Key Points on Policies

[pingu]

Having read the threads over the past few weeks where there have been lots of problems with parents becoming difficult over fees. I believe my policies need to have the things listed below, except when I read the list it makes me look so unflexible. However, there seem to be so many problems when things are not written down in policies!


[*]An initial deposit of 4 weeks contracted hours of fees is required before service can commence, and will be returned in full with no interest at the end of service.[*]Fees are to be paid for each month up front (not in arrears).[*]Fees for children aged 6 weeks - school age, are £5.50 hour between 8 - 6 Monday - Friday. I can open earlier or later at an unsociable hours fee of £7.00 hour. There is a minimum charge of 7 hours per day.[*]Fees for school age children for 'before school' and 'after school' are paid by session. 8am - school drop off = £7.00 per child. School pick up - 6pm = £20 per child. Earlier starts or later finishes for school age children can be pre-booked with 1 weeks notice and fees are charged at an additional £2 for every 15 minutes. [*]Fees are inclusive of all meals and snacks and 'reasonable' trips. Please see my food and snack policy for further information.[*]I will invoice for the following month's contracted hours 5 working days before the last day of the month. The invoice will include fees for contracted hours for the following month, fees for any additional hours booked from the previous month, any early drop off or late pick up fees from the previous month, any late payment fees from the previous month.[*]Fees for contracted hours need to be paid by direct debit and must be in my account by the 1st working day of the month.[*]Should you drop off earlier or pick up later than your contracted or prebooked additional hours, I reserve the right to charge £1 for every 5 minutes that you are early/late.[*]Should payment not enter my account by the 1st working day of the month, I reserve the right to charge a late payment charge of £10 for every day you are late.[*]Contracted hours can not be swapped for other hours.[*]Contracted hours can not be swapped for another child or siblings hours.[*]Changes to contracted hours need to be given in writing with a 4 week notice.[*]To end the contract, either party must give notice in writing 4 weeks before service should end. The notice period will incur full contracted hours fees. The initial deposit of 4 weeks contracted fees can not be used to pay the notice period but will be returned with no interest at the end of the contract.[*]Additional hours (over and above contracted hours) need to be booked and signed for on an "Additional Hours Request' form. Once booked those hours need 1 week's notice to change (ie additional hours can not be booked and then changed at the last minute).[*]Where a child attends a different setting that I drop off at / pick up from / or both - I will charge full fees for the time that the child is at the different setting (ie nursery).[*]I will take unpaid holiday of 5 weeks and give a minimum of 2 calendar months notice of those weeks. [*]Any holiday taken by the parents/child will incur a full fee, unless taken at the same time as the 5 weeks holiday I take.[*]If I or any of my children are ill I will not be open and will not charge a fee.[*]If your child is ill and can not / is not allowed to attend I will charge a full fee.[*]I am not open on bank holidays and no charges will apply for bank holidays. [/LIST]


They will be written in better English though, not these exact words!

Have I covered everything? Anything missing?

[MessybutHappy]

Goodness, what a list! I have to say that most of what you've listed I'd agree with, and I have most of it covered off in my contracts and policies, but because it's not all in one place it's perhaps more palatable? And the bits I don't have stated clearly, I wish I had already!

[sarahmc]

Wow. All the things I think should happen, written in one place. There should be no conflict with this is place. A fabulous document.

[Little miss]

Pingu you genius x

[CLL]

You have written that you will charge £2 for every 15 min but further down you have stated £1 for every 5 min

Or maybe not, I am not so sure now, maybe once it is all typed up in separate paragraphs it will be easier to read.

I like it, I have one similar

[nikki thomson]

I think it's really good, parents can't say they dont know what's happening with a policy written so thoroughly.
I'm a pushover, don't charge extra for unsocial able hrs, don't charge a late fee, or deposit and my 2 schoolies who are sibling and come every morning and after school I charge £50 a week for both, I'd get no business if it was £27 a day. But you know your area and how much is reasonable to you.
I wish I could charge that I wouldn't have to work during the day, lol. X

[pingu]

You have written that you will charge £2 for every 15 min but further down you have stated £1 for every 5 min

What I am trying to get across to parents of school age children is that if they pre book to drop off earlier or later I will charge them £2 for each 15 mins they want early (as those additional mins will also fall into unsociable hours).

However, if they turn up early or late without booking they could be charged £1 for every 5 mins, which is more expensive than prebooking. Additionally, it is smaller time increments so if they are 20 mins late they will be charged £4 extra.

I had noticed lots of threads about parents turning up 10 mins early each day or 25 mins late knowing that they won't be charged for it as it isn't in the policy or the policy states fees are based on half hour increments.

[pingu]

I think it's really good, parents can't say they dont know what's happening with a policy written so thoroughly.
I'm a pushover, don't charge extra for unsocial able hrs, don't charge a late fee, or deposit and my 2 schoolies who are sibling and come every morning and after school I charge £50 a week for both, I'd get no business if it was £27 a day. But you know your area and how much is reasonable to you.
I wish I could charge that I wouldn't have to work during the day, lol. X

There is a before and after school club but it is very over subscribed. They charge £5/child for 8am-school drop off and £15/child for school pick up-6pm. I will be more expensive but to be honest I don't really want the before and after school work.

