shift worker

[carolinel]

As some of you know I currently mind a little girl who does shifts:

contracted 9 hrs / day. 7.15-4.15 (mon-thu)

actually attends 7.15-1.15
7.15-4.15
9.15-1.15

it is very rarely the full day.

I charge full fee for the contracted 36 hours, as they need me to keep the space open.
She is leaving me in sept so have a full time vacancy

RIGHT THEN..........

have some one coming to see me on thurs am. wants care for her little boy who will be one in sept.
she is police woman. works 6 on 4 off.

she knows up to the end of the year the days i'd be needed. someweeks it could be 5 days, others it might only be 2. I wouldn't be able to fill the space on the days she doesn't need me so what shall I charge?

What would a nursery do?

What would you do. I think I know some of you only charge for the hours used but I could potentially be losing out on a lot of money.

any advice greatly appreciated.
xx

[miffy]

I would think a nursery would charge for a full time place which is what this lady needs available to her. You could always ring a few nurseries and enquire.

You didn't seem to have any difficulty charging the parent who is leaving for all the time they needed you to be available even though they weren't using you so what is different this time?

Are you saying that because she knows her shifts until Christmas she wants a deal or you think you should compromise?

You need to have a really good think about what you want - it depends on how much you want the work.

You could cut her a deal based on this rota - that might see you out of pocket if another enquiry comes up

What would happen if the rota is changed - I think that is likely to happen before Christmas?

What would you do about holidays?

It all seems very messy unless you charge her for the time she needs you to be available

miffy xx

[katickles]

Yeah - i'd say that really she should be paying you for the full days - like you say, you can not fill the other days with other part time care, as the days will vary.

Really its upto you - but you could end up very short of money some weeks

:)

[ajs]

hi caroline
i always charge for the maximum i would be needed regardless of mum's shifts

my friend looks after a little boy who's mum works a 3day rolling shift so one week it will be monday tues wed
next week it will be tues wed thurs
the week after it will be wed thurs fri
but then the next week she will only actually work fri
and she charges for a full week as mum is expecting her to be available monday to friday 9 - 1.30 as she cannot fill the places around his mum she keeps the place for her and mum pays ( she may not like it but she understands that she has a full time place for part time hours because of her shifts)
i don't know if that helps

[Lou]

Yes i agree with whats been said Caroline,

You need to explain to mum the ratio thing and that you would need to keep a full time place available for her.

I think she will struggle to find anyone who would do anything differently,

good luck xxx

[angeldelight]

My daughter is assistant manager of a nursery

She said they would charge her for a full time place

I dont think anyone else would do any different to be honest

Angel xx

[Hannahlg]

i would charge her for the full days as that child wil be taking up a full time place every week, if you dont charge for the full days wha tthe child will be taking up you will use money.

me and my childminding an after school boy who is 6 his gradman and grandad look after him (long story) grandad works full time and gradmana is now a supply teacher, there pay form 8.00am till 9.00am evry monring and from 3.15 till 4.15pm every night if the child coems or not, if the child comes and stays after 4.15pm then there are changrd extra

And that was the childs grandparents who suggested it, but there are liek in thier 50s and have brains

if there taking a up a full time place or a full time before ad after school place thee need to pay for it

[breezy]

Unless you can fill her unwanted hours (impossible) I would charge for a full time place. I have a mum who does a 3 week shift rota but I have to charge full time place because theres no way I could fill the unused hours.
As said before I cant see anyone doing it differently.

[susi513]

I had an arrangement before with a nurse where she paid full fees for the booked days and 1/2 fees for the rest of the week.

But at the time I had just lost my only mindee and had no other enquiries. So it was a compromise that worked for both of us. Now I am much busier I'd probably not be so keen to agree - she only booked 1 or 2 days each week and I hadn't put a minimum fee in the contract. Would probably have a minimum fee of 3 days at full fees.


Susi

[RedDragon]

Personally I would work something out that is beneficial to you both. If you only have the child 3 days a week but it's on a rota I would charge for 4 - that way you get a free day paid but the parent gets a free day too (only paying for 4 instead of 5).
But the other things to consider are: are there many Childminders where you live or are you in short supply-if you are in short supply then you may feel you are in a strong position to charge the full 5 days. If there is a lot of competition you may feel it's better to charge 4 days.

[buildingblocks]

i work for a PCSO and she gives me a months shifts in advance. She is invoiced for those hours. This suits me as most days I work 8 - 3.30 as Dad does shifts and is availabel to pick up.

It also suits me as this is my main earner but I have lots of part timers and it suits me to work like this. Next week I have a day off on Friday (from her not other mindees though) which means my day will be much quieter. I should have been working tomorrow but her day off has been changed so Iam working later tonight and not tomorrow which agains suits me. It has thrown me out a little as 2 mindees should have been picked up at three and it will now be three thirty but parents don't mind as they just pick up 30 mins later than normal and I don't charge them as it is my convenience.

You need to do what is best for you and be aware that her shifts may well change over the year and what will you do when that happens. My parent is aware that once hours are booked they are contracted hours and anything extra will be charged and I do not have to do them if I do not want to. mind you I wouldn't let her down unless absolutely necessary as I haev had both boys from babies