Late picking up!!!

[Hats]

Only been childminding since March but it has gone mad and I'm now full up!! that's the good news!!

Bad news is that I have a parent who thinks she is the only person whose child I look after, I only look after mindee for 4 hours, 3 times a week, but she is constantly late dropping off and picking up.... excuses include... gardening, shopping, talking, generally doing something else etc etc etc. It's only 10 - 15 mins late each time but I can be hanging around to go out.
She then drops off or collects all apologetic and I don't say anything. I hate confrontation ........ is she taking the mick? Should I just charge her for the late drop offs or maybe put a note on her invoice that I will start to charge???? Anyone else have this problem??

Thanks for any advice.

H
x

[grindal]

I have have just re written my fees policy as I have 2 new starters in September. In addition to time and a half per hour or part hour for late collection I have also included a statement that late drop offs can cause inconvenience and disruption and parents must be agreeable to dropping off at MY convenience when mindees are late.

I have spent a lot of time this year making sure I am back at home in time for my mindees father to drop him off at his convenience and do not intend allowing it to happen again next year!

[caz3007]

I would do a newsletter for all parents, stating that its inacceptable and that you will be charging £x per 15 minutes that they are late as from a months time or something like that. As to being late dropping off, would state that its their responsibility to contact you and then bring the child to where you are. I have all this in my policy

Her excuses for lateness are just taking the mickey, especially if they are regular

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I would go out and text her to say where you are and can she drop off please. This fixed mine

[onceinabluemoon]

Late drop offs are easily cured by being out when they drop off, you only have to do it a few times. You may want to warn them first or maybe not...

Late pick ups I charge double time and list is as 'late pick up fees' on the invoice. I've been threatening it for a long time but finally got pushed to do it a month ago as parents were just ignoring me. Nobody has been more than 2 minutes late since then! You do have to give parents notice about this though if its not already in your policies and I'd also get them to sign to say they've seen it.

[Hats]

Think I will start late pick up fees on invoice. My "drop off/collection" policy states I charge for late collections.

I have a couple of amended policies so think I'll send everyone another copy of that one too.

Thanks for your help, thoguht I was maybe being a bit picky!

H
xx