parent not starting til July 2012

**chez** · 18-10-2011, 09:32 PM

I have a parent of a baby coming to visit me at the start of Nov.
She is returning to work in July 2012 and wants care for her baby 4 days a week. (she would be 1 yrs old)
She would like LO to settle in during June so odd days then. (at this stage shed be under 1)

What would you do?
Would you charge a retainer?
How much would you charge?

**jadavi** · 18-10-2011, 11:37 PM

I had this and charged a full month fee which would be her first month.
Ja

**jane5** · 19-10-2011, 08:02 AM

I would not to be happy to save a place for 8 months with out any income.

I would ask for a 50% retainer to hold the place and 4 weeks deposit held until the end of the contract and a months fees in advance.

If she wasnt happy to pay a retainer I would suggest she either comes back nearer the time and take a chance that the place is still available or you contact her if there is somebody else interested in the place and she can make a decision then if she wants to pay a retainer to secure the place.

Anything could happen before July and you could take a deposit from her and then they turn down the place at the last minute. You may have a months deposit but you will have lost a lot of income and it could take months to fill the place again.

**rickysmiths** · 19-10-2011, 08:37 AM

Originally Posted by jane5

I would not to be happy to save a place for 8 months with out any income.

I would ask for a 50% retainer to hold the place and 4 weeks deposit held until the end of the contract and a months fees in advance.

If she wasnt happy to pay a retainer I would suggest she either comes back nearer the time and take a chance that the place is still available or you contact her if there is somebody else interested in the place and she can make a decision then if she wants to pay a retainer to secure the place.

Anything could happen before July and you could take a deposit from her and then they turn down the place at the last minute. You may have a months deposit but you will have lost a lot of income and it could take months to fill the place again.

This is exactly what I would do.

Indeed have done a year ago, not for 8 months it was 3 months. 8 months is a long time but I guess it depends on who is available in your area and if there are few cms then maybe the parents is worried about leaving things.

What my parent a year ago did, was use me 2 mornings of days she was going to use, this worked for me at the time as well, and then paid a half fee retainer for the other 3 days. They are still with me and we are working out what will happen when she goes on Maternity leave in April!

**blue bear** · 19-10-2011, 03:19 PM

I don't feel comfortable charging a retainer for such a long time but I can't afford to keep a place open for 8 months either. I always explain I can't keep open but don't charge unless someone else wants the place and would be paying me. Luckily I have always managed to fill the gap with tempoary children.

**funemnx** · 19-10-2011, 06:24 PM

Would she be willing to send baby to you 1 day a week from now? The baby could get used to you and mum could have a day to 'get stuff done' plus you'd have some money coming in and mum less likely to change her mind for another setting when the time comes?

**JCrakers** · 19-10-2011, 09:50 PM

Maybe you could hold the place for her with a deposit . Then, if between now and June you have any interest from someone else for the days she needs then start charging a retainer. Obviously explain this to her. Then she doesn't have to pay a retainer for as long.

I held a place open 8months for a sibling. She came,stayed with me for 8weeks,screamed all day and I had to give notice so not only did I lose 8m's income but I had two enquiries during that time that I said no to. I then went from November until 3weeks ago without a single enquiry.

From this I have learnt not to hold a place for that length of time.

**chez** · 20-10-2011, 06:37 AM

Okay this thread has been an eye opener.
In mums setting we charged 50% of the first months fee and then took that off the first months bill. We called that a retainer. So for them 8 months there would be no further income from that space.
If it was a sibling we did not charge anything for that space the latest space has been kept open for the past 9 months.

**kindredspirits** · 20-10-2011, 07:37 AM

If you take 50% of the first months fee in advance - thats a deposit.
A retainer is a regular monthly payment, perhaps 50% of the fees, which the parent will pay every month, that they don't get back, to hold the space open. I don't think many CM's charge a retainer - i certainly don't as I don't feel its very fair. BUT I also wouldn't want to hold a space open for 8 months on just a deposit.

I would explain to the parents that you only have a small number of baby spaces, which make up a lot of your income. You are more than happy to inform them if anyone wants to take up the space in the meantime and give them time to sign contracts etc, but in reality unless they want to pay you 50% of your fee's for 8 months you are unable to hold the space open for them. (Unless of course you happen to have an assistant and are happy to hold the space, if enquiries are quiet in your area etc and you want to secure them now.)

**buzzy bee** · 20-10-2011, 07:37 AM

I had this too... I charged 50% retainer but told her she use the hours she was paying for - so she did that and it worked really well because little one had a very long and gradual settling in period from when she was very young.

**chez** · 20-10-2011, 08:02 AM

Thats the thing Im setting up from scratch so part of me says I should just be thankful for the business.

**Demonjill** · 20-10-2011, 09:11 AM

Originally Posted by chez

Thats the thing Im setting up from scratch so part of me says I should just be thankful for the business.

I think thats the difference with work/enquiries slow in alot of areas we do need to be more flexible and offer more or different things to secure the work.

Its not about being a pushover or working for nothing - just changing things slightly - to get the work

**Flisspaps** · 20-10-2011, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by chez

Thats the thing Im setting up from scratch so part of me says I should just be thankful for the business.

Being thankful doesn't pay the bills for the next 8 months though

**candlequeen** · 20-10-2011, 07:23 PM

The best advice I was given (which I didn't follow) is don't take on contracts that don't fit in with what you ideally want because although business might seem slow at first, guaranteed that as soon as you make a commitment, someone else who you want to work with much better will come along, and you'll either have to let people down, or end up resenting the ones you've taken on.

I would definitely say that you won't charge a retainer BUT if someone else wants the space they will have to start paying a retainer. And stick to it - don't turn anyone else down for this person. People change, things happen, she might move away, decide to give up work or to work part time, get pregnant again, find another minder, decide to put her child in nursery, right up to the last minute, and you don't want to be left in the lurch.

Be honest though, say you don't like to charge a retainer, and you won't unless you have to, but that's the way it is. If another minder tells her they won't charge a retainer, she might think great, but chances are that minder will ditch her when someone better comes along anyhow. I've had grovelling parents come back to me several times because they've been let down by minders who've promised things but then backed out.

**boxtree7** · 20-10-2011, 07:42 PM

yes thats what i was thinking - I would only charge if another family requested the place - only then would I give the 1st parent the option of the retainer.