daily register

[wonderwoman80]

Just need a little help. I am using the NCMA registers and need help filling in the times. It asks for start and end times. Do you put the actual time they arrive and depart and then calculate that into the total hours. Just asking as I charge per hour and do not have a half hourly rate. So for example child turns up at 12.30 leaves at 5.50 but I will charge for 6 hours. Can I write those times then next to talk write 6 or do i have to do it exact. Hope you understand.

[Louise317]

My understanding is that the register is to track the time the children are with you not for invoicing purposes.

So child arrives at 832 and leaves at 517.

I hope anywhere 'cos that's what I do

This covers you if kids have an accident in your drive but already left your care so parent should have been watching type of situation.

hth

Louise x

[sarah707]

You note the exact time the child arrives and leaves

[rickysmiths]

Just need a little help. I am using the NCMA registers and need help filling in the times. It asks for start and end times. Do you put the actual time they arrive and depart and then calculate that into the total hours. Just asking as I charge per hour and do not have a half hourly rate. So for example child turns up at 12.30 leaves at 5.50 but I will charge for 6 hours. Can I write those times then next to talk write 6 or do i have to do it exact. Hope you understand.

The times in the register should be the exact times the child arrives and leaves. These are nothing to do with what you charge which should be recorded in your Contract with the parent.

For example a parents asks for 9am to 3pm when you sign the contract so you charge for 6 hours a day. If the child arrives at 9.15am and leaves at 2.30pm then you still charge for the full 6 hours on the contract. If this happens every day it could be that the parent may not need the hours they originally booked and you could offer a Contract Review to change the Contracted hours.

It may not though I had a parent who paid for 7.30am to 4pm but always collected by 3pm, she didn't want to change the contract because she could be in work later and need the extra hour.

[wonderwoman80]

I have written exact times but its the bit where i add up unsure of. So if it works out at 5 and half hrs i write 5 and half hrs and get parents to sign for that. But still charge for 6 hrs as agreed before hand??

[miffy]

I agree you should record the exact times the child arrives and leaves (this is an Ofsted requirement)

And you should charge parents the amount agreed on the contract even if this does not talley with the hours the child is with you (unless they are with you for more hours of course )

I don't use the NCMA registers so where the parents sign are they signing to confirm the times the child was with you or the amount they've paid or both?

Miffy xx

[BuggsieMoo]

I have written exact times but its the bit where i add up unsure of. So if it works out at 5 and half hrs i write 5 and half hrs and get parents to sign for that. But still charge for 6 hrs as agreed before hand??

Yes thats right. The register is just that. It is your record and your protection (i.e. incase of accidents that happen away from your setting) of the time the child was with you. I also add on mine if the child was sick/my child sick/holiday and mark it as 0 hours. I then add up and if I am contracted to 8 hours for example but only work 6, then my register says 6 hours but as per my contract I charge for 8.

[wonderwoman80]

Just read the bit in the front of the NCMA booklet and it says "the attendance register is designed to record both the hours for which you are expecting to be paid and the hours during which a child is in your care."

[miffy]

Just read the bit in the front of the NCMA booklet and it says "the attendance register is designed to record both the hours for which you are expecting to be paid and the hours during which a child is in your care."

Not much help there then!

I'd carry on doing it the way you're doing it.

I know Ofsted won't give a hoot about the hours you're paid for but they will want to see exact times (to the minute) the child is in your care.

Miffy xx

[rickysmiths]

Just read the bit in the front of the NCMA booklet and it says "the attendance register is designed to record both the hours for which you are expecting to be paid and the hours during which a child is in your care."

Yes that's right. The blue pages in the front are where you record the hours they are contracted to be with you. These pages are divided into age groups and you and Ofsted can see at a glance how many children, what age and what hours.

Then you use the white pages on a weekly basis to record the exact hours the child is with you.

You charge whatever you have agreed in you Contract and for any extra hours that are used according to what you have written in your contract. If a parent for instance always arrives early you do not have to refund any money. That is their choice.