Help and advice...

[handeme]

Morning Everyone,

I am in process of registering and was wanting some advice on fee and charges, (I am just putting together my policies and procedures)

I was planning working from 7-6 (although I plan to be flexible if parents have to work late etc.)

I was just going to charge a hourly rate of £3.50 would you do this or charge per session (morning, afernoon, before school and afer school)?

Also do you charge for providing meals? I didn't think you did but from reading some of your posts people do.

Also, I plan to charge half fees for 2 weeks holidays per year, any other days taken off are charge and the normal rate (additional holidays or illness).

Should I be off on holiday or ill, no charge is made.

Any advice would be grateful.

cx

[flowerpots]

hi,

I think your charges depend greatly on where you live, my local childmiders charge £3.20-£3.80 per hour, i charge £3.50 per hour. i dont charge session rates or day rates. I basically consider each and every contract as it comes and try to make it worth while for me and parents.

I charge £2.00 for each meal as i was trying to put parents off me providing them bt it didnt work and they are happy to pay the extra lol :)

[gigglinggoblin]

The only problem with an hourly rate is if they just want 1 or 2 hours at some inconvenient time which means you cant get another mindee for the rest of the time. Nothing wrong with charging like that but you might want to consider a minimum fee so when you get asked you dont get flustered and agree to something you later regret. I dont charge for meals if they are here for 4 or more hours. But thats up to you, everyone is different. Might be worth looking at the family information service website to see what is average for your area.

[jadylasa]

I agree with flowerpots, concider each contract as it comes, you do not have to offer one parent what you offer another.
RE the hourly rate vs session rate, currently I charge hourly, but I'm thinking of changing this as it doesn't work with a family I have at the mo. mum works 10-2, which is cutting into both morning and afternoon, meaning it is difficult for me to fill the space either side. I can't change this for the current family, but in the future I will have flat rates for sessions, if sessions overlap like this I will probably chare for 1 1/2 sessions, this way they're not paying full whack, and I'm not totaly losing out.
Also I don't currenly charge for meals, my hourly rate is all they pay, but I am also reconsidering this. i've been registered 12 months and still not iron out all the kinks! FYI, my hourly rate is £2.50 this is average for where I live (semi rural manchester)

[jadylasa]

Sorry, my hourly rate is £3.50 p/h, not £2.50!!!
Late nights/glasses of wine/keyboards don't mix.!