Payment by Social Services

**Heaven Scent** · 05-05-2009, 05:59 PM

OK

I've been approached to have a child fo 10 hrs pw (2x5) now I normally charge £3.50 ph for 25 hrs +, but this job is for very few hrs and its for a baby and I don't normally provide food for babies but will have to in this instant as its respite care on behalf of a young mum. I will also have to collect and return the child as the mum doesn't drive and lives the complete opposite side of town to me so I was wondering if it would be OK to bill social services £4.00 ph as I'm putting my fees up from Sept anyway as I set my fees 2 years ago and all the other minders in the area charge more than me now.

Also, has anyone else been paid by Social Services lately?, if so how do they pay you? a) monthly b) weekly c) in advance (I usually ask for payment in advance) d)in arrears or worse still e) in arrears with a month in hand e.g. on a date specified by them.

Any information on this would be gratefully appreciated.

**The Juggler** · 05-05-2009, 06:09 PM

I work with the department that covers respite care in my area. Usually they have a fixed fee for all their contracts slightly higher than the area average as they don't pay for holidays or anything. Just ask them what they pay.

I have a contract signed with them, mum and me and then I have an NCMA contract between me and mum/dad stating the local authority is paying the fees.

Mine pay 5/hour against area average of £4. Where are you?

**Mouse** · 05-05-2009, 06:12 PM

I would charge £4 per hour, plus extra for food & travel.

I'm not sure how Social Services pay these days, but I know it was an absolute pain last time I did it. I had to fill in a form, get the social worker to sign it & pass it on to her supervisor to check & sign and pass on to her head of department etc etc etc!

Make sure you get the social worker/someone official to sign your contract to say that you will get paid even if the child doesnt come, as I had problems with that.

**Heaven Scent** · 05-05-2009, 06:15 PM

Thank you for that - I just havn't been given any info on this at all and am groping in the dark a little. The Social Services branch that are paying me are from a neighbouring authority as the mum has just recently moved here but for some reason or other her old Boroughs Social services don't want to let her go just yet and it is them who are paying for it.

**sarah707** · 05-05-2009, 06:18 PM

Don't expect your money on time... and you won't be disappointed.

Don't waste time or energy chasing it and it will arrive in it's own good time.

Charge at least £5 / hour if you are including food and fetching / carrying

**venus89** · 05-05-2009, 06:24 PM

I get paid by SS for one of my children. I always get paid in arrears anyway, in particular as the hours I have this child vary month by mnth depending on what's needed so I find it easier to invoice for what I've actually done......

They can take a while to pay up - I usually get paid about a month after I put my invoice in. On the plus side they've never queried any of my invoices or caused me any trouble at all. The money goes straight into my bank account.

**Heaven Scent** · 05-05-2009, 06:29 PM

OOOOOHHHHH so many questions if it goes straight into the bank will they get in touch with me or my bank a/cc details etc???

Sorry for all the questions - I've never been done this before.

All new ground to me.

Thanks for advice so far.

They will only pay for the 10 hrs max in this case so that is what I will charge for but they havn't given a max figure they are willing to pay.

**Mollymop** · 05-05-2009, 06:30 PM

I haven't dealt with ss before, but I do know they don't rush to pay you. I have hear dof people having to wait months to receive payment. x

**The Juggler** · 05-05-2009, 06:44 PM

Don't leave it to fate. If they don't have their own contracts. My LA have a special department who deal with respite care so things run much more efficiently, I am lucky but it's still a mid-month payment.

Get them to sign the NCMA one as the agency paying you. Then you will be able to chase them for the money. Tell them you can't start until they sign it and tell you about payment etc and the banking is set up otherwise you'll be working a month for free!

This will then state you get paid whether parents come or not. You might have to bend on normal things such as holiday.

Don't wait to be asked, give them your bank details and asked them when payment is. Oh, and I agree, def. £5/hour and just include everything then, easier for you than claiming expenses on top.

Good luck. It is worthwhile, despite all the paperwork and forms.

**Mags** · 05-05-2009, 06:53 PM

Hi, just wanted to say that i have recently cared for a child and been paid by Social Sevices.
My payments went straight into bank account (weekly) and i never had a problem. I also received an invoice from them each week.
When a contract ends i ask for 4 weeks notice but found that Social Sevices would only give 2 weeks.

**venus89** · 05-05-2009, 07:04 PM

Originally Posted by Heaven Scent

OOOOOHHHHH so many questions if it goes straight into the bank will they get in touch with me or my bank a/cc details etc???

Sorry for all the questions - I've never been done this before.

All new ground to me.

Thanks for advice so far.

They will only pay for the 10 hrs max in this case so that is what I will charge for but they havn't given a max figure they are willing to pay.

In my case the Social worker was there for the contract signing. I sorted out hours, payment, terms with her and the Mum, using the NCMA contract. And as SS have parental responsibility in this case then they signed all the forms as the 2nd parent/guardian. When I put my fees up then I wrote and told them - they had no problems with this.

The first time I sent them an invoice I had to send my bank details. They just kept them from there.

They email me when they pay the money in so I know when it's going in.

**Heaven Scent** · 05-05-2009, 09:47 PM

Thanks Everyone for your replies I know they are all slightly different but it gives me an idea on what I might expect to happen. The Council SS are based in is in Cheshire and is called --- metropolitan borough Council Single Wth Three is under them - has anyone ever dealt with them

**singlewiththree** · 06-05-2009, 06:23 AM

Originally Posted by Heaven Scent

Thanks Everyone for your replies I know they are all slightly different but it gives me an idea on what I might expect to happen. The Council SS are based in is in Cheshire and is called --- metropolitan borough Council Single Wth Three is under them - has anyone ever dealt with them

I've never dealt with them sorry so can't help really but our council is really bad with everything so I would expect delayed payment.