trouble than have a parent drive in a rush and end up in an accident.

If they are late too often, then I'd insist on re-jigging the contracted hours. That makes them think realistically about their journey time, working late, ingratiating their boss, etc.

I make sure all this is clear before the contract is signed. Other CMs have told me this is much more likely to be a problem if you wait until it happens before addressing the issue.

**JueQ** · 15-09-2012, 10:43 AM

I state to parents that it's a £5 per 15 minutes for early drop off and late collection without warning. If pre warned, I would charge by the half hour. I have never charged the £5 per 15 mins and probably because I think it's steep but have had words with parents. £2 per 15 mins sounds good. I will allow 5 minutes grace and ask politely for them to pre warn me. If it continues I have charged for 1/2 hour. It stopped them doing it without me putting the £5 in place. Wish I hadn't set this price now but hey ho! Keeps people on their toes! I do get annoyed when parents are late because they have gone shopping, put petrol in etc. This is when I've stated this is my family time and tea time and their children are getting upset. Parents were told the £5 would be put in place if it happened again. I think they lie to me now!

**Shivvie** · 15-09-2012, 11:07 AM

I don't charge for early drop off as it hasn't really happenes too often, other than a couple of mins here and there. I do sometimes charge a £5 late collection fee though. If they let me know, then 15 minutes is free but the charge comes into place after that.

It is only one family that is regularly late though and this week I will be charging. She was half an hour late twice but, even though she finished early on Friday (we pass her house on the school run), she didn't collect until on the dot even though she had been at home for at least 2 hours! If she had made an effort to collect early then I wouldn't be charging. I think a bit of give and take goes a long way, but when they just 'take' then it gets unfair.

**JueQ** · 15-09-2012, 01:38 PM

Glad you've said that, I've had the same with a parent. Either bang on the dot or the afternoon off work turning up 10-15 minutes late making up excuses that it wasn't their fault. Told they would be charged in future but they've been on time since.

I did have a parent that turned up earlier and earlier every week and I kept reminding them of the time. The crunch was when they turned up 25 mins early and I wasn't home but they'd seen me walking and walked to me. I was livid. Told them to change their times or pay the charges. Never did it again!

**kymberly** · 17-09-2012, 12:10 PM

I had a parent who was ALWAYS late. We changed the pick up time from 5.00 to 5.30. And she was STILL late. I told her I would be charging £5 per 15mins, she said fine. And STILL she was late!!!!

I was earning £10 a week in late fees (she came 2 days a week). Which sounds ok but it was inconvenient; I had to have mindee ready at the contracted time in case she was on time (so we couldn't be at the park or whatever) and then wait for her to arrive.

I think she thought it was ok because she was paying. I should have explained it's not ok, the increased fee is a deterant.

So be careful how you word your late collection policy.