Hmmmm decision time? harsh or not?

**lorettacritchet** · 31-05-2012, 10:40 AM

Hi, thinking of relooking at charges etc.

Currently, I charge £5 ph including food, snacks, drinks etc and outings, playgroups. For some clients who wants kids dropped off home, I charge an extra £5 per days i am required to do it.
For sickness through my or my daughters- I charge nil and if children are sick or on holiday, i charge half....

does any one charge half price for their own holidays or full cost? i know a childminder who has six weeks holidays in the year and has four of them full pay! do people charge parents half price for their kids holidays?
i am leaving my cost per hour but relooking at children's sickness costs and bank holidays?

ps forgot to say i know £5ph seems a lot but kids eat me out of house and home and also am in west london, most of us charge between £4.50 and £5!

~Chelle~ · 31-05-2012, 10:52 AM

I don't charge for my holidays but charge full fees for children's holidays, as the space is still available. I also charge full for children's sickness too.

I know of childminders on here getting paid for 4 weeks holiday, but in my area (Kent) I don't know of any minders that get paid holiday x

**loocyloo** · 31-05-2012, 10:53 AM

if i am available to work and the child doesn't attend for any reason ... illness, holiday, etc then they still pay me full fees.

i don't charge for my holidays ... BUT i am going to put my fees up and am going to charge 1/2 fees for my holidays ( i usually have about 4 weeks ) and instead of telling parents thats what it is, i shall be adding it to their weekly fee! so ... £4.00/hr x 48 weeks = £192 + £2.00/hr x 4 weeks = £ 8 total £200 divided by 48 = £4.16, so shall charge parents £4.15/hr!

i include everything except nappies!

**lorettacritchet** · 31-05-2012, 11:10 AM

what do you do with regards to bank holidays?

**loocyloo** · 31-05-2012, 11:29 AM

i charge usual fees, but if expected to work, i charge £20/hr per child. never worked it yet!

BUt as i don't work mondays, it doesn't really affect my parents. tuesday next week has caused a few comments, but i just said 'thats what i do, its in the contract!'

**carol cameron** · 31-05-2012, 12:28 PM

I charge half fee for my four weeks holiday a year. I charge full fee for bank holidays but don't work them and this has never been a problem in 16 years.

The rest of the year I charge full fee whether or not the child attends- that means if they are off for any reason.

The only time I don't charge is if I am unable to provide a service eg if off sick, attending a funeral etc.

I have come to this after years of parents telling me they are skint so keeping children off to save money- wonder if they told tax credits that ? One year I lost almost £3,000 in earnings as several of my families all did the same !!! I really can't afford to lose that kind of money so toughened up after that

As long as you are clear with parents from the first enquiry and cover it in your contract then everyone knows what is expected and it works.

md0u0131 · 31-05-2012, 01:43 PM

I let parents have unto 4 weeks holiday a year free. Maybe I should be tougher too!

**Goatgirl** · 31-05-2012, 03:07 PM

I charge in full for contracted hours when mindees are absent, whether its holiday or sickness.
I don't charge for my holidays or other time off though.

If parents take holiday at the same time as me (which is fine: I encourage it), they don't pay as I'm not available anyway

Good luck,
Wendy

**singingcactus** · 31-05-2012, 03:30 PM

I don't charge for my holidays. I've only had two days off sick in the last 18 years, and have not charged for those days. I don't charge for kids holidays or sicknesses. I don't have any charge for bank holidays as I am not available to work them.

**lorettacritchet** · 31-05-2012, 04:37 PM

Does anyone know what I should put in a "new fee letter" to clients? or have a template which i can work off? thx

**wendywu** · 31-05-2012, 10:13 PM

[

QUOTE=florabird;1108796]I charge in full for contracted hours when mindees are absent, whether its holiday or sickness.
I don't charge for my holidays or other time off though.

