After Schoolers, School Holidays ?

[Marshmallow]

:panic:

Ok, so I'm a little green, but learning fast :rolleyes:
I have 4 after schoolers, bless them, I have made them all do a 2 month trial, and it ends the end of October.
( Sorry waffling :eek: )
What do I charge for holiday care, they don't come to me, they go to various cheaper places.
How much do I charge during the holidays, or for Bank Holidays ? I am all confused :blush:

I did make all the parents aware from the ofset the only time I don't get paid is my holidays.

I want to get this right as they will be signing contracts on the 1 st November.

Please any advice would be great :jump for joy:

[miffy]

I would have had a contract in place even during the trial period.

You may have said you expected to be paid all year round but if parents are saying they will use cheaper care in the holidays I don't think they will be wanting to pay you too.

You can either charge a higher rate and make the contracts term time only (no payment for holidays) or charge your normal rates and a retainer for the holidays.

Bank holidays - some of us charge if the BH falls on a contracted day whether you work it or not and others don't charge at all if they are not working BH's. It's up to you.

Miffy xx

[Happy Bunny]

I have termtime only contracts and to be honest i don't charge them for holidays as i do holiday care for another family.
I know some childminders who do term time and they require a deposit for the holidays to hold the place.
Bank holidays i don't charge for as i like these days off.

[The Juggler]

How are they paying you at the moment hon? What fees did you set up and did you already discuss they wouldn't come in the holidays.

Just for the future, you need a contract in place at all times if you are minding, you just write the settling in period into your contract i.e. no notice period for 4 or 8 weeks.

Anyway, if they have told you already they are not coming in hols then I don't suppose you can charge any more than you're already doing.

if, however, this is somethign that's come to light during settling in then I'd say, you can either charge higher hourly rate for t-time only or you can charge half fee retainer for all holiday periods.

Hope it works out.x

[Lady Haha]

Another option is to do a cheaper rate during holidays that might lure them away from theother places which I assume are holiday clubs. I charge a flat fee of £25.00 a day 8am-6pm for school holidays which is still a tenner more than the clubs, but I offer so much more, day trips etc, so my parents stick with me.

At first you might think 'hang on! Thats only £2.50 an hour!!', but if you have all four, thats £10.00 an hour or £100 a day. If they don't want the whole day, I then charge hourly at £3.70 ph, but then after six hours they may as well use me for the whole day! I would then spend about £25.00 of your £100 taking them out somewhere really fun, then even if mum wants them to go the club cos it's cheaper, they will give her so much grief about wanting to come to you, that she will probably give in!!!:D

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I have term time contracts for children and others fill the gaps.

You should have a contract in place even for settling in periods otherwise the parents could potentially walk away and owe you nothing. NCMA contracts have a settling in period with a full start date on them. Your fees should be set and agreed before you start work or you are setting yourself up for non payment and trouble.

Experience will help as time goes on

My advice is to sit and talk to the parents and work something out