12 Hours Per Week

[helenlc]

I have a lady coming to see me tomorrow who wants care from September for her baby. She just wants Mon-Thurs 12.30 - 3.30/45. So this comes to just over 12 hours per week.

At the moment, I dont have any on my books, apart from some ad hoc ones over the holidays. So I am of the opinion, any work is work right now.

The hours as such dont put me off (its term time only as well) but I wondered whether poeple charge more for less hours?

I currently charge £4.50 and wondered whether it would be acceptable to charge a slighly higher rate for say less than 15 or 20 hours? I looked on another childminders website near to me and she charged an extra £1.50 per hour for occassional/emergency/lesser hours.

What do you think? I need to know so I can be ready for her tomorrow and to change my fees policy if needs be!!

[Pipsqueak]

I charge a bit more for anything under 15 hours. short and sweet - good luck for tomorrow

[Mrs.L.C]

I have a lady coming to see me tomorrow who wants care from September for her baby. She just wants Mon-Thurs 12.30 - 3.30/45. So this comes to just over 12 hours per week.

At the moment, I dont have any on my books, apart from some ad hoc ones over the holidays. So I am of the opinion, any work is work right now.

The hours as such dont put me off (its term time only as well) but I wondered whether poeple charge more for less hours?

I currently charge £4.50 and wondered whether it would be acceptable to charge a slighly higher rate for say less than 15 or 20 hours? I looked on another childminders website near to me and she charged an extra £1.50 per hour for occassional/emergency/lesser hours.

What do you think? I need to know so I can be ready for her tomorrow and to change my fees policy if needs be!!

Did you figure something out? I charge £5 for occasionaly minding and just put my prices up to £3.25 for 10 hours or more a week but I only ahve one child doing about 10 hours a week and when he started I charged £3 oer hour because he fitted in where i had spaces so I think £4.50 is fine but u could push £5 esp if u r providing meals but also depends on the going rate in your area

[helenlc]

The mum cancelled on Friday but has just been this morning. She seemed a lovely lady and said she will porbably let me know by the end of the week as she wants to get it all decided before she has the baby.

I thought about increasing my fee for less hours but decided to just stick with my minimum 10 hours (which she is going to be over anyway). If I did the enhanced fee, it only worked out a few pounds more than sticking to my normal. And I didnt want to risk out pricing myself and not even being considered.

As it is, it will start part time but she is looking to increase her hours a few months down the line. She may also do cover work for other teachers so I could get more hours that way. I told her that I probably wouldnt find another baby to fill the morning hours and so I can offer her the flexibility of those hours due to only being able to have one under 1.

She has a 9 year old daughter that goes to a different school to my children and she has arranged for another mum up pick her up til she gets there about 20 minutes later. I said that if she (mum) started teaching after school clubs as well, I could perhaps collect her older daughter from this mum and so thats another possible few hours.

She also wants the baby to have the same childminder all the time up to school age, so it would be nice to have that long term commitment. I know circumstances change, but if she is wanting long term commitment then it can only be good for me. The last few ones I have had have only been a few months placement, so it would be nice to have a long term one.