what to charge re decrease in hours and wanting cooked evening meal

[sarahstanbridge]

hi all, i have had a parent tell me today that their daughter will not be coming to me before school as from monday. they said the will give me the required notice for change of hours and i already have there september payment. she will still be coming after school on mon wed and thursday from 3-6 and i will still have to provide a cooked meal for her. they have decided to use the new school breakfast club instead of me as it is only £1.50 per day and i charge at the moment £3.75 per hour. i am a little sad really as this child has been with me since her first day at school when she started in reception, she is now going into year 5. thats loyalty for you. its all down to cost which would suggest that when the school opens up its after school service at some point this autumn term and if it is cheaper than me they will go completely. the dad did say if i wanted to match the price i could keep her but i am not working 1.5 hours for only £1.50 and provide breakfast.

i was due an annual review of fees anyway so i am thinking of either inceasing the hourly fee as the child is only going to be here less than 10 hours a week or start to charge an extra cost per meal.

what would you all do?

those of you that charge extra for meals. what do you charge?

thanks if you reply. sorry if its a long post.

sarah

[shopshelleyd]

Hi

I have had this problem with the breakfast club and after school club and have had families coming to me for years and also move to save a few pounds - like you say no loyalty. I charge £5.00 for first hour a school age child attends of the day and then £3.50 for each subsequent hour. If they want an evening meal I don't charge extra as such but say they must pay me until 5.30pm so I get 2 1/2 hrs pay. If they are to pay any less it really isn't worth doing. Hope this helps.

Shelley

[sarah707]

Is it worth finding out how much the after school club is going to charge before you change your prices?

I'm just thinking that if you put them up, you could create ill will if they think you are doing it as a direct result of them starting her in the breakfast club... do you see what I mean?

Poor little girl, being pushed about for a few measly pounds a week :(

[Annie_T]

i plan to offer food and make it an extra charge if i have to provide them to a mindee

ie £1 for breakie
£1.50 lunch
£2 dinner ...

something like this (depends on what foods etc i guess)

as of your hourly rates its up to you, but you got to make money not lose it

[mumtodaniel]

Hi,

I have taken on a girl a few months ago who is fed up with after school club. The mum has now taken her out of breakfast club too and she comes to me. She likes walking to school, and enjoys coming here and playing. She says it the same thing every day as school club.

I charge my same hourly rate which is £4.50. For after school I do have a minimum three hour rate, regardless if they stay for less.

To be honest I enjoy the after school children as my son enjoys the children coming here, but it is not a like for like and if they decide to choose school club then I think then probably not a lot else we can do, I certainly would not reduce prices.

I think you should review your prices, but perhaps wait till after half term.

[Bushpig]

The school clubs cost so little because there are loads more kids! Surely they can see that the level of care will surely go down??

They cannot expect you to run your business like an after/before school club. Ask them if they'd be okay with you having 25 extra kids in your home every day, as then you'll be able to match the cost! :littleangel:

[yummymummy]

What an obnoxious and insulting thing for the dad to suggest, would he work for £1 an hour?
I think you are in a difficult position as judging by the parents attitude to cheap prices over quality childcare if an after school club opens they will definitely move their child there if cheaper than you. You may well get the same price matching insult from dad first though!
Whatever you decide to do, don't do anything too hasty (I should take my own advice!) but how about advertising a vacancy and see if something else comes along so that you are sorted before the possibility of being dropped?

[wendywu]

I would charge 3hours@ £4.00 the £4.00 to collect. £2.00 for a cooked meal so £18.00 per night.:)

[sarahstanbridge]

thanks for all your replies. i have decided to increase my houly rate by 25per hour for this child effective from 1 october. i will giving them contract amendment on monday to sign. - might mention they have not put anything in writing to me about the school club but she didnt come to me this week.

will have to see how it goes down on monday

sarah:) :)