Before and after school charges

[SusieQ]

Hi looking for some input and experience in this field please as finding fees and holidays a minefeld...new at this....

HAve several enquiries for before and after school care but before i speak to the parents this week was wondering how best to charge ( plan 8-9 plus drop off £5 then Pick up 315-515 £7.50 ) and especially whether the parents have to pay for care for all 5 days even if only booking for 2 or 3? can't fill other gap left easily i doubt... also have one parent asking for just 2 mornings not even after school and again will not allow me to take on another school age on the other days. Also do i charge over hols or not as termtime only i guess but makes my summer wages rubbish!!!

SO many possbiilities but worried if i don't start right will be working for nothing some weeks while not wanting to scare parents off either ...

HELP

[Mari]

This is a difficult one as you don't want to lose business, but you also need to ensure that you are having a wage. Most importantly, don't undersell yourself, you are a professional, always remain one and don't let the parents undermine you or your service.

Right, now I have that out of the way........

You need to take things into account and I try to work it out like this:

I charge £3.50 per hour for full days, but before and after school I charge £5 per hour and there is no discount for half an hour/45 mins, for example, if they arrive at 8.15am and I drop them at school at 8.45am they still get charged £5. On saying that, I try not to take on morning drop offs only as this would fill up a space which could be used for before and after school. I mean, it's only a fiver, you can afford to let that one go, it's not worth it. That's my view on it anyway.

I only charge for days that they use me and it depends on whether I charge for holidays. To be honest I am trying to stop working during the holidays so I have not been charging lately. I quite like spending time with my own children.

It's up to you what you do, what works for one might not work for another. It's more important to fill your full day spaces so that your income is higher and then your negotiations can be more flexible. It's also a good idea to try to find out how the local childminders work too, that way you won't be stepping on anyone's toes and you will be in line with the competition. It will also depend on whether you have the competition of an afterschool/breakfast club too.

Also, ensure that the parents understand that the contract will be reviewed at a certain date. Perhaps you can explain to the parent that you will give things a tril for 3 months and make a review of the costs as you are not sure how things will pan out. If you will be honest with them and tell them that you are only having a trial yourself it will leave the door open for you to discuss increasing the prices in the future.

Good luck.

[buildingblocks]

Hi looking for some input and experience in this field please as finding fees and holidays a minefeld...new at this....

HAve several enquiries for before and after school care but before i speak to the parents this week was wondering how best to charge ( plan 8-9 plus drop off £5 then Pick up 315-515 £7.50 ) and especially whether the parents have to pay for care for all 5 days even if only booking for 2 or 3? can't fill other gap left easily i doubt... also have one parent asking for just 2 mornings not even after school and again will not allow me to take on another school age on the other days. Also do i charge over hols or not as termtime only i guess but makes my summer wages rubbish!!!

SO many possbiilities but worried if i don't start right will be working for nothing some weeks while not wanting to scare parents off either ...

HELP

I charge a higher rate for before and after school children (£4 instead of £3.50). I also charge for a minimum of 3 hours a day 8-9 and 3-5.

Anything either side of these hours is charged at before 8 and after 6pm are unsociable hours rate - time and a half - and 5 - 6 is £4 an hour. In school holidays I charge my normal £3.50 if they are in all day.

I do book for one off days but that is because I would rather not cover school runs as it takes me half an hour to walk to school one way so am quite happy to only have odd days here and there.

If I ever get to change the school I cover then they will have to pay a retainer for any days they don't use unless I can fill them with other children

If though it is a parent who does shift work and needs me to be available then they pay a retainer for hours not used.

hope that makes sense.

[Straws]

I charge from 3pm - 6pm £8 a session, I dont do before school I have enough trying to get my own 2 out the front door lol.

Straws xx

[SusieQ]

Thanks so much for all the feedback fingers crossed now that any of them fix with me two interviews down and one to go