what would you charge? baby, part time, every other week

[Goatgirl]

Hi,
I'd just like to get a feel for what others would charge in this situation.

I have just met a lovely family who need a minder for their 8 month old. Very cute 8 month old .
Its so Mum can sleep as she works night shifts. I really want to help, but am wary of putting myself in a position where I can't earn enough from the place: Have just had a run of families give notice and enquiries are few and far between at the moment....

They want 4 hours a day, 3 fixed days, but only every other week.
I have mainly full timers now but used to have part timers at a minimum of 6 hours a day/30 hours a week. Less if I could fit one in round around another, or as a favour to a struggling but reliable family if I was earning enough from other places etc.


So........ what would you charge?

[VeggieSausage]

I have just taken on a baby one day a week every other week - I am charging my normal rate as I have the other 2 places filled so I am happy to have less one week and keep the third place flexible but they are only taking the place on one day, I would charge an enhanced rate - say a £1 more than normal per hour if they are taking a place for 3 days....

[BlondeMoment]

These ones are so difficult aren't they. You want to help but at the same time they take a space you could be using for others. Guess the trick is not to have more than one child on this sort of pattern.
I would probably charge the hourly rate for the week the baby will be with me, then a small retainer to keep the place open. Say half that fee or something for the week the baby wont be there?

Then maybe average it all out into a set fee they pay every month so you always know where you are with finances etc. The way some months fall you could end up having him/her 3 out of 5 weeks or just 2 depending if it's a 4 or 5 week month.
Good luck. Do whats best for you and discuss with parents. It may be that they're not keen on the idea but if they were using a nursery they would have to pay full wack for the places whether they used them every week or not. You could always try a half way compromise if they find the fees too much.
Lisa

[bunyip]

Always hard to advise on fees, as there are so many variables and unique situations. Here goes.

I'd charge my normal rate. I have a minimum fee for care in any one day, but 4 hours would exceed that anyway.


The tricky bit for me would be the alternate weeks. There are 2 ways of looking at this:

1. The "positive" approach says the glass is half full. You are gaining money on a place that nobody else wants at present (and alternate quieter weeks to boot when lo is at home.)

2. The "negative" approach says the glass is half empty. You are, in that wonderful old CM's mantra "losing money on the place".

I've never been one for making the lazy assumption that "positive" is always better than "negative" (despite frequently being criticised for being the latter, even by people who repeatedly disavow the practice of "labelling" )


So your options might be:-

1. Be positive. Enjoy the money on the week you earn it. Enjoy the relaxed atmosphere on the week lo doesn't attend. But run the risk of being frustrated if someone else comes along and wants the place every week.

2. Be negative. LO is just another 'buggy-blocker' tying up the place when you could be earning lots more spendy-buttons (well, that would be true if there was a queue to take the vacancy, but hey-ho, let's move on). Insist mum pays for every week (full price or retainer). But whilst you might get the money for the place, you might instead lose the client altogether or have a client who carries the constant doubt that maybe it's a bit unfair to pay her CM for not looking after her lo half the time.

3. The compromise. Take on the child initially on the basis of Option 1, but be absolutely clear that Option 2 will then come into play if another parent makes a serious offer for the place on a weekly basis. Be absolutely clear about this and be sure that mum is 100% clear also.

Personal opinion: I think the retainer is the worst sort of compromise. Mum gets fagged off cos she's paying her CM to "do nothing" some days, albeit at a reduced rate. The CM gets some monetary value from the place, but still can't make full use of the earning potential if somebody comes along who wants it.

Personal opinion. There are other, different ways of doing this. The only "right" one is the one that works for you. Hope you find it.

[JKL]

I've been mulling this over and had a thought that maybe someone can clarify for you...

Where would you stand on taking in the child as an adhoc contract in the first instance, mum pays weekly for sessions she needs but sessions are to be booked and paid for in advance.

Continue to advertise the full time space and then if you do fill it, keep this child on as adhoc potentially taking you over your numbers once or twice a fortnight but being able to provide as continuity of care?

It would depend if you are happy to go over numbers and whether you are happy working with an adhoc contract?

I personally would consider this option and then if they wish to work with you on this system consider the money as "extra".

Just a though, can anyone clarify if this is a possible option? xx

[Kiddleywinks]

I'm not sure that would work, even under continuity of care, but would be happy to be proved wrong.

My reasoning is that:
ad hoc care can only be provided if the space is available.
There is no continuity of care as there isn't a 'regular, permanent' contract in place - its an 'as and when' one
If the space is filled by another under 1 yr old, then the space becomes unavailable on those days, so you would have to turn an ad hoc enquiry away due to no space on that day

I also thought 2x under 1's was a big no no unless
a, it's twins (having 1 under 12mth space and 1 other EYFS space available at the same time)
b, whilst caring for a baby, you then have your own
or c, you are already caring for the older sibling and the parent then wants you to have the baby (that's then continuity of care)



To the OP

I kind of agree with Bunjip, although I am in the 'you want me to hold the space so a retainer is due' camp
However, I may also go with the 'no retainer until another enquiry comes along and we'll review' camp depending on how busy I was at the time, whether I needed the work or not, how much I'd like to help, if I was in a position to help....

[bunyip]

I tend to agree with Kiddleywinks: this wouldn't be a sufficiently clear-cut case of 'continuity of care' for me to want to take the risk of treating it as such.

We're back to the post-September 2013 EFYS problem: Ofsted don't follow what the EYFS says in black and white when it comes to going above ratio in 'exceptional circumstances.'

God alone knows what the rules are and, as usual, She isn't telling anybody else what's going on.



Tbf, I ought to go a bit easier on God. Apparently, She recently told a prospective client that I was Her 'chosen' CM for their lo. I suppose I ought to be grateful for such a high recommendation, and I am thinking of getting my business cards reprinted to say ".....as recommended by the deity of a major world religion". But frankly, I find it more than a little worrying.

[Goatgirl]

Thank you all for taking the time to give your opinions.
Much appreciated .

I have just told parents I can't offer them a place at the present time.

With all the uncertainty I have at the moment (4 schoolies definitely leaving: 2 more possibly and my remaining 2 fulltimers cutting hours from september: one of these may also be leaving altogether) I don't know if I can even scrape a living from September.
So I just can't justify blocking a potential 100 paid hours space with 12 paid hours . Even at twice the price I would be shooting myself in the foot. And I couldn't bring myself to charge that much anyway.....

Have passed on some numbers and wished them all the best.

Hopefully the next call will be for 25 hours plus, every week