Do you charge while mindees are at preschool?

**melanieabigail2004** · 21-01-2009, 04:51 PM

Am about the send first invoice to parent since mindee's hours changed from 3 to 9.5 hours. 2.5 hours of that they are at preschool but as I am responsible for them I think its only fair to charge as I can't take another child in the meantime

Advice please . . .

Mel

**Jules27** · 21-01-2009, 05:06 PM

I am not in the situation so can't really give advise really but if YOU are the one they will call if they have to close/child poorly then yes I would charge.

**Ripeberry** · 21-01-2009, 05:18 PM

Yes, you need to charge as how on earth are you going to fill the 2 or 3hours when the child is at pre-school? You are effectively on duty for that child for the stated hours on that day.
The above is if you DROP OFF and COLLECT from the pre-school.
If you ONLY do COLLECTING then just charge from the time you picked up the child to the time the parent collects.
If you only do DROP OFF (parents start work early) then just charge your usual before school fee e.g £5 a day.
Hope this makes it a bit clearer

**gegele** · 21-01-2009, 05:21 PM

Originally Posted by Ripeberry

Yes, you need to charge as how on earth are you going to fill the 2 or 3hours when the child is at pre-school? You are effectively on duty for that child for the stated hours on that day.
The above is if you DROP OFF and COLLECT from the pre-school.
If you ONLY do COLLECTING then just charge from the time you picked up the child to the time the parent collects.
If you only do DROP OFF (parents start work early) then just charge your usual before school fee e.g £5 a day.
Hope this makes it a bit clearer

that's exactly what i was going to say!

**rickysmiths** · 21-01-2009, 05:26 PM

I agree with Ripeberry.

I have one a pre school. She arrives at 8am I drop her at 9am and pick up at 11.30am. The parents didnt even ask if her full time rate was going to change in Sept. they just carried on as if nothing had changed.

**zippy04** · 21-01-2009, 05:26 PM

Hiya yes I charge FULL.

I charge full fees for the child when at nursery or pre-school as you can not fill the space for such a short period of time also if school had to close etc the child would be in your care.

**sue m** · 21-01-2009, 05:31 PM

I agree with Ripeberry too, I have always charged for when they were at pre-school or whatever.

**Heaven Scent** · 21-01-2009, 05:34 PM

It doesn't apply to me at the moment but I when it did I did charge because they told me to when I was on my ICP course. In the past (late 1990') when I was minding it wasn't common practice to charge as the parents paid PG fees (they used to be about £2.50 per session) so you just charged time and milage for dropping off and collecting. However, in all honesty I can see us having to revert to this way because of the state of the economy - I think that as parents are made redundant they will end up having to take less and less well paid jobs and they will be lookin for the cheapest possible childcare options and if they are getting the time free at nurseries then they will want it free from us too. We will all need to keep our rates very competitive compared to nurseries and after school clubs. I think we will be stuck betweea rock and a hard place.

**melanieabigail2004** · 21-01-2009, 05:42 PM

I've looked after under 3s and after schoolers since 2005 so not come across this one until now.

Plan to charge and expect a query from the parents

Cheers

Mel

**tulip0803** · 21-01-2009, 06:03 PM

Yes charge full fee. If you are a member of the NCMA they recommend it in their handbook on page 77

**childmind04** · 21-01-2009, 06:06 PM

I charge full fee and its probably a good job as i have had a nursery aged child for the last 3 years!!!

Too me they pay me for the faff on doing nursery runs every day

**madasahatter** · 21-01-2009, 06:06 PM

If I'm taking and collecting a child from preschool or nursery then I charge right through, irrespective of whether the parent also has to pay playgroup fees. After all the child doesn't have to go to playgroup, you would still have space for them!

**nikim** · 21-01-2009, 06:11 PM

i have started charging the full rate as of sept 08 (if i am doing the collecting and picking up), before that i used to charge half fee , now that we are doing the eyfs we are providing the children with exactly the same as they do in pre-school , if they choose to send them to pre-scool as well as coming to me thats their choice and if they wait till they are 3 they get free funding for pre-school anyway so its not like they are going to be paying twice is it .

**LisaH** · 21-01-2009, 06:17 PM

I also charge whilst children are at pre school. My parents want me to be 1st point of contact so I am still 'available'. Plus as has been said already you have no chance of filling the space.

**louised** · 21-01-2009, 06:49 PM

Two of my mindees start preschool in September and I'm really dreading bringing this subject up with their parents. I've only been minding for just under 2 years so have not been in this situation before, I wish I had mentioned it right at the beginning but I didn't know how things worked then. I'm thinking I might start charging them hourly if they kick up a fuss about it, they will end up paying more as I give a discount for full days

**marion123** · 21-01-2009, 07:11 PM

i also charge while at pre school etc i always have and the parents have always been fine with this

**vix84** · 21-01-2009, 07:50 PM

Whilst were on this subject - what do you all do for school children. Potentially I could have a 5 year old a couple of days a week after school 3 till 6pm. Doubt they will need me in the mornings but occasionally they might - I suggested just contracting me to the afternoons and then they can just check in advance if I am free and we can figure something out if Im not. They probably wont need me in the holidays, but they may do some of the time.
So do I charge a retainer for the school holidays - ie. between 3 and 6pm? But then of course I could loose out then If I get an enquiery for a full day school ager just for the hols as I couldnt take their place. So should I loose out on possibly £10 a day and try to get a school age in for the holidays?

**jibberjitz** · 21-01-2009, 10:03 PM

If I was dropping off and picking up from pre-school I would charge as I wouldn't be able to take another child in that time

Liz

**Twinkles** · 21-01-2009, 10:10 PM

Originally Posted by vix84

Whilst were on this subject - what do you all do for school children. Potentially I could have a 5 year old a couple of days a week after school 3 till 6pm. Doubt they will need me in the mornings but occasionally they might - I suggested just contracting me to the afternoons and then they can just check in advance if I am free and we can figure something out if Im not. They probably wont need me in the holidays, but they may do some of the time.
So do I charge a retainer for the school holidays - ie. between 3 and 6pm? But then of course I could loose out then If I get an enquiery for a full day school ager just for the hols as I couldnt take their place. So should I loose out on possibly £10 a day and try to get a school age in for the holidays?

The retainer charged in school holidays is to keep the place open for the next term - not in case they suddenly want to drop them off to you in the hols.
If they are likely to need you in the holidays you need at least four weeks written notice.

My policy is if they need me in the holidays they pay for the whole day whether they use it or not. If they don't want holiday cover they just pay the usual after school fee ( during hols too ).

**misst104** · 21-01-2009, 10:16 PM

Originally Posted by melanieabigail2004

Am about the send first invoice to parent since mindee's hours changed from 3 to 9.5 hours. 2.5 hours of that they are at preschool but as I am responsible for them I think its only fair to charge as I can't take another child in the meantime

Advice please . . .

Mel

I am still in process of registering but am also planning to charge full fees for pre-school time if I drop off and collect and am first point of contact. Am thinking it would be a good idea to have this in parents info pack at start of contract, even if its a baby as they all get there in the end!!!