What do you charge for term-time only childminding?

[catswhiskers]

I have a space for this September and I'm in the process of having parents come round. One parent is a teacher and so wants term-time only. I did term-time only childminding for a few years but looking back I sold myself short as I only charged the parents 4 weeks half fee just for my holidays and the other 11 weeks they paid nothing. One parent I had worked in a private school and had even more holidays off.

Anyway, that's in the past and I'm tempted to choose the teacher over the other three parents I'm seeing (two last week and one this week who want all year round care) but I've just found out she teaches in a private school which means less income for me obviously.

Would anyone be willing to let me know how they charge for term-time only childminding? Thanks.

[lollipop kid]

I have a space for this September and I'm in the process of having parents come round. One parent is a teacher and so wants term-time only. I did term-time only childminding for a few years but looking back I sold myself short as I only charged the parents 4 weeks half fee just for my holidays and the other 11 weeks they paid nothing. One parent I had worked in a private school and had even more holidays off.

Anyway, that's in the past and I'm tempted to choose the teacher over the other three parents I'm seeing (two last week and one this week who want all year round care) but I've just found out she teaches in a private school which means less income for me obviously.

Would anyone be willing to let me know how they charge for term-time only childminding? Thanks.

At my setting, I have a mixture of teachers' children and non-teachers' children. Here's how I work it as an example. I'm sure others will be along with how they work things, as they may do it a lot differently to me, especially if they also take the same holidays as teachers.

I work 52 weeks a year, and take 5 weeks holiday.

For teachers, who have a 38 week term usually, they pay full fee for their 38 weeks, plus full fee for my 5 weeks holiday (which always fall during school holidays). Then for those remaining 9 weeks when the parents are on holiday, but I'm still working, they can either choose to send their child at full fee (which some do - especially if they're doing their houses up during this time), or not. If they don't come, then I charge 50% of their usual fee for that week.

38 weeks - full fee
5 weeks - full fee (e.g. if parents only come for 2 days, then this is 5 weeks of 2 days)
9 weeks - 50% fee (retainer)

I keep all my fees the same for all parents, but work them on a sliding scale.

So those on 2 days a week pay a higher day rate than those on 4 days a week. (4 days a week is my cheapest day rate. I then add £5 per day to this for 3 days, and another £5 for 2 days. Say 4 days a week is £50 per day. 3 days would be £55 per day, and 2 days would be £60 per day. I don't do 1 day a week. I also don't tend to try to fill around the 'open' days. This gives me a bit of flexibility in the holidays if an older sibling wants to come for a full day any time. I can usually fit them into my 'open days' and perhaps one or two of my 'retainer' days.)

It works for me, and my parents seem happy as well.

Before setting my fees, I didn't actually ask around, so in my current way of working it, I am potentially out of pocket for 4.5 weeks' fee each year (50% of 9 weeks), as I don't charge a higher rate equivalent to the 'missing' 4.5 weeks money that I could otherwise have spread across the other 43 weeks - that's 38 plus 5 - weeks. (Therefore if you want to make up the missing money, you could just average it across the non-retainer weeks - if that makes sense. Best to write it out on paper so you still get your 52 weeks money regardless of teacher or non-teacher's children.)

I hope this helps,

L

[loocyloo]

I charge a higher fee for term time only.
My usual fee ... £4/hr x 39wks + £2/hr ( half fee ) x 13wks ... 156+26=182 ÷ 39wks .... £4.66 an hour.

Or I am debating just doing £4/hr × 52 weeks ÷ 39wks ...£5.33 an hour.

I only use my local school holiday dates, so children at a private school with different holidays would still be paying for a week or two at the end of term, even if they were on holiday.

[catswhiskers]

Thanks for your replies Lollipop and Loocyloo. Both good ways for charging and I think I will be brave and go with Lollipop's way e.g. charging half fee for the school holidays (not sure about charging full fee for mine though) but I know parent is seeing other childminders in the area so she might not even go with me yet.

[lollipop kid]

I charge a higher fee for term time only.
My usual fee ... £4/hr x 39wks + £2/hr ( half fee ) x 13wks ... 156+26=182 ÷ 39wks .... £4.66 an hour.

Or I am debating just doing £4/hr × 52 weeks ÷ 39wks ...£5.33 an hour.

I only use my local school holiday dates, so children at a private school with different holidays would still be paying for a week or two at the end of term, even if they were on holiday.

I'd go for the latter, Loocyloo (the £5.33 per hour). Otherwise, where's your holiday pay?

All the best,

L

[lollipop kid]

Thanks for your replies Lollipop and Loocyloo. Both good ways for charging and I think I will be brave and go with Lollipop's way e.g. charging half fee for the school holidays (not sure about charging full fee for mine though) but I know parent is seeing other childminders in the area so she might not even go with me yet.

