Possibly being messed around regarding fee's!

[Jayse74]

My DW has always charged by the hour, half-hourly at the very least!

The idea being a parent cannot come here and pay for 10minutes on a pointless school drop, just is not worth it imho.

Now because of after-school provision it seems as if we are being blackmailed. If we refuse to charge by the minute we will loose children. Shows how much we are really wanted

Are we wrong? if we are then fair enough but my DW has always employed the minimum fee. If this is going to be the norm then I cannot see the point of childminding for before/after school mindees anymore, it just will not be worth it.

Sounds greedy maybe, but the after school provision will rake it in and nobody will even say a word about the money!

[hummingbird2014]

I would say adios and see who they find who charges by the minute in fact see who try find charging by the half hour. U may free up a space for someone who will need more hours so u earn more. Maybe from another school? I don't stand for blackmail in any way shape or form your charges are set in the contract and stick with it as most people are doing it by the hour so they are lucky for the half hourly charge x

[tulip0803]

It is not worth working by the minute for a tiny fee - say bye bye to them - if they start dictating this then they may try all kinds of things in the future.

I used to live in an area with an afterschool club (this area has none) and I had 3-4 after-schoolers each night. Parents preferred them coming back to a home environment than the cheap packed noisy after school club. Focus on people that appreciate you and your wife there are some out there. After-school clubs do not suit some children and sometimes I wish we had a after school club for some of mine to go to when they are having one of those days

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I have a set fee after school from pickup to 6 - if parents want less time then it is still the same fee or they can go elsewhere. Done this for 20 years and never had a problem.

I don't understand what your DW has to do with your business apart from helping and advising, not setting things in stone. go with your gut feeling, she is on a salary, you are not

[AliceK]

Stick to your guns. There has to be a minimum charge to make it worthwhile. Our after school clubs charge a set fee regardless of the time a child actually spends there, same for 20 mins as it would be for 2.5hrs. I charge a minimum charge but tbh I'm slowly letting my AS children go as I find it too much along with the LO's I have during the day. Too stressful and it means it is me that HAS to collect my own children from school rather than on occasions taking my mum up on her offer to go and collect mine.

Don't let parents dictate what you do, it's not their business it's yours (or your DW's), they do not employ you.

xxxx

[rickysmiths]

I charge a set fee foe after school to 6pm. If the parent collects at 4pm they pay the same as the one who collects at 6pm. I have done that for years now. I don't do mins for anyone!!!

[mama2three]

I have a set fee after school from pickup to 6 - if parents want less time then it is still the same fee or they can go elsewhere. Done this for 20 years and never had a problem.

I don't understand what your DW has to do with your business apart from helping and advising, not setting things in stone. go with your gut feeling, she is on a salary, you are not

chatterbox I think its Darling Wife , not Development worker!

OP I too charge by the sesson. There is a successful afterschool club here too , and you will always get the parents who go purely based on fees. But there are enough others who want a better environment for their children and are willing to pay the extra.

[natlou82]

I agree with all of you, I also charge a session fee

[natlou82]

Pressed sent too early lol! Was going to say my fee is the same A/S whether child needs half an hr or 3 hrs. I was competing with an after school club (shutting down now) but some of my after schoolies found it too full on. Also they were only given a small drink and a biscuit whereas I provide a full cooked meal :-) I also compete with a very cheap school breakfast club also with a set fee, I would never try and compete on price as it wouldn't be worth the stress and effort, but I open earlier and that benefits some. My advice stick to your guns and you ll attract the right clients :-)

[Chatterbox Childcare]

chatterbox I think its Darling Wife , not Development worker!

OP I too charge by the sesson. There is a successful afterschool club here too , and you will always get the parents who go purely based on fees. But there are enough others who want a better environment for their children and are willing to pay the extra.

Ha ha what a plonker I am - at least I can laugh at myself

Answer still stands and I charge a session rate - far easier but it will cost parents if you try and change it all at once.

[Jayse74]

Ha ha what a plonker I am - at least I can laugh at myself

Answer still stands and I charge a session rate - far easier but it will cost parents if you try and change it all at once.

