shift worker

[PaulaF]

I have been approached by someone who wants childcare 2 days one week and 3 days the next. The days aren't static and so could change every week.

How would you charge for this?

[rosebud]

Assuming its an under 5 and assuming the days could be spread over mon-fri so effectively you need to allocate one of your under 5's places full time to this child, I would charge a set amount per week made up of 3 full days and a 50% retainer for the other 2. I would explain to the parent that even though the child is only attending for 2/3 days they are taking up a full time space. I'm sure others will do it differently but thats what I would do.

[susi513]

50% retainer for each day they need to reserve for the sole use of their child, topped up to full fees for each booked day.

Agree a minimum fee and what will happen if they haven't remembered to give you notification of the days:
Will you be staying in, expecting them to bring the child .... charge full fees for the entire reserved time period as they haven't told you any days they don't need.
Will you be free to spend your day as you like, eg take mindees on outing/toddlers etc, or if no other mindees, go shopping, visit your mum etc ... as they've not told you they need you at all. you could charge half fees for the whole time or I would suggest averaging out what they have said they want to book - maybe 2.5 days @ full fees + 2.5 days @ half fees.

As an incentive to give plenty of notice about the days needed, I always agree to waive the retainer if another family books the place they didn't need. (eg covering for another cm's holiday/sickness).