WHAT SHOULD I DO...HELP PLEASE!

[silvermist]

Morning all, Ive had an enquiry for two after school pick ups 3-6pm. Ive told mum I can do it but...its term time only. In my fees policy parent holidays are half fees. Do I charge half fees in school hols for this. Its my first term time booking and not sure what to do as there are 13 school holiday weeks and thats along time with no income. Help please xxx

[Mouse]

If parents want term time only, that's what I do. I don't charge anything for holidays because they don't want them. I then try to fit holiday time children in around them.

If you don't offer term time only contracts you need to tell parents this & explain that you charge a retainer through the holidays. You then run the risk of them going to someone who will offer a term time only contract that they need.

The other option is to charge a higher rate through term time, but nothing through the holidays.

[rickysmiths]

I charge a half fee retainer for the holidays to keep their place open. In 17 years I have never had any requests for holiday only children and I have moved and worked in different areas in that time.

I based my charges on what I had been charged by my daughters childminder 20 years ago. She charged half fee in the school holidays.

[silvermist]

I charge a half fee retainer for the holidays to keep their place open.

Thats what id thought i would do as mum did say there may be the occasional day when they would need me in school hols. Just dont want to scare them off!

[silvermist]

Can anyone else tell me what they do just so I can judge what the majority does please. :)

[AgentTink]

I offer term time contracts were there is higher fee per hour (50p) but parent doesn't need to pay anything in holidays as they do not have a space. If they want to use me in holidays they have to pay the higher hourly rate.

[Messy jesse]

I'm not working yet,
However my best friends childminder charges a base monthly rate, this is payable every month. Including hols...

The one problem is that my bf doesnt work in the hols and is thinking of leaving said CM.... :(

The loss of money in the hols must be a pain in the pocket!

Hope this helps as an extra point of view.

[AliceK]

I offer TTO contracts at a slightly higher hourly rate than usual for the term time. I make it clear that I will not hold their space during the holidays. During school hols they don't pay anything. The only stipulation I have is that they must pay Septembers fees at the end of July (so that I can be sure they are coming back for the new school year.) I have 2 TTO contracts and although it can be tough to juggle the money for the school hols when I'm not getting paid I like it because it means less children and so we can do more and go out more with the fewer children I do have :thumbsup:

xxxx

[bestmum2have]

I look after 2 teachers children and I always charge half fee for holidays. I have had no problems with this over the years, I think parents expect to pay to keep the place open. But recently I 've heard one of my local nurseries offering teachers places with no holiday fees. So I would look around locally and see what the norm is in your area. If that helps.

[silvermist]

Thanks for all the advice ladies, im still not entirely sure what to do but as theyve said they may want days in hols in order for me to guarentee a place I guess they'll have to pay half fees. I hate sorting out the money side of childminding, it really stresses me out!:ohdear:

[VeggieSausage]

I have one that I took on that is after school only with occasional holiday days and I have ended up doing the odd full week here and there in the holidays but it gives me some time with less children in the holidays to do stuff - they don't interfere with your early years numbers so can still earn ok in the holidays.....

[jocdixon]

I do separate term time only contracts in these cases, the conditions of these are that they pay in full for the term time even if they have inset days during the term or if they choose to take holidays during term they still have to pay in full not 1/2 as my year round contracts do. then they don't pay anything during school holidays.

I try to budget for the holidays by putting a little away each month to keep my income up during holidays, this works well for me as I have an assistant that is also term time only so it means I dont have to pay her wages during holidays:laughing:

[Kittycat]

For Before and after school places if they only want term time i charge half fees
and full and part time during the holidays regardless ,full fees as i cant fill that space incase mum perhaps decides one day she wants to put him in

[EmmaReed84]

The easiest way I find it, with all my contracts is to annualise it. So TTO contracts are full fee with 13 weeks half fee, any additional days are added on the invoice at half rate to account for the half they have already paid for IYGWIM.

My full time contracts are multiplied by 48 (to take in to account MY 4 weeks unpaid holiday) then divided by 12 so parents knows what the bill is each month and I don't have to worry about losing money when I am on my jollys :D

[wendywu]

If they only use me term time only they pay half this amount in the holidays.

It is to make sure that their place is still available for them in the coming term. :)

[Shar]

I do not charge for school holidays if the child is term time only. I like to have fewer children in the holidays and if I charged half they would bring them.

[silvermist]

Thanks for all the advice ladies, you're all stars!:)

[gigglinggoblin]

I wouldnt charge for hols, they are not preventing you taking on any early years children and unless you think you will get some for after school and hols you wont be losing anything. I dont work hols so I might not be the best person to listen to but it would put me off using a cm if I had to pay for all those weeks I didnt want.

[silvermist]

I wouldnt charge for hols, they are not preventing you taking on any early years children and unless you think you will get some for after school and hols you wont be losing anything. I dont work hols so I might not be the best person to listen to but it would put me off using a cm if I had to pay for all those weeks I didnt want.

Thats what ive been thinking myself. thanks for reply xxx

[izzy23]

Personally if I had a TTO who may have to come in holidays, I'd be looking at charging a retainer for those holidays. Or else I'd be quoting a much higher fee per hour for when they needed the holiday place. Also are they under 8? If so, they are still taking up a "place" even if not in the Early Years bracket.