CM Holidays

[teacakepenguin]

Hi

Newbie here, just in the process of starting up, hoping to be official on Monday (am in daily contact with Ofsted chasing my registration certificate!).

I have been looking after my friend's 2 children now for about 18m without payment, but as of Monday they will be my first mindees as I've jumped through all the necessary hoops.

I have been trying to sort out my contract so I can go through it with her over the next few days, but I'm a little confused with regards holiday pay.

There are a couple of other CMs in my village and I had a big long chat the other day to one, but she's on holiday now. She charges clients half for holidays. She said some charge more per hour and don't charge for holidays, and others do like she does and charge for when she does go away.

However, if I'm charging my friend for 9 hours a week term time, holidays are different, then at what point do I introduce a holiday charge? I do have a holiday booked for end of June, should this be one incident? What would I do about school holidays, as her requirements will alter depending how much annual leave she chooses to take. And she'd probably just put her kids in the nursery instead if I started charging. Hmmm.

How do you manage it? I was planning on charging her weekly, in advance.

Thanks!

[sophieg]

Hi. Welcome to the world of childminding!!!!! A lot of childminders work along the rule of "if I'm able to work I charge,if I'm not I don't" therefore you charge for their holiday and if they're off sick,but if you're on holiday or off sick you don't charge. That's what I do and it works. Hope that helps. Xxx

[jelly15]

Hi. Welcome to the world of childminding!!!!! A lot of childminders work along the rule of "if I'm able to work I charge,if I'm not I don't" therefore you charge for their holiday and if they're off sick,but if you're on holiday or off sick you don't charge. That's what I do and it works. Hope that helps. Xxx

I do this too.

[teacakepenguin]

Hi, and thanks for the welcome,

Yes I have seen some charge that way, but for those of you who do charge for holidays, how do you actually do it? I don't want to charge more per hour to cover it.

Thanks

[sineadquinn]

I do the same if I'm open and able to work I charge if not no charge. Xx

[RuthJ]

Hi. Welcome to the world of childminding!!!!! A lot of childminders work along the rule of "if I'm able to work I charge,if I'm not I don't" therefore you charge for their holiday and if they're off sick,but if you're on holiday or off sick you don't charge. That's what I do and it works. Hope that helps. Xxx

This is what I do too :)

[Jenna]

I'm the same I don't get paid if I'm sick or on holiday otherwise parents pay full for holidays, sick days and the snow.

[Tealady]

I'm slightly different in that if I'm shut I don't charge but I give parents four weeks holiday a year that they can take and pay me half fees. They have to give me one months notice of taking their holiday. This is for Early Years children only.

How old are her children? I'm assuming from the hours they are doing they are school age? I offer parents of school children the choice of two types of contract:

If they think they will want a guaranteed space during the holidays or they will use me for holiday cover quite a bit then they can have the holiday terms set out above on a contract that is 52 weeks a year.

If they don't want me in the hols or are happy to hedge their bets on my availablity as it will be only an odd day here and there that they need me, I will do a term time contract but they get no holiday rights. That means if they don't send their child they still pay. I however reserve the right to two weeks unpaid holiday for myself on contracts like this as I may want to be naughty and take my own children out of school for a holiday (although I never have until this year).

[teacakepenguin]

Thanks for the replies.

Yes they are school age, 6 and 11 years old.

Maybe it would be easier to just not charge when I'm away, but maybe charge in full for their holidays.

Oh it's really hard!!

[busybee_mummy]

I work with my mum, and I only work term time as the majority of the children are term time only.

If they are term time only, they pay for everyday they have off during the term but I don't charge anything during holidays. If they want a place over the summer or christmas, then this is a first come first served.

For children that come all year round, they have 20 days holiday (if 5 days a week) or 12 days (3 days a week) etc, any more than this then they pay in full.

Anytime the playroom is closed then parents don't pay anything. (Normally closed first two weeks of Aug, Christmas day and boxing day and bank holidays).

Sounds complicated but works for us.