If parents take holiday at the same time as me (which is fine: I encourage it), they don't pay as I'm not available anyway

Good luck,
Wendy

[/QUOTE]

Us Wendys think alike, but i do charge for BH but dont work them

**dette** · 01-06-2012, 10:02 AM

i know im definitly in the minority here but i dont charge for my holidays which i take 4 weeks.i give parents 4 weeks free holidays if booked 4 week in advance and half rates for any other time off that they take eg sickness or holiday but i have a different contract for teachers who get all school holidays free but pay full for the term time even if they are not here.i still earn plenty and it does make me different from all the other local childminders i do like to point out to the parents that most other minders and nurserys would charge more than me just so they know how kind and generous and lovely i am

ive a big family and appreciate how hard it is to make money stretch these days,

~Chelle~ · 01-06-2012, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by md0u0131

I let parents have unto 4 weeks holiday a year free. Maybe I should be tougher too!

Why??

They get paid for their holidays from work. So therefore they are getting paid holiday and getting extra spending money, as they don't pay you so get to keep the money?

I would get tough and nip that one in the bud. Why should you not get paid when the space is still available?? x x

I don't charge for Bank holidays as I don't want to work them

~Chelle~ · 01-06-2012, 10:14 AM

Originally Posted by dette

i know im definitly in the minority here but i dont charge for my holidays which i take 4 weeks.i give parents 4 weeks free holidays if booked 4 week in advance and half rates for any other time off that they take eg sickness or holiday but i have a different contract for teachers who get all school holidays free but pay full for the term time even if they are not here.i still earn plenty and it does make me different from all the other local childminders i do like to point out to the parents that most other minders and nurserys would charge more than me just so they know how kind and generous and lovely i am

ive a big family and appreciate how hard it is to make money stretch these days,

You are losing out BIG TIME

Not only do you give them 4 weeks holiday, but also give them half rate of pay for any other holiday and illness

Am I the only one who thinks this is a bit mad

**~Grasshopper~** · 01-06-2012, 10:22 AM

i charge nothing for bank holidays as i will not ever ever ever be available to work them.

i charge nothing for my holidays and full for them being off, if i am available to work then they pay, no matter what the reason is.

xx

**VeggieSausage** · 01-06-2012, 11:02 AM

I charge half fee for my 4 weeks holiday (none if I take more), I don't charge for bank hols as never want to work, I give parents 4 weeks holiday at half fee too, full fee after 4 weeks - as want to discourage children coming in the school holidays .....I know quite a few minders who charge full fee's for their holidays and the parents' and only don't charge at christmas when they close.

**Jenna** · 01-06-2012, 08:23 PM

Hi i charge £4.50 a hour this includes food, outings and nappies. I charge Full rate for children not attending e.g. holidays or illness but no fee if i am away or ill. On bank holidays i just usually as whether parents need me as my partner works so its no odds to me whether i do or don't. If parents don't need me then i don't charge anything for bank holidays.

onceinabluemoon · 02-06-2012, 06:17 AM

I have two fee structures for under fives and let the parents choose which one to go on.

Fee structure A: £x, I provide nappies, wipes, food, drinks, etc (basically everything) but get paid 4 weeks holiday per year full time and 2 weeks a year term time only.

Fee structure B: £x+25p an hour, parent provides everything I don't get paid holidays.

It works out about the same, (there is usually about 20 quid difference a year in fees and parents have to provide everything in Fee B so it works out better for them to go on fee A so they do, they pay me holidays and know they have still got a great deal. Everybody wins

**Angy Luffman** · 03-06-2012, 08:38 PM

Hi

I charge for 2 weeks half rate for holiday and full rate for minded child's sickness. I never used to get paid for holidays but I found that i couldn't afford to take a holiday. As a childminder I think taking holidays benefits you and the mindees.

**izzy23** · 12-06-2012, 09:18 AM

I charge full fee 47 weeks of the year, then I have 4 weeks holidays at half fee. I charge nothing if I am off sick/at very short notice. I don't charge for the week between Xmas and New Year, I used to charge and work if needed, but parent recently kicked up a fuss saying she had said she didn't need me for that week at last contract renewal (she never said anything of sort

) but as I'd rather not work it anyway I dropped it. Bank Hols are normal fees if I dont work, if I am needed to work then I need 2 weeks notice and it's £7.50 per hour, never been asked to work yet.
I don't do meals, parents have to provide food, all my kids are over 5 at mo, but when minding little uns, parents provide everything.
I think my fees are low at around £3.15 an hour, I haven't increased them in years, although I put my before/after school places up to £14.50 per session and do give a discount if both morning & afternoon sessions are needed, as otherwise at £6 approx for a couple of hours work...well there'd be almost no incentive to work it at that price.