There are 2 towns that I am slap bang in the middle of. Childminder fees in 1 town average at £4.50/child/hour and the other town averages at £5.50/child/hour. I've picked the higher fee rate as I don't want to charge and then find out I could charge more. Also I will be offering all meals and snacks and 'reasonable' trips. Also, there are no childminders in my or any of the surrounding villages.

However, there are 2 nurseries that take babies from 6 weeks old, who charge for sessions (half days or whole days) that average out at £4.25/hour and include all food and snacks. They are open all year round with only 1 week closing at Christmas. I do not know whether parents will want to pay more for a childminder in a smaller family home like setting or not. Until I test the market I just don't know.

[pingu]

The thing is, am I likely to get any business with these policies?!

[smurfette]

I think they look reasonable as u say lots of us could avoid trouble with this! Think how's it's written though as pp said all in one place may look a bit daunting ESP to first time nervous parents.,, I have a contract and these things are dotted about in between things like what clothes to bring etc. and I rephrased it to make it look softer but its not! Maybe fluff it up a bit!

Only point I would query is you giving two months notice of holidays wouldn't shoot myself in foot in case I fancied a long weekend ., one month should be enough 'where possible' don't forget to allow for unexpected doctor appointments etc

Re fees try it and see., you will soon see if you are charging enough or just right.,, good not to undersell yourself hard to put fees up later

[Rubybubbles]

Having read the threads over the past few weeks where there have been lots of problems with parents becoming difficult over fees. I believe my policies need to have the things listed below, except when I read the list it makes me look so unflexible. However, there seem to be so many problems when things are not written down in policies!


[*]An initial deposit of 4 weeks contracted hours of fees is required before service can commence, and will be returned in full with no interest at the end of service.
[*]Fees are to be paid for each month up front (not in arrears). [COLOR="#FF0000"][/COLORfees are to be paid monthly in advance]
[*]Fees for children aged 6 weeks - school age, are £5.50 hour between 8 - 6 Monday - Friday. I can open earlier ormy core hours are 8-6 but I am flexible around individual needs at a cost of £7 per hour later at an unsociable hours fee of £7.00 hour. There is a minimum charge of 7 hours per day.
[*]Fees for school age children for 'before school' and 'after school' are paid by session. 8am - school drop off = £7.00 per child. School pick up - 6pm = £20 per child. Earlier starts or later finishes for school age children can be pre-booked with 1 weeks notice and fees are charged at an additional £2 for every 15 minutes.
[*]Fees are inclusive of all meals and snacks and 'reasonable' trips. Please see my food and snack policy for further information.
[*]I will invoice for the following month's contracted hours 5 working days before the last day of the month.invoices are sent at least 5 days before payment is due The invoice will include fees for contracted hours for the following month, fees for any additional hours booked from the previous month, any early drop off or late pick up fees from the previous month, any late payment fees from the previous month.late payment fees need to be paid asap!
[*]Fees for contracted hours need to be paid by direct debit and must be in my account by the 1st working day of the month.
[*]Should you drop off earlier or pick up later than your contracted or prebooked additional hours, I reserve the right to charge £1 for every 5 minutes that you are early/late.
[*]Should payment not enter my account by the 1st working day of the month, I reserve the right to charge a late payment charge of £10 for every day you are late.
[*]Contracted hours can not be swapped for other hours.
[*]Contracted hours can not be swapped for another child or siblings hours.
[*]Changes to contracted hours need to be given in writing with a 4 week notice.
[*]To end the contract, either party must give notice in writing 4 weeks before service should end. The notice period will incur full contracted hours fees. The initial deposit of 4 weeks contracted fees can not be used to pay the notice period but will be returned with no interest at the end of the contract.
[*]Additional hours (over and above contracted hours) need to be booked and signed for on an "Additional Hours Request' form. Once booked those hours need 1 week's notice to change (ie additional hours can not be booked and then changed at the last minute).
[*]Where a child attends a different setting that I drop off at / pick up from / or both - I will charge full fees for the time that the child is at the different setting (ie nursery).
[*]I will take unpaid holiday of 5 weeks and give a minimum of 2 calendar months notice of those weeks. most people state 4 weeks, but often like you give much more)
[*]Any holiday taken by the parents/child will incur a full fee, unless taken at the same time as the 5 weeks holiday I take.Parent.child holidays full fee
[*]If I or any of my children are ill I will not be open and will not charge a fee.unexpected closer of setting no fee, for example own child poorly.
[*]If your child is ill and can not / is not allowed to attend I will charge a full fee.child ill full fee
[*]I am not open on bank holidays and no charges will apply for bank holidays. [/LIST]


They will be written in better English though, not these exact words!

Have I covered everything? Anything missing?

I think it looks great very similar to mine (got new computer not transfered yet!) although on some bits I think your too caring lol!