What is included in your hourly fee?

[victoria29]

Morning,

I'm just starting out as a Childminder and have no experience with the buisness side of things!

Childminders in my area seem to charge between £3 and £4 an hour.This includes food,drink,toddler group,soft play etc.

From reading around,some childminders claim that you,make NO profit from this whatsoever?

What does everyone think??

[Joda]

I charge £3.65 an hour - I provide snacks such as toast, breadsticks, fruit and biscuits but I do not provide meals - if parents want me to provide meals then I would charge extra but would only provide a 'cold' lunch (sandwiches etc).
I pay for any toddler groups we go to but if we went to a soft play centre etc I would ask that the parents pay for that.

[bunyip]

You need to set your own fees, according to what you can afford and justify.

A lot of CMs in my area (and probably in a lot of areas) seem terrified of being 'undercut', so they all set the same low fee, which is to my mind little more than exploitation rates. I assume that lowest-common-denominator rate reflects the service provided by someone who is running a low-cost, low-quality operation, then everyone follows that price. If you let the price be dragged down like this, you inevitably have CMs really struggling to deliver quality and still feel it's worth their while.

It doesn't seem to occur to CMs that they are providing a bespoke service and maybe they could ask a higher rate for a job well done. I never even discuss fees until a parent has visited me. Once they've seen what they're getting, and have decided they want their lo at my setting, they're less likely to demand junk rates. I don't have a fixed fee. I have an "asking price" and I'm prepared to negotiate where a family is in genuine need.

All too often, CMs advertise and highlight the fees as if it were all that matters. So parents naturally just shop around as if price were the only consideration.

[EmmaReed84]

You need to sit and work out your own finances and consider what the increase will be when actually minding such as increase in car ins for adding the bussiness aspect, food, electricity, heating in the winter, resources...

I made the mistake of NOT doing this and set my fees and found myself struggling... You need to ensure that when you are spending money you are not spending money you need to live off... You will need to survive.

Once you have taken that in to consideration then you can decide on whether you can afford to include food in your fees, or whether you will charge seperately... both has pros and cons.

I think this is something you learn and adapt as your business grows, not something you can be advised by an outsider... As I am now learning x

[sillysausage]

I include everything (meals, snacks, outings) except nappies and formula milk. I work on the basis that it gives me control over ensuring children eat healthily (healthy can also be cheap) and how I fill their time (many outings are free!).

[jumpinjen]

I include a cold lunch and snacks in mine, but they bring their own nappies, wipes etc, I do an evening meal for one child at a small extra charge. I don't always charge for entry to trips out for example Sandwell farm is £1 a child or something like that, but something that was £4.50 I would plan ahead and ask for the fees from parents - most places don't charge for under fours entry anyway so you rarely have to pay for all the LO's and your fee can go through the books as an expense.... I worked out all my costs- increase in heat/light/water estimations, extra insurance, ofsted fees, approxinate food costs, an amount for resources, etc etc and calculated it as a yearly sum then worked out it out as per week and divided that by the number of mindees I could have and then the number of hours I would have them (all approximate) and that gave me a 'break even' - I think mine was £2.76p/hour per child - i then upped this to ensure I was making a living from the minding - and i wrote a policy that included a revision of fees and an increase annually as the tax year changed - and I have upped it by a small amount every year since - even though it is rough, it gives you some idea of the costs involved and how much of your income does get spent!! jen x

[ziggy]

I have 2boys full time paying £20 a day each, part time little ones are £3.20 per hour and schoolies £3.50 per hour

All bring their own food, including snacks. I only provide drinks. I pay for toddler group, soft play etc.

At £20 a day it wouldnt be worth me working if i had to provide meals etc.

Sadly many parents opt for the cheaper option these days. It's not easy deciding what to charge

[PixiePetal]

I recently changed to include meals in my fee

£5/hr parents provide nappies and formula milk if used and only pay for bigger days out which are pre arranged. Most trips are free of small fee which I pay

Toddler group, meals, snacks, wipes included.

[mama2three]

I have all meals and snacks included in my fee and most outings ( apart from very occasional bigger / more expensive trips for which i ask a contribution). parents provide nappies and formula , and any 'branded items they would prefer I use for their child....for example I buy suncream but if they only want lo to use a particular one , they bring it.

[md0u0131]

I just charge a flat rate per hour which includes everything as it's nice and simple. You need to work out what you can afford to charge and what people are willing to pay in your area.

[migimoo]

I charge £3.75 per hour for over 16 hrs, £4 per hour for under 16 hours.

This includes juice,fruit,biscuits,sun cream etc and any everyday outings (under £4 per child) Parents provide nappies,wipes and branded sun creams.

Any trips such as Twycross zoo parents would be asked to pay the entrance fee.

I charge £1 extra for breakfast or cold lunch and £1.50 for a hot dinner which I have had one parent give notice because she said it should be included (after having all 3 meals for 2 LO's for a month...she didn't read her copy of policies!)
but it wouldn't be worth my while including meals especially as i'm generous with my portions

You need to have a look at the council childminding register/ads-ours are in a big book at our children's information services-see what others near you charge and include then work out an average price-that's what I did anyway...good luck!