Be brave. Teachers get paid for their holidays as well (and I understand their salaries are pretty good now). With my way (as I do it currently), I sell the 50% over the weeks when I'm not on holiday but the teachers are, as a benefit to them, as in this case, they are making a genuine saving over my other parents.

As long as you take your holidays when the schools are on holiday, then it shouldn't be a problem you charging full holiday pay. I also give parents a list of my holiday dates for the year ahead at the end of December, so they can co-ordinate their leave with mine. If they do, then they will not have to pay for childcare when I'm on holiday but they happen to be working, as we'll both be on leave at the same time. (This is easy to do as I only cover one school - the one my son attends - so I co-ordinate my leave with the school holiday dates, which you can see online for your Council area.)

Good luck.

L

[Mummits]

I also base my term time only on the local state school's dates. I charge for term time plus four weeks holiday/bank holidays outside term time, so they pay nothing for 9 weeks or so, but I average the payments out over the year so they can do standing order or voucher payments of the same amount each month. On the odd occsion I have had to take a day off in term time I offer an alternative day or a refund. I charge for additional days on a pay as you book basis.

[natlou82]

I'm in the process of changing the way I charge but I'm going to charge 50p an hour more for Term Time and no charge for their time off although I also prefer to average out over the year in these instances so I don't have a shortfall in holiday times.

[AliceK]

I charge a higher hourly rate to compensate because I don't charge anything during the school hols. I also insist on Septs payment at the end of july just to safeguard myself.

xx

[kellib]

I don't charge for the holidays as I am more than happy not to work them.

For my term timers I go through the school calendar and add up the days they'll be here then divide the amount by 12 so parents pay the same each month and I still get paid in holidays.

[FloraDora]

I only have teachers children - I want my holidays so am happy to just work term time.
I charge top whack term time, more than locally, but I offer a bespoke service for teachers, my pick up times are flexible....so easily fill places. I manage finances knowing which months are lower.

[catswhiskers]

Thanks for all your replies. So many ways to charge! I think I'll go with charging half fee for the probably 18 weeks the child isn't with me. Completely different to how I did it three years or so ago. I had all teachers children then so that I could spend more time with my own three children who were at secondary school, one just leaving (youngest now taking GCSEs).

[Rubybubbles]

Interesting to see how everyone does it so different!

Currently I have 1 rate which all are on hourly, I do end end with missing chunks doing it this way if tt only (although currently all full time) but looking at different ways as moving area and need to be more business head!!

[Mouse]

I have several teachers as parents and when they first contact me I ask them to think about whether or not they are likely to need any days in the holidays.

If they definitely don't want days I charge for term time only, going by the dates set by my local authority. Some parents are in a different LA to me, so holidays may be different, but they pay as per my LA's dates. I charge a higher rate for TTO contracts. Parents pay nothing during holidays, but I save the extra they pay through the term to cover the holidays. Sometimes these parents do ask for the odd cay's care in the holidays. If I have the space and take the child, parents pay for the day at the higher, TTO rate.

Some parents decide they may need the odd day in the holidays, or want to bring their child at least some of the days, especially in the 6 week's holidays. For those parents I charge a slightly higher rate with a reduced number of days in the holidays. eg. If a child comes for 4 days a week term time, I charge for 2 days in the holidays. I don't set it as a half fee retainer (even though it's the same amount) as then it would mean I had to keep all 4 days free in case they wanted to send their child. By charging for 2 days I can have another child for the other 2 days if I want to.

[hectors house]

I charge teachers the same as everyone else - full fee term time and 4 weeks holiday at half fee, full fee if they have more than 4 weeks holiday. One little boy only comes one day a week as he is at Nursery then school in September so will be finishing with me in July. The other little boy comes 2 days a week, parents often still send him so the teacher dad can play golf or do older activities with the older child. They still tend to send him as they know they only have 4 weeks at half fee when they are actually away on holiday.

[redtiger21]

I used to charge a half fee retainer, but decided to change this so I could fill the space during the holidays with holiday-only children if I wanted. So I just charge a higher rate for TTO. Works for me x

[Merlot]

I used to charge £4 an hour with half rate retainer in the hols. I've changed to £5 per hour TTO with no charge if I take leave. I have never charged for my leave. I am self employed so if I take time off I lose money. I charge for the hours I'm open and parents pay full rate if they take leave when I'm working. I also charge for September in July to cover my costs.

I've never liked the idea of working out school hols and term time and dividing it all into equal months. All my parents like to pay month to month and can see when I'm off or when the school hols are. This suits us both then there's no confusion as sometimes I like to book a few days off during term time to get a break from my kids too!

[Kittycat]

My parents who only require term time, pay half fees during the April, summer and October holidays, for local holidays and in service days they pay full fees