Mindee starting nursery

[allinatiz]

Hi.

One of my mindees is starting her 5 free sessions at nursery this month. All the childminders I know advised me to charge my full weekly fee as I wouldn't be able to fill the 3 hours she isn't with me. That being said I decided to charge a fee that had a £15 discount on her normal weekly fee. I know it only works out at £3 a day but I was trying to be nice :eek: When I told her parents this morning they were obviously not happy and said they would have to think about what they were going to do. They obviously expected a larger saving but I did explain to them that I wouldn't be able to fill the space and that I was charging less than I had been advised to.

I have read a few threads on here and it seems that most childminders charge for a full week so was I right?! :)

[sarah707]

Sorry but I have never charged when I have not looked after the child.

Round here if I did charge I would not get any business because none of the other childminders do either.

I just work to fill up the space with other children - after schoolers - part timers etc or take the hit.

I just see it as part and parcel of being self employed and flexible.

Parents send their children for the free sessions because they want to save money!! Or at least round here do.

:D

[Trouble]

i lost 2 kids last year because the parent was under impression that time was free:angry:

[Shirlwith3]

I charge 1/2 fees while in nursery, I have a mindee who's mum is looking into nurseries for thier lo who will be 3 in Nov she was more than happy with 1/2 fees while in nursery, that way I'm not losing out plus I will be the emgergncy contact for her.

[louised]

Both my full time mindees start nursery next week and their parents like yours were under the impression that they wouldn't have to pay when their children are at nursery. I gave them 2 options to choose from, either pay for full days which guarantees the space in the holidays and when nursery is closed and i will also act as emergency contact or pay only for hours that the children are in my care but the space won't be kept open and I won't be emergency contact. One set of parents has agreed on paying for full days as they need the space during holidays and I'm waiting to hear from the others. When it comes down to it I am running a business and if they were only paying for half days I might have to consider terminating their contract and taking on another full time mindee

[allinatiz]

Thank you for the input. I shall see what tomorrow brings. I know that my price is roughly £10 more than they would be paying for their child to stay at nursery for the same hours plus they would have to provide food so I did think I was offering a reasonable rate.


I gave them 2 options to choose from, either pay for full days which guarantees the space in the holidays and when nursery is closed and i will also act as emergency contact or pay only for hours that the children are in my care but the space won't be kept open and I won't be emergency contact

I quite like that idea but, as I charge a set price for a full week and a different hourly rate (iykwim), if I charged them for the actual hours that I had her then it would work out more expensive than the fee for a full week! :D

[ManicMum]

HEllo

I have only just started minding and my mindee is waiting for a nursery place. I will be charging for the tiime they are there. This is because I will not be able to fill the space and if their child is sick and school calls the parent, will they be leaving work to pick them up? I expect they will tell the school to ring the childminder but I will not be picking them up if I am not being paid.

Also, they will expect to go and pick them up 2 1/2 hours later so I think I should be paid for interim time. A nursery charges you for all hours, whether the child goes early, turns up or not. I am looking at it that this is a business not a charity. That's my opinion anyway! Most childminders I have spoken too charge for nursery time and this is quite an impoverished part of Scotland.

I have only just started so will probably come across parents not wanting to pay.

Hope you get on ok.

[Allie]

I always charge if a parent decides to use a pre school or nursery for there EYE, as an EYE provider they could have their fee with me reduced by 15 hours so it's up to them

Allie


p.s. I always charged for keeping the space open before I started EYE providing

[Chatterbox Childcare]

If I drop off and collect I charge - no question, otherwise who will collect their children if ill, have a fall etc and what about the space for holidays or won't they need that 3 hours?

[wendywu]

All childminders round here charge full while a child is at nursery.

There are inset days, polling days, holidays, the days the child is not well enough to go to nursery, the rare times it does snow etc

[Mouse]

If I drop off & collect from nursery I charge full fee for while the child is there. It means that really I am the one benefiting for the free session as I have the time without the child, but am still getting paid for it. It doesn't benefit the parent at all financially.

If I only drop off, or only collect, and the parent is responsible for the child while it is at nursery (ie. the parent would be called in an emergency) then I only charge for the time they are with me.

