Minimum amount of hours
Thanks Thanks:  0
Likes Likes:  2
Dislikes Dislikes:  0
Results 1 to 17 of 17
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Posts
    3,251
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default Minimum amount of hours

    Do you all ask that parents sign up to a minimum amount of hours eg ten hours a week or something. I'm new to this and need to get any customers through my door so not sure I should do this whilst starting out? Any advice appreciated :-)

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Cambridgeshire
    Posts
    111
    Registered Childminder since
    Feb 15
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by mumofone View Post
    Do you all ask that parents sign up to a minimum amount of hours eg ten hours a week or something. I'm new to this and need to get any customers through my door so not sure I should do this whilst starting out? Any advice appreciated :-)
    I was just about to start a similar thread to this so I'll join in here if that's ok? lol. I'm charging minimum of 3 hours per day but just had the thought that maybe I should just apply that to pre-schoolers as there may be a lot of school children that only need 2 hours after school each day or less. Was you thinking minimum hours for just your pre-schoolers or everyone?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Posts
    1,167
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Personally I do session fees rather than hourly so:- before school (set fee), after school (set fee), Half Day and Full Day. This has worked well for me so far but I am very aware that it wouldn't work for everybody.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Posts
    1,167
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Btw I have after school children that do as little as 3 hrs per week. 10 hrs is quite a lot for the after schoolers so you could potentially talk yourself out of the business if you said that.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    North East
    Posts
    555
    Registered Childminder since
    Dec 99
    Latest Inspection Grade
    Good
    Post Thanks / Like
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default

    my minimum is one hour lol. I have only ever charged for the hours they need for little ones and older ones and I am always full.

  6. Likes QualityCare liked this post
  7. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Northern Ireland
    Posts
    804
    Registered Childminder since
    sept 07
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by jillplum View Post
    my minimum is one hour lol. I have only ever charged for the hours they need for little ones and older ones and I am always full.
    Same here....
    Tess1981

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    South East
    Posts
    977
    Registered Childminder since
    Dec 02
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by jillplum View Post
    my minimum is one hour lol. I have only ever charged for the hours they need for little ones and older ones and I am always full.
    Ditto !!!!!!!!!!!

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Posts
    8,359
    Registered Childminder since
    oct 02
    Latest Inspection Grade
    outstanding
    Post Thanks / Like
    Blog Entries
    8

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by jillplum View Post
    my minimum is one hour lol. I have only ever charged for the hours they need for little ones and older ones and I am always full.
    Me too! :-)

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Posts
    3,251
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Sammy Jo T View Post
    I was just about to start a similar thread to this so I'll join in here if that's ok? lol. I'm charging minimum of 3 hours per day but just had the thought that maybe I should just apply that to pre-schoolers as there may be a lot of school children that only need 2 hours after school each day or less. Was you thinking minimum hours for just your pre-schoolers or everyone?
    Hi sammyjo, I hadn't really considered but that's a good point :-)
    I guess if I'm starting out I need to take any hours on offer at all...

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Posts
    3,251
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by natlou82 View Post
    Btw I have after school children that do as little as 3 hrs per week. 10 hrs is quite a lot for the after schoolers so you could potentially talk yourself out of the business if you said that.
    Good point natlou82 thank you :-)

  12. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Posts
    3,251
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by jillplum View Post
    my minimum is one hour lol. I have only ever charged for the hours they need for little ones and older ones and I am always full.
    Thanks jill plum :-)

  13. #12
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Posts
    39
    Registered Childminder since
    Pre-reg
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Though there are some that aren't worth doing...

    Just today someone told me that their baby is a really fussy eater and the Health Visitor had suggested sending him to a childminder just for lunch. She wanted care for "an hour or so, for lunch and perhaps some messy play", before he headed off home for his nap...

