Me again!......holiday / sick charges

[tiger79]

Got my first visit tomorrow and before I say what my holiday and sickness policy is just wanted to pick your brains!

Our old childminder used to have the following policy:-


If she was off sick, her own children were sick or she was on holiday she didn't charge anything.

If our child was off sick or we were on holiday we used to pay half.


Does this sound fair to you or do you charge differently.

Also the family I'm seeing tomorrow have 8 & 9 year old boys. They are only looking at using me during school holidays the first being October 1/2 term. Would you charge a retainer/deposit for this even though they are in the over 8's group? If so how much? £50??

Also would you put this on short-term contract, amending the contract for each holiday??????

I'm bound to have more questions so beware......! :jump for joy:

[beccas]

i dont charge if i am not avaliable. i charge half if they are sick or on holiday aslong as i have been in formed i charge half if its just there day off or family wants them for the day.

[miffy]

I charge in full for sickness or parent's time off

Nothing if my service is not available.

If parent wants school holiday care only then I would just do one contract to cover the days/hours she wants.

As this is a new contract and she doesn't need you until October half term I would ask for a deposit of half whatever she will be paying for both boys for that week. I would say this was non refundable if she chose not to take up the place and make sure that is written into the contract.

HTH's

Miffy xx

[moljak]

If I or my child is sick or on holiday I don't charge as I'm unavailable.If their child is sick or they are on holiday I charge full fee as their space is available.

Not sure what I would do about retainer with it being just hols.maybe I'd ask for half fees as a non refundable deposit if place wasn't taken up and towards fees if it was.

[charlie potato]

my childrens childminder charged full if the kids were sick or off due to hols etc. If the childminder was sick or unavailable then we didn't pay anything. I'll be doing the same. miffys idea of half for school hols non refundable is a cracking idea i think. xx

[Cazz]

I don't charge if I am sick or on holiday as service is unavailable.

Child holiday/occasional days off are half fee if 4 weeks or more notice given. If less than 4 weeks notice then full fees (so sickness is full fees).

I've signed a contract this week for a little boy starting in October (will be term-time and some holidays) and the parent is going to pay monthly in advance so I've taken the first month's fees as a reservation deposit - so she won't pay me any more fees until the beginning of November. However, if she should change her mind and doesn't want the space then the deposit is non-refundable.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

No charge if I am closed due to sickness but full pay if parent/child is sick and off

Holidays I get 2 weeks full pay - check with your local minders. Full pay when mindees are on hols

As to holiday cover I would ask for 1 weeks deposit to be held until the last payment when they leave and that way you have money up front if you are charging "pay as you go". I charge mine monthly starting in September over 12 monthly instalments and that way nearly all the holidays are paid for well in advance, including August.