School holidays

[Allie]

I ahave been having trouble with one family, LO has just started school and I also have sibling. Mum has already pushed me down on fee (despite working for her without problems for four years) Now she can't believe I charge for a full day every contracted day in school holidays, except when I'm on holiday usually for four of the holiday weeks. Both parents are in well paid jobs with loads of holiday so they could probably almost cover all the holidays between them. Upto now I've had both children three days a week all year round. Maybe I've been lucky but in 19 years I've never had parents challenging my charges like this, what do you lot do about school holidays?


Allie

[Alibali]

Do the children both come for the full day on their contracted days throughout the holiday? If so of course they have to pay, if not I would charge the term time fee for them.

[The Juggler]

why does she not want to pay you for a full day in the holidays - presume you have them for a whole day. Does she want a few hours for free!

[Allie]

They have always been all year round, I do take children term time only when school age but I don't usually do term time only for pre schoolers. I think they just want to pay me for the weeks they can't cover during holidays I have pointed out I need to be viable to continue to run my business, so couldn't give them what they want, I just wanted to know what other people do


Allie

[The Juggler]

So, you mean that they don't come to you for the full 6 weeks as they find family/friends and themselves to cover and have the kids, but they do want to keep you available in case they need you and can't find cover?


I think there are three options.

If you can afford to, I would then offer them a t-time only contract if they really don't want to pay. Make it clear though that you will need to fill the places with holiday children as you can't afford not to fill them. Ensure they know this means you won't be able to guarantee that you will have a space when they need you. Or, tell them if they need to have you in reserve then they will need to pay for the space.

Alternatively you could compromise and say OK, pay me for 'x' number of weeks of the holidays instead of the 6 weeks and you agree which weeks those will be and then they pay for those and stick to them.

If you can't afford to do that, then they signed the contract for holiday over and that's what they pay for. However, as a gesture of goodwill, you could offer to start advertising for holiday only children so that if you fill the places to show you are considering their position and say that you could then offer them term-time only contract. If they want to do that, make it clear that you won't be able to change the current contract until such time you fill the vacancies and that they then won't be able to fall back on you in the holidays.

Hope that helps.

LOL

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I would offer parents a term time contract with the option of the child coming IF you have space but if they want it guaranteed they have to pay for them all.