how does this sound?

[2lovelygirls]

Hi all - Been having a good think about fees. I hate discussing money with people and although im not registered yet I wanted something in my mind (and at a later stage before I start, written down) so I know exactly what im doing. Anyway the charge per hour in my area is anywhere between 3 and 4:50 an hour although 3.50 seems to be the norm. before and after school care varies but the local school club charges £12 a day (no meal provided)

I was going to go along the following lines of the following. Does this sound fair?

availability - 7:30 - 17:45 (with a little bit of flexibility)

£3.50 per hr (full day rate £32) breakfast, drinks, snacks and a hot dinner provided (parents asked to provide a packed lunch for lunchtime and nappies and wipes)
£13 before an after school for 48 weeks a year (money to be topped up for holiday care) Hot meal, snack and drinks provided

10 % sibling discount on second child if both used for 4 days (im hoping to only work 4 days a week myself but just going to play it by ear)
full fees if child is on hols
no fees for 4 weeks a year and bank holidays (while im on hols)
£100 deposit which is deducted from first invoice

Term time only (parents only to pay 39 weeks of the year and no fee through the school holidays)

£3.90 per hr (full day rate 37) breakfast, drinks, snacks and a hot dinner provided (parents asked to provide a packed lunch for lunchtime and nappies and wipes)

£15 before and after school. Hot meal, snack and drinks provided




have I missed anything? x

[miffy]

Sounds OK - I don't offer a sibling discount and I would specify what the discount applies to - if you have one child under 5 and one over 5 can you really afford a discount on your after school rates whilst providing meals within the price?

I'm paid in advance and would always take a 4 week deposit per place - this would be taken off the first months fees but non refundable if the place is not taken up.

What would you do if both you and parent have the same week off? Half fees or depends who said they were having the week off first?

I'd include about sickness and inset days for schoolies - I charge contract hours if schoolie doesn't come on an inset day and full day rate if they do.

Late payment charges?

Miffy xx

[2lovelygirls]

Thanks miffy - I may take the sibling discount out for now.

Im not sure what you mean about the parent and me taking the same week off - I was still just not going to charge for those 4 weeks a year.

do you have any term time only children? what is your set up with this.

Great idea about inset days :)

[Chatterbox Childcare]

Hi all - Been having a good think about fees. I hate discussing money with people and although im not registered yet I wanted something in my mind (and at a later stage before I start, written down) so I know exactly what im doing. Anyway the charge per hour in my area is anywhere between 3 and 4:50 an hour although 3.50 seems to be the norm. before and after school care varies but the local school club charges £12 a day (no meal provided)

I was going to go along the following lines of the following. Does this sound fair?

availability - 7:30 - 17:45 (with a little bit of flexibility)

£3.50 per hr (full day rate £32) breakfast, drinks, snacks and a hot dinner provided (parents asked to provide a packed lunch for lunchtime and nappies and wipes)
£13 before an after school for 48 weeks a year (money to be topped up for holiday care) Hot meal, snack and drinks provided

Why reduce your rate for full time if you area minimum is £3.50 per hour

10 % sibling discount on second child if both used for 4 days (im hoping to only work 4 days a week myself but just going to play it by ear)

You have limited spaces - why discount for siblings?
full fees if child is on hols

agree ?

no fees for 4 weeks a year and bank holidays (while im on hols)

£100 deposit which is deducted from first invoice

I take 1 weeks deposit

Term time only (parents only to pay 39 weeks of the year and no fee through the school holidays)

What will you do for income if this is 3 x under 5 full time spaces? worth considering a retainer of maybe 50%

£3.90 per hr (full day rate 37) breakfast, drinks, snacks and a hot dinner provided (parents asked to provide a packed lunch for lunchtime and nappies and wipes)

This seems quite high for a meal compared to your rate above

£15 before and after school. Hot meal, snack and drinks provided

If a child came to you 4 hours over this time your fee by the hour would be £14 and this is without a meal?



have I missed anything? x

Consider after school price and before school price, minimum days, school hours - lots of scenario's that you won't consider until it happens

[loocyloo]

i take a deposit and this is only returned at the end of contract/pay last months fees etc. then, if they skip without paying notice, you have something!

I offer a sibling discount, but BOTH children have to attend for a minimum of 25hrs and the discount is for the ELDEST child. ( therefore, if EY children, and older child goes to nursery/school and then does less hours with you, you are not losing so much money, as younger child stays on normal rate, and if elder child not doing the 25+ hours, they pay normal rate too.

my termtime only children pay a higher rate ( equivilant to paying a half fee in the holidays, but added to weekly fee ( and I don't tell them its the half fee! ) term time only and nothing in the holidays. if they wish to come sometimes in the holidays they then pay extra for those days at the higher rate. but it helps me, as I can say no to termtime only child if I have other plans, rather than always having lots of schoolies in the holidays. ( I encourage mine to use holiday clubs! )

[2lovelygirls]

thanks Debbie. just to clarify meals are included for both term time only children and non term time only.

The hourly rate was moved from £3.50 to £3.90 only to cover half fees retainer in the school holidays - 9 weeks of them, as 4 weeks are counted as hols. So this additional amount would cover me in the hols.

Do you think its just better to charge the same hrly rate (£3.50) and then 50% through the hols? do you tend to get a lot of term time only?

I take your point on the day rate - it just seems there are quite a few cms around here charging a day rate

Im going to take the sibling discount out.

Before and after school hours (presuming start time is 7:30 and finishing at 5:30) would be 3.5 hrs = £12.25 at the 3.50 an hr rate so that's where the £13 comes from. If using me before 7:30 and after 5:30 then I guess id need to come up with a rate for additional hrs.

I might do a weeks deposit too - sounds better - thanks again for your comments - appreciate your input as im a newbie to this :)


Thanks loocyloo - I was trying to do a similar thing with my term time hrly rate. xx