[Polly2]

If I drop off and pick up I charge right through - If I only pick up and am not responsible during child's time at nursery then I charge from pickup time.

[rickysmiths]

I charge. I have one mindee who started 2 morning last Sept and the parents never even raised it as an issue. She has just started 2 full days and because I drop off and collect and have her in the holidays I am still paid full fee. It will only change when she goes to full time school next year.

[Chimps Childminding]

the lo i had, mum used to drop off at nursery and I collected, so I charged half whilst she was there as I couldn't use the space for someone else as she needed the mornings too during the holidays.

The lo I have who has just started nursery I drop off and collect and so charge full. Having said that she is 3 so nursery is funded and they are not having to pay twice iyswim? Not sure what I would do if it were a younger child whose parents were having to pay nursery as well? maybe half?:rolleyes:

[liya]

Is it really our responsibility to pick up a sick child from school or nursery. I thought they should be sent home as we are not suppose to look after children if they are sick.

In the past a parent called to say her son is been vomiting at school and if I can go and collect him. I had to tell her their is no point for me to go as I cant have him either if he is been vomiting. Have I done the wrong thing?

[Mouse]

the lo i had, mum used to drop off at nursery and I collected, so I charged half whilst she was there as I couldn't use the space for someone else as she needed the mornings too during the holidays.

The lo I have who has just started nursery I drop off and collect and so charge full. Having said that she is 3 so nursery is funded and they are not having to pay twice iyswim? Not sure what I would do if it were a younger child whose parents were having to pay nursery as well? maybe half?:rolleyes:


I wouldn't charge if the parents were PAYING to send their child to nursery. I can't see that any parents would want to pay both a nursery & a childminder for the same time.

[Mouse]

Is it really our responsibility to pick up a sick child from school or nursery. I thought they should be sent home as we are not suppose to look after children if they are sick.

In the past a parent called to say her son is been vomiting at school and if I can go and collect him. I had to tell her their is no point for me to go as I cant have him either if he is been vomiting. Have I done the wrong thing?


I charge it mainly because I am not going to be able to fill the space while a child is at nursery, but I am still on call if needed.

I have only once collected a sick child and that was because I was a lot closer to the nursery than the mum was. She left work asap & collected him from me. I didn't mind doing that, but like you say, I wouldn't have kept him with me for the whole day. I do make it clear to parents that I will collect if necessary, but that I won't keep a sick child.

On a few occasions nursery has had to shut early after the children have been dropped off (lost water or heating supply, snow :rolleyes: etc) and I have been called to collect the children. Obviously I then keep them for the whole day.

[allinatiz]

They have decided to send her in the afternoon only. I explained that while I still have the space if they need me and book it with me I will have their child, but if I fill the morning space (which I'm not rushing to do but if someone comes along I'm not going to turn them down ;) ) then in the holidays and if, for any reason, nursery is shut I won't be able to have their child.

I have a feeling that it's going to be downhill from now on where money is concerned :(

[solly]

I always charge when the child is at nursery, if the parent drops off and i am not used as an emergency contact and i have to pick up the child i will then charge from when i pick up. I also tell them if they do this they are not guarenteed a space in the holidays if they need it.

I state this when they first come and see me as a presective parent even if i am having a baby as ;least then they know. I have never had a problem in obtaining work when there has been work about. We all do it in the area i live so it is the norm

[Chimps Childminding]

I wouldn't charge if the parents were PAYING to send their child to nursery. I can't see that any parents would want to pay both a nursery & a childminder for the same time.

She had been with me since she was 5 months old. Mum chose to send her to nursery on one of the 3 days she was with me even though the other 2 days she goes to grandparents, so I don't see why I should lose out she still needed me to collect at lunch time and the space in the afternoons and holidays!

[manjay]

She had been with me since she was 5 months old. Mum chose to send her to nursery on one of the 3 days she was with me even though the other 2 days she goes to grandparents, so I don't see why I should lose out she still needed me to collect at lunch time and the space in the afternoons and holidays!

I agree. If a parent chooses to send a 2 1/2 year old to playgroup they have to pay. If it is a child I would normally have all day (and holidays)then it is parent's choice so I would still charge.