Help! Enhanced fee/deposit/pick up and other worries

[Rubybaby]

Hello all!
I've been really worried about how to charge a lovely family who want Term Time only for their LO (age 3)for 4 hrs every day (child attends playgroup in mornings from which I would pick up.). They have said that they would possibly only want very very occasional care in the school hols, so I'm thinking of charging enhanced daily fee (as I really want to keep things as simple as poss) and not have to worry about retainers.
Regarding a deposit, NCMA advised that it should be 4 weeks at normal fee (not enhanced)...does anyone else do this?
If I am then asked to mind the child in the hols and am available to do so how do I show this on the contract(NCMA), and do I still charge the enhanced fee?
Also, the child has an older sibling (5) who might need the occasional pick up from school from time to time---I'm willing to do this but have no idea what I would charge for this ad hoc after school arrangement or even how to put it on a contract.
Can anyone advise urgently please? Parents are very accommodating but this will be my first experience of TTO contract and I don't want to look unprofessional !

[Zoomie]

If you are happy to offer TTO contract and charge the enhanced fee, than do that. It might be the enhanced fee to you, but to the parent's it will be the fee you charge.

Regarding deposit, I felt very nervous about asking for a deposit - my first mindees started immediately and always paid me in advance. Three years down the line, I am now brave enough to ask for a 2 week deposit and my fees are still in advance, so it is very normal and common for us to charge deposits. I would base it on what ever fee you quote to the parent (ie 4 weeks of enhanced fee).

If they want care in the holiday, and you have the availability and want to work it, charge them the fee you quoted (ie your enhanced rate). (This keeps it simple).

For adhoc contracts (and adhoc in the holidays, or adhoc afterschool care), I just write diagonally across the bit that has the days of the week / times (assuming you using NCMA contracts) that contract is adhoc. In the details bit beneath there I would write something on the lines that days are payable on booking, cannot be cancelled, are subject to availability etc etc.

HTHs

[Rubybaby]

Thanks for your advice...it really does help ...been wrestling with all this for ages x

[The Juggler]

hiya hon

4 weeks of normal fee is the normal fee you would charge the parent so that will be at the enhanced rate :thumbsup::thumbsup:

[rickysmiths]

For term time only I work out the cost per week and x 39
Then 1/2 weekly cost x 13

I then add the two together to get the term time only fee which includes a half fee retainer for the holidays.

I would add into the contract that occasional care may be needed in the holidays and this would be booked and fees paid at the time of booking at the same fee you are charging in the term time. I would design a simple booking form and decide how much notice you would need for ad hoc holiday care.

I would charge a four weeks fees Deposit for this child and return it at the end of the contract if all fees are up to date and use it to cover the four weeks notice.

You would need to sign a contract with the parents for the older girl as well and all the permission forms and information forms. As this is truly ad hoc I would charge a one off £25 non returnable admin fee to set up all the paperwork and then charge the same enhanced fee per hour as the other child and expect to be paid on each day of care. same booking rules for the summer as the other child. Make it clear that fees paid when booking holiday time are non returnable if they then decide not to use the day.

[Rubybaby]

Thank you all for great advice....Parents are happy with enhanced fee for TTO 3 year old and happy to book any occasional holiday care separately.
I've had a change of heart over charging any one off admin fee for the 5 year old sibling's ad hoc care though as they seemed surprised when I mentioned it and I'm not comfy with it.
I do have another question though...do you still do an 'all about me' form for a child of 5 who will only be pickedup and minded for an hour after school very occasionally?

[rickysmiths]

Yes I would because I would want to know their interests. I would also ask them as well.

I would not have been put off by the parents surprise with a one off admin fee for the 5yrs old. I would have explained that the cost of the setting up of all the paperwork and the time doing it was out of proportion to the amount of work you will be doing and that is why you charge a fee in these cases.

Have they paid 4 week fee deposits up front?

[Rubybaby]

No prob with deposit,to be paid at time of signing which I said would be used for the final month's fees .
All being well, will sign next week, just trying to sort everything out beforehand so I don't dither my way through it!
Am thinking now of doing an ad hoc care policy (and a school hols care policy!) stating that any care would need to be booked (and paid for at the time of booking), but not sure how far in advance is reasonable?
Thinking of also including some sort of booking form in the parent's folder once contracts are signed (not got as far as designing one yet).

I'm sure I'll have loads more to ask...

[miffy]

For school holiday care I ask parents to book at least 4 weeks in advance of the holiday - this helps me plan what trips and activities I do when and also to know numbers should any other parents want extra days. Parents know that once booked they have to pay for the days whether they use them or not.

Miffy xx