What are the parents opinions

[Rubybubbles]

[QUOTE=feml;146408]I apologize in the delay in responding, however this has been the only time l have been able to come on line.

I would like to make a clear piont that l never said that Childminding was an easy job, having the reasponsibility of someones child is very great. Neither did I requested yourselfs to support your reason for being paid?. Again l say it, my childminder is excellent l have never had a compliant and the difference in my childrens happyness has been amazeing due to the quality of care which she provides. What my piont was that as a parent the most important aspect in a childminder and parent is the trust. The childminder has to be, to a piont is part of your family as the children spend more time with childminders than they do with parents. If there is no good working relationship, it is then a knock on effect on the welfare of the children. Wither my child has not been well, l will still inform my childminder in the knowledge that she can refuse to care for them, resulting in a unpaid day off. Without me telling her, how is she to care for my children properly if we do not have trust. Afterall, she has to know to be able to care for my child.



So[QUOTE]


this is my best bit


nothing to add it's all been said, bit worried about xmas meet now

[buildingblocks]

when you raise your fees? I've only raised mine once so far, one of the parents were fine but the other one insisted on going and checking her contract to see if I had stated fee rises in there, she came back to me and said I'd not stipulated in the contract that I would raise my fees while I cared for her child so she wasn't happy anyone else had adverse reactions lol Also byu how much do you raise yours? I went from £3.25 to £3.50

Never thought of it like that and I suppose we should have it written in our contracts that we will review and possibly put up fees every year or whenever. I find that the parents who complain the most are the ones who can afford the raise in fee. I once had a parent who complained that i had raised my fees and how could I do it to her as she had just moved house. True but she had moved to a house worth half a million pounds and hubby works abroad and his wages are tax free.

so long as you give them notice (whatever it states for a change of contract - mine is two weeks) then they have a choice renew their contract or find other childcare.

[theoldwoman]

Well said everyone, I feel very cross on your behalf as although I am only just getting to know you it is obvious that you all really care about other peoples children and are priceless. My daughter has been working for a nanny agency in Nurseries and they sound horrific with children in the same room all day, doing the same things at the same time and never seeing a smily face as all the staff are so cheesed off. I became a childminder to be at home with her and am now sending her off to Nurseries crying as she hates them so much and is so sad for the children (she is now 20 !!) I wish people would realise just how much better a childminder is and worth whatever they ask.
Sue

[buildingblocks]

As a parent, l have been searching for support in regards to childminding regulations and stumbled upon this site. My childminder has raised her rate by £1.00 and has not had the children more than 6 months. I now have to pay £270 per week for 2 children. l get support, therefore l have to pay £360 per month, l only earn £598, then the fuel for the 25 mile drive too work.

That does appear initially to be a steep rise but she may have her reasons for it may I suggest that you talk to her about it and if you are not happy and cannot work things out with her you could look for other childcare. Obviously you liked the setting initially or you wouldn't have chosen her in the first place

So tell me this why did you all start childminding as it sound to me that you are a law to yourselfs and more concerend about making money than the well fair of the children and there mum and dad.

that is a little unfair as whilst I am self employed i am not a law unto myself and am answerable to OFsted and have standards to follow and from September will have to follow the same statutory guidelines as all other childcarers

You complain when parents feel the pinch and have such a high opinion of yoursefls. Your posting are disgusting on your employees that are earning a lot less than what you are charging.

i do not have a high opinion of myself at all but consider myself a professional running a business. I never complain about my parents feeling the pinch. I also do not consdider my paretns as employees or employers I offer a professional service that I ask a fair price for just as any other business would. I do find parents sometimes do not understand and think they employ me. I am sure that you are earning the minimum wage as is the law adn if you are not then i suggest you need to seek advice on that matter. I do not charge that amount to my parents

And, no not everybody gets paid bank holidays or get days in liu or pay rises that match your increases, l get none of these luxerys.

I do not charge for bank holidays or my holidays or days off in lieu. If I do not work I do not pay. I know some childminders do but that is there perogative as it is their business and they can run it how they see fit. Also most firms pay employees for bank holidays although I am aware that some do not but most jobs again will get regular pay rises which I asure you I do not I raise my fees every two years

I have never complained to my childminder, l have had no need to until l read this site. My childminder is brilliant but she is to expensive for what l earn. I am appauled by your comments! l need to work to support our BASIC bills but would love even more to stay at home with my children. I can not afford to do either. My question to you is "What do l do!" as you seem to have all the answers.

It seems that you are unhappy with the fee rise your childminder has made so perhaps you should talk to her and see what you can sort out with her rather than coming on a site and generalising about childminders and being highly unfair to people who are regulars on the site. If you r childminder is too expensive for you it seems you have a number of choices sort it out with her if you are genreally happy with her, change your childminder, find a higher paying job (which I am aware is not an easy option in this day and age) or possibly stay at home to care for your child yourself if you are unable to work to earn enough to pay for childcare

i also work to earn a living. I am in a slightly different position to most childminders in that I have no children of my own so am able to fill my full quota of places but most childminders are unable to fill their full quota as their own children take up spaces.