    I don't have an actual minimum, but if I did it'd be for the day, not the week - 10 hours a week would suit me if it was over two days, but it would drive me nuts (and block a space) if it was spread over 5 days.
    Schoolies I need more of, so at the moment I'd have ANY suitable candidates

  14. #13
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Posts
    365
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    For preschoolers I only do full days. I hate the idea of rushing home from the park or somewhere if we are having fun.
    I don't do school children anymore but if I did I would charge 2 hours minimum for after school

  15. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    My happy place
    Posts
    663
    Registered Childminder since
    Oct 08
    Latest Inspection Grade
    Good
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by yummyripples View Post
    For preschoolers I only do full days. I hate the idea of rushing home from the park or somewhere if we are having fun.
    I don't do school children anymore but if I did I would charge 2 hours minimum for after school
    I charge a flat rate for after-school. It's based on my rate for 3 hours (3pm to 6pm - I leave the house at 3pm to get to school, so my time is chargeable from that point onwards) plus a bit for food. ( I find that the after-schools eat loads, or can be very fussy - refusing what you've cooked as "they had that for school dinner", so you have to make an alternative for them). Yes, I'm a pushover!

    Parents are happy with this flat fee. If they choose to pick their child up earlier than 6pm, or feed them at home instead (thus asking me only to give the child an apple for example), they still pay the same.

    (I had one parent who always picked up early, and insisted I didn't feed their child as they wanted to wait until they got home to eat together. The mum was a bit of a 'gourmet'.)

    Well, the child kicked up such a fuss that the parent ended up having to hang around while the child carried on playing with his mates here (he was with me 5 nights a week, so that was interesting!) Plus, when the parent saw what the children were eating for dinner - a really nice cooked dinner - then they decided actually the food here was good enough for their little one, and he stayed until 6pm and ate with us every night after that. )

    So for me, flat rate works.

    All the best,

    L

  16. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Somerset
    Posts
    4,247
    Registered Childminder since
    may 05
    Latest Inspection Grade
    Outstanding
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    I don't do school age children, so I just have a minimum of 7 hours each day - everyone arrives between 8 & 9, and they start leaving between 3.15 & 5 - so at least I have a core 6 hours in the day to do activities, outings and I know I am earning at least 7 hours x 3 children during the day - the other hours each side are a bonus.

  17. Likes loocyloo liked this post
  18. #16
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Posts
    8,359
    Registered Childminder since
    oct 02
    Latest Inspection Grade
    outstanding
    Post Thanks / Like
    Blog Entries
    8

    Default

    I only charge by the hour, and don't have a minimum per se. ( I say 2 hours a week in my policies but that's really for my schoolies ) I encourage everyone to arrive by 9am, and no pick ups before midday, preferably 1pm! I 'sell' it in that I can give them lunch and then they can take LOs home and straight to sleep, without them falling asleep hungry on the way home! currently my only 1pm pick up is a child whose mum is on maternity and I probably drop him home every other week as we've been out and its easier than rushing home for her to pick up!

  19. #17
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    East Midlands
    Posts
    173
    Registered Childminder since
    Jan 11
    Latest Inspection Grade
    Good
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    I charge a daily rate, and a half-day rate only it isn't actually half a day, its more a 'maximum 5 hours' rate. This max 5 hours rate has attracted a lot of parents but interestingly no one has ever taken advantage of it, opting instead to pay for the full day!

    One of the best things about childminding is organising it to suit you, and what you want/need to get from it. My daily rate (£36) is on a par locally with other childminders who provide 9.5 hours care and all meals/snacks, but primarily I charge that because it covers my costs and pays the bills!

 

 

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Quick Links and Advertisements

Important Information Links
Some Useful Quick Links
Advertisements

 

You can also find us on:
Minimum amount of hours Minimum amount of hours Minimum amount of hours

We use cookies to make this site as useful as possible. They are small text files placed in your browser to track usage of our site but they don’t tell us who you are.
By continuing to use this site you are consenting to cookies being placed on your computer. Find out more here: Cookies in Use

Childminding Help and the Childminding Forum are part of Childcare.co.uk