Contract review- what would you do?

[AdeleMarie88]

Hello all, just after some general advice please, I can't get my head around something.

I have a 3.5yr old, who from the last week in September is attending nursery for 15hrs per week. Through no fault of parent, nursery have only just confirmed hours, we initially thought would be 4 mornings, and I would have child four afternoons, but the hours he has been allocated are mon am, tues am, and all day Thursday. So I will only have him mon pm, tues pm, and weds.

Now the nursery is term time only, but mom will need four days a week for all the holidays, inc half terms and inset days. So how do I begin to figure out what I should charge to ensure these four days are kept available to him? How would you go about working this into a contract? I currently charge £5.65p/h inc all food.

Any advice of what you guys do would be gratefully received!

[hectors house]

Do you have any other children who just come term time only? All my children who come to me and attend Nursery, do so on a day they don't come to me and are all year round, so I haven't any experience of your situation.

I think I would see if I could find another child to attend on a Thursday, now you know you have a whole day free - in the holidays I would just have the Nursery child extra - continuity of care, not sure what I would do about the other days though.

When my mindees parents start talking about Nursery, I generally tell them what days it is convenient for me for them to go on - although I don't do any Nursery runs I like to take friendship groups into account. Have a little one here today though who is lost without the older children, yesterday when he came one child had started school and one was ill, so he was on his own and today his best friend is at Nursery - but will be here tomorrow. First time ever this morning, the little one who is here today had a tantrum on doorstep and didn't want to come in - just shows that it's their friends that they want - not me!

[AdeleMarie88]

No I don't have any other children who are term time only after being a childminder for 2.5yrs this is my first encounter of this situation. I don't know how to work it.

I think I have figured out pro rata fee would be £141.25 per week. But I don't know if that's right, it's giving me a real headache!!

[AdeleMarie88]

Do you have any other children who just come term time only? All my children who come to me and attend Nursery, do so on a day they don't come to me and are all year round, so I haven't any experience of your situation. I think I would see if I could find another child to attend on a Thursday, now you know you have a whole day free - in the holidays I would just have the Nursery child extra - continuity of care, not sure what I would do about the other days

I don't know how to charge for this though. I have no problem filling the Thursday and then having this boy as extra during holidays, I will have an assistant from October anyway, but I don't know how to figure out correct fees. I think mom just expected to continue paying what she is paying now, but child currently does 40hrs, when he starts nursery this will be reduced to just under 25. Arrgggh headache!!

[Simona]

Hello all, just after some general advice please, I can't get my head around something.

I have a 3.5yr old, who from the last week in September is attending nursery for 15hrs per week. Through no fault of parent, nursery have only just confirmed hours, we initially thought would be 4 mornings, and I would have child four afternoons, but the hours he has been allocated are mon am, tues am, and all day Thursday. So I will only have him mon pm, tues pm, and weds.

Now the nursery is term time only, but mom will need four days a week for all the holidays, inc half terms and inset days. So how do I begin to figure out what I should charge to ensure these four days are kept available to him? How would you go about working this into a contract? I currently charge £5.65p/h inc all food.

Any advice of what you guys do would be gratefully received!

while the child attends the preschool I assume you are keeping that space open for the parents so that they can use it during the holidays full time?
I think you could discuss this with them and suggest they pay you a half retainer or risk the place being taken by a full timer the rest of the year

I know this adds to parents' costs but we also need to fill our spaces and earn ...difficult I know
Let us know what the parents say and good luck

[AdeleMarie88]

Thanks Simona, that's useful, yes hoping to have conversation tonight, have also put it all in writing!