No worries! I am my partners regged assistant and we have been working together since day one. My partner is the Regged minder and the face of the business/setting etc.

I do my best to support her as much as I can. Sometimes I will keep out the way, other times I help out if things are not right! Today my DW was a bit shocked at this sudden demand for fee changes. I am convinced it is do with the new provision.

I am worried this will be the norm for after schoolies if we do keep having any from that school.

[AliceK]

Are you saying that the AS Club charges by the minute?? I don't know of any that do, they usually charge a session rate. Whatever your fee policies are that is what you charge, so if you are flexible enough to charge in half hours eg 1.5hrs will be charged at 1.5 x hourly rate then that in itself is generous, a lot of childminders will charge 2 hrs for that. There will always be parents for whom whatever the reason AS Club does not suit them / their child. Try not to worry about it. I don't compete price wise with my school clubs as I can't afford to but that doesn't stop parents wanting to use me. Sounds like these parents are trying it on.

xxxx

[Jayse74]

Little update.

I think everything is ok now!

We hope this is a one off.

[hummingbird2014]

Little update. I think everything is ok now! We hope this is a one off.

Good xxxxx

[k1rstie]

Why not look at the website for the after school club, then you will defiantly know what their terms are, and not just what the parents are telling you.

Also look at the section when they talk about late collection, and what and when they charge! Also very interesting reading.

[bunyip]

My DW has always charged by the hour, half-hourly at the very least!

The idea being a parent cannot come here and pay for 10minutes on a pointless school drop, just is not worth it imho.

Now because of after-school provision it seems as if we are being blackmailed. If we refuse to charge by the minute we will loose children. Shows how much we are really wanted

Are we wrong? if we are then fair enough but my DW has always employed the minimum fee. If this is going to be the norm then I cannot see the point of childminding for before/after school mindees anymore, it just will not be worth it.

Sounds greedy maybe, but the after school provision will rake it in and nobody will even say a word about the money!

After running into a similar situation, I reluctantly plumped for a flat rate for before and/or after school charges, as well as a minimum fee for minding any child within any one day.

Mind you, if anyone decided not to use my service on the basis of my charges/policies, I would in no way consider them to be "blackmailing" me. Am I "blackmailing" every local trader simply because I make daily decisions about where I chose to shop, drink, eat, take the children out, etc...........?

[Simona]

My DW has always charged by the hour, half-hourly at the very least!

The idea being a parent cannot come here and pay for 10minutes on a pointless school drop, just is not worth it imho.

Now because of after-school provision it seems as if we are being blackmailed. If we refuse to charge by the minute we will loose children. Shows how much we are really wanted

Are we wrong? if we are then fair enough but my DW has always employed the minimum fee. If this is going to be the norm then I cannot see the point of childminding for before/after school mindees anymore, it just will not be worth it.

Sounds greedy maybe, but the after school provision will rake it in and nobody will even say a word about the money!

Several issues in your post...

1. Yes school provision will prove a competition and I have always said CMs should prepare for that
It is worth finding out... anyway we can... how they operate when it comes to fees, payments and operational requirements...as well as how they follow EYFS and related matters
Ask any parent who uses school for any extra facility...they would not dream of even questioning the school way of doing things

2. It will become very obvious how parents and many others have not understood that CMs run a small business...unfortunately the perception of what we are and do ..or our worth... is a bit hazy out there
This is the time for CMs to stand up and be counted and show who we are

3. Your DW.... I hope.... will stick to her hourly rate as minimum charge and forget what she is being pressured to do
if anyone suggested we get paid by the minute I would find that offensive and no school would entertain it.

4. Schools will be under a lot of pressure to open from 8-6pm and also open to provide holiday care...unfortunately while some have the will and the staff who want to do it the vast majority are not going to be able to deliver the service because their provision is run by parents who have no intentions of working holidays or past 5pm....hence the reason the govt has dropped the requirement for qualifications and upped the ratio to 1:30...it may backfire


...at this point is where CMs can enter and make themselves known to the school...the rest we can discuss in the near future
keep us posted