I cannot assess your situation and do not know what you can do about it. My husband and I both work long hours and just manage to pay our bills. Do you not think that we have these as well. We are not entitled to any help or benefits as we have no children of our own. I do not complain about this (and am not suggesting you are either) but we get on and manage and cut back where we need to

[buildingblocks]

I have read all the posts regarding FEM1's posting. Am quite surprised at the ferocity of some of the replies I have to say.

Have you thought that the ferocity of the replies is bcause the lady in question was generalising and saing that all childminders are only in it for the money. Believe me this is not the case. I could earn far more as a cleaner then I could do in this profession but I choose not to and instead choose to work in a profession i love

I was interested in the breakdown of costs,and was wondering ,have you accountants? as you do know that many of the items mentioned are tax deductable,also depreciation on assets.

Any professional childminder keeps excellent accountsbut unfortunately this appears to seem to many people that we can just write off all our expenses. (sorry wording this badly). yes I do have an accountant but do not see what difference that makes as I can only claim what I am allowed to. I still have bills and a mortgage to pay possibly my job makes these more than if I worked outside the home setting

I sympathise with Fem1 obviously she has thought her childminder was secure and after 6 months to be told she was raising her fees by £1 per child seems to be quite a large hype to me that is a rise of 25 % per child, wage rises are governed at around 2 1/2%,I think we all would love a 25% wage rise per hour we would be laughing all the way to the bank.

Yes childminders work hard as do mums and Nanas,I only wish the government would allow grandparents and near relatives to help in cases of childminding it would solve many problems and those close to a family would understand the financial situation better.

Nobody is saying that mums and nanas do not work hard but I do not see what relevance that has on the situation. Forgive me but grandparents and families are allowed to care for their families nobody says otherwise. What the government says is that if you want to claim the tax credits then you must use registered childcare.

I to have gone on courses I feed young children daily and have to ensure their well being,no slacking in hygene or anything like that lol I would love to get £4 per child for even 2 hours I would be going on a world cruise for my holidays.

Are you a childminder yourself. If so I presume you realise that the job is not just about feeding young children daily and ensuring their wellbeing. I work long hours as I start at 7.30/8 each day and some days can work until 10pm adn yet I still do not earn enough money to afford a weeks holiday twice a year let alone a world cruise. Some day I am still working on paperwork and planning well into the evening to 9pm some nights so it is not easy money

Perhaps stricter guidelines are needed to protect parents and children,as you all say good child care is invaluable well so is childrens peace of mind and wellbeing and you must appreciate that switching childminders is very traumatic for the child and his or her parents.

If you look at the current Standards you will see that strict guidelines are already in place adn most of us work well above these standards and this will become more relevant in September with the new EYFS


Again I would suggest you find out about the tax benifits of being self employed as there are many,you know as well you can claim for a share of heating costs as an overhead ? using a room as an office?
Best of luck and remember mums do work hard and do worry and do not like being let down by people in whom they have placed their trust.

The tax benefits you seem to think mean I will be a rich woman must be bypassing me and my accountant. Yes I am able to claim a small percentage of my heating bills but that is not actually a benefit as I use far more heating/lighting costs by working from home all day compared to going out to work.

[buildingblocks]

[QUOTE=tulip0803;145668]I know you care deeply about your grandchildren but the childminders, and nurseries, which tax credits is used to pay are highly trained in the latest childcare and children's learning techniques. These are normally funded by the childminder and done in their spare time. The vast majority of childminders go above and beyond their call of duty. QUOTE]

Too true I am about to undertake a 30 week course in the near future that will cost me over £400 for which I am paying out of my own pocket.

[buildingblocks]

I apologize in the delay in responding, however this has been the only time l have been able to come on line.

My childminder has increased her rate to £160 per month, even with the help that l so greatly recieve, l can not afford the costs.

I am not sure how many hours a week you work and it is hard to answer a post without full information.

One of my parents has two children with me one full time the other before and after school infrequently and full time in school holiday. Her childcare costs are well over £600 a month this also includes some evenings care and occasional weekends. as she is a friend i do not charge her my overtime rates and weekend rates so you can imagine what she would have to pay if i did.

i have a good relationship with the parent i provide a service for. but my parents do value the care I give to their children

[childminder54]

I charge £2.70 hour would you go on courses from 7pm-9pm after receiving your first child at 7am without pay. in the last 3months ive been on a course on a saturday from 9.30-12-30pm with out pay.. would you do that i dont think. we are dedicated childminders who loves their jobs...I EVEN WORK every other week to look after a one parents child from 7am-9.30pm...if there were no people like us to look after the children you couldnt go back to work...

veronica

[childminder54]

I charge £2.70 hour would you go on courses from 7pm-9pm after receiving your first child at 7am without pay. in the last 3months ive been on a course on a saturday from 9.30-12-30pm with out pay.. would you do that i dont think. we are dedicated childminders who loves their jobs...I EVEN WORK every other week to look after a one parents child from 7am-9.30pm...if there were no people like us to look after the children you couldnt go back to work...

veronica