Charges whilst at nursery.

**CT64** · 02-02-2010, 10:02 AM

Hi I would be so grateful if anyone could confirm the normal practice re: charging for nursery placement children.

If the child comes to you at, for example, 8 am in the morning, you care for them, then take them into their morning school nursery session for a 9 am start, and then pick them up at 11.15 am, keeping them for the rest of the day.

The child DOES however need your care during all school holiday periods for the whole day, ie would need to fill their normal nursery a.m. place.

Do the majority of CM's charge parents for the time the child is out at nursery, as this place is very difficult to fill just for 1 hour 45 minutes - 2 hours maximum, (as we need to allow travelling time to get back to nursery to pickup.

What are everyone's views please. Thanks.

**DIPPY DOUGHNUT** · 02-02-2010, 10:23 AM

Hi

i look after a child who goes to nursery from 09.00-11.30am and then i collect him and look after him until 15.30, mum pays me for the whole time from 09.00-15.30.

However in the school holidays i look after him forom 10.30-15.30 and she pays me just for these hours.

I woyuld just charge her from 08.00- when they collect him.

Hope this helps

**SimplyLucy** · 02-02-2010, 10:30 AM

If I take and collect a child from pre-school then my fees continue thoughout the session.

You can't fill a space for 2 hours and there has been occassions when we've arrived at pre-school and it's closed because of broken heating/gas leak/staff sickness.

**sfox2003** · 02-02-2010, 10:39 AM

I would charge throughout. After all if the child was ill, needed sending home from nursery, you would be the one to come & pick them up.

**Ms WG** · 02-02-2010, 10:48 AM

Same here, my normal fees would be charged whilst the child was at nursery. Have always done this and never had a parent query it

**scruff** · 02-02-2010, 11:04 AM

What would you charge if the parents took the child to preschool but you had to pick them up at 11.30 and have them until 6 but they still wanted you for the whole day during school holidays?

**bandlady** · 02-02-2010, 11:04 AM

Hi Charge full very rarely can you fill a two hour space I have it written in my contract that full fees are payable whilst child is doing another activity during minded hours.

**Hebs** · 02-02-2010, 11:15 AM

if i take to nursey then collect afterwards i charge for the full day

**scruff** · 02-02-2010, 11:56 AM

I know what you are say about charging if you take and collect them but what if you just collect them at 11.30 and have them til 6. Then in the holidays the parents still want you from 8am - 6. Do you charge them a reservation fee for the missing 3 1/2 hours term time?

**cuddlybunny38** · 02-02-2010, 12:39 PM

If you were only collecting the child you would normally charge from pick up, but as they want the place in the holidays I would explain to them that you charge a retainer to hold the space for them. If they dont want to pay it explain that you cant gaurentee(sp) that the space will be there when she wants it. I had this with a lo and mum was happy to pay me half my rate so that the space was hers in the holidays. hope that helps x

**CT64** · 02-02-2010, 12:40 PM

Hi Thanks so much to everyone who has answered, really useful. I think I need to toughen up a bit!!! C

**Zoomie** · 02-02-2010, 01:33 PM

Parent needs to pay a retainer for the nursery hours for use duirng the holidays otherwise you cannot guarantee to have it available for them.

Is this a new parent or an existing parent ?

**scruff** · 02-02-2010, 01:38 PM

she is an existing parent who is dropping her childminding hours from 3 full days 8-6 to two days 11.30-6 but still wants the 8-6 two days during the holidays. I have told her that she needs to give me a months notice to change the hours, and she is going to talk to work to sort out when they need to change the hours from.

**Merry-Minder** · 02-02-2010, 06:00 PM

If I was on call to collect the child form nursery as an emergency contact and therefore charging for the whole time - wouldnt I then be sending the child home anyway if they were ill?? in that case shouldnt the parent or another emergency contact be picking them up?? Ive been wondering how this would work??

**suez** · 02-02-2010, 06:19 PM

hi,i currently mind b, from 8.30am-2.30pm as soon as he reached nursery age his nursery time was 12.15-2.45 i explained to mom she can either pay me till 12.15 but come school holidays and and school closures she would have to arrange alternative care from 12.15 or we can leave it as it is so the contract is still till 2.3o even though he goes to pre school at 12.15

prob didnt help that when i suggested she to arrange alternative care if she want to only pay me till 12.15 i knew she had no one to have him

**upadaisy** · 04-02-2010, 07:59 PM

Originally Posted by scruff

What would you charge if the parents took the child to preschool but you had to pick them up at 11.30 and have them until 6 but they still wanted you for the whole day during school holidays?

hi there, i offer my parents a "open contract" im allowed 8 children in total, 6 under 5 years and 2 over 5 years thats with a assistant, if a parent wants to book their child in they are using up one of my places therefore the open contract come into place, its set at a set fee per week and its open from 7.30am to 5.30pm mon / fri. ( thats my opening hours )
its up to the parent to use what ever hours they want and they cannot come back on you about your prices.

**Minstrel** · 05-02-2010, 06:18 PM

Originally Posted by upadaisy

hi there, i offer my parents a "open contract" im allowed 8 children in total, 6 under 5 years and 2 over 5 years thats with a assistant, if a parent wants to book their child in they are using up one of my places therefore the open contract come into place, its set at a set fee per week and its open from 7.30am to 5.30pm mon / fri. ( thats my opening hours )
its up to the parent to use what ever hours they want and they cannot come back on you about your prices.

Thats very generous of you. I guess its made possible by the fact that you have so many places. Unfortunately i dont have that luxury, although i do offer ad hoc contracts where parents pay for the hours they use but i do not guarantee i will be able to have the child.

With regard to the OP- i am in a similar position and dont know what to do either!

**babs** · 07-02-2010, 08:43 PM

thanks to all who have answered on this thread i was just going to ask same question but think u have all covered it here

**cbj1609** · 10-03-2010, 12:19 PM

I actually think you have all answered the question I was going to ask.
I have 2 brothers and the mum has told me she wants one to go to nursery from 9.30 - 12.30 as he is going to a special needs nursery. I still have to take him and collect him from nursery and will have him full time in holidays.I was just checking that I should continue to charge normal fees as I will be the one on call to collect or if he is ill and sent home. I cant really fill that space for 3 hours as I will be using 1 of the hours travelling back and forth to the nursery and so it is only 2 hours in reality.

Realilse I am waffling but as I type it out it makes more sense to me that I am doing the right thing.
Thank You

**Mouse** · 10-03-2010, 01:01 PM

I've only ever had one parent quibble about paying while their child is at nursery.

I gave them two options . I said that as a rule I don't offer a drop off & collection service, so if they didn't want to pay for the 9am-11.30am slot they would have to collect the child from me at 8.45am to get them to nursery themselves for 9am & would have to collect the child from nursery & deliver to me at 11.30am. I said if they were prepared to do that I wouldn't charge while the child was at nursery.

Or I would charge until 9.30am when I got back home after the nursery run and again from 11am when I left to collect the child. That would save them 1.5hrs childcare, but I did say I would also charge a drop off & collection fee of £5 each way.

I also gave them the option of going elsewhere, but they decided to stay & pay the full amount