Ad hoc hours

[Annelize]

Hi,

Just wondering what you childminders out there charge for ad hoc hours. I'm getting enquiries for this and as I have space to take them I just wondered what I should be charging for someone who doesn't have a contract and only use me as and when they need me?

Annelize

[miffy]

I rarely do this as I don't have space but if I did I would charge a higher hourly rate.

I have also heard of childminders who charge a one-off fee to cover all the paperwork costs.

Miffy xx

[mrs_scottydog]

I have a mindee on an ad-hoc basis. I have a contract for him and have ad-hoc care written in the additional information (no set hours). I charge his mum the same as I would any mindee. I do look after him at least once a week, last week I had him Tuesday-Friday, the last 2 days being at short notice. I think other childminders would charge slightly more for an ad-hoc contract, but it's your business so it's up to you.
I think legally you have to have a contract for every child you look after. HOpe that helps. Hx

[caz3007]

I have an ad hoc child on my books and I do have a contract, I ask for a minimum amount of hours a week and put in the contract that its as and when with a minumum amount of hours. I didnt add, but would next time that its subject to availability.

I dont charge an enhanced rate, and personally not sure if I would consider it again, but if I did, I would charge a little extra

[Goatgirl]

Hi ,
My 'normal' hourly rate is £3.75 but have done ad hoc or very short term/part time care for £5 an hour. Parents were fine

[Fairy Tanya]

Hi, wondered if yo could help with this query,
not sure if one of mine (when I get started as this is on a query at the moment) one child would be with be for 1 hour a day before school run, 5 days a week, would that be like an ad hoc contract, or permanent contract, as only there for 5 hours a week.
Thanks
Tanya

[Annelize]

Thanks you,
I did think of charging extra just didn't know by how much. It wouldn't be on a regular basis like once a week more like twice a month and most likely not on the same days either. The mum did actually call it 'babysitting'.
I would do a contract then as it makes sense to have the rates and other agreements secured that way.
Could I ask what other people then charge as that one of fee for the paperwork etc?
Thanks again!
Annelize
PS: I personally think if someone is coming on a regular basis (always the same set time and dates) it would be permanent and not ad hoc. From what I understand ad hoc is when someone uses you as and when needed be that once this month twice next week and basically never set times and dates etc.

[Goatgirl]

Hi, wondered if yo could help with this query,
not sure if one of mine (when I get started as this is on a query at the moment) one child would be with be for 1 hour a day before school run, 5 days a week, would that be like an ad hoc contract, or permanent contract, as only there for 5 hours a week.
Thanks
Tanya

Permanent: same hours every week

[Fairy Tanya]

Thank you.

[The Juggler]

i do when I have a vacancy and make it clear to parents I will only do this whilst I have a vacancy. i charge a higher hourly rate for those hours too.

[Helcatt]

I charge my normal rate, the lad comes in for 2 days for every school holiday

I wrote out a contract stating ad hoc care. We knew the hours when he is here but those days are few and far between

On the contract, we wrote ad hoc and also I put in "subject to availability" as I've said all along, that if I am full I can't take him. Since the lad has gone in to reception full time, it has been a lot easier as I don't have the "term time only" school lad so almost always have space

For the half term, I was glad I had hubby as asst as I would have been overbooked or at least overstretched on some days otherwise

HX

[ziggy]

Last summer i stopped offering after school care. One mindee still comes as and when needed but i dont collect child, she is delivered to my door at 2pm and is collected by daddy at 5.30. I dont charge more for her but if i decided to offer after school care again i would charge more (if that makes sense)

[Fairy Tanya]

ok. tried to find out what the simplist term is for "ad hoc" and I can't find one. tbh. I really don't understand it, as I have never come across this word before. I don't do latin. and I have never eaten a dictionary. so some one will have to help me out on this. have read wiki and still don't get it. found this elsewhere "for this purpose" hw does that fit into childminding. and where can you get an ad hoc contract if one exists. eg. I may have an abundence of people want chidminding if a last minute circumsnce turns up, school closed to - weather, teachers strike, (proof needed) family emergency ( parent taken to hosp or a funeral) how does one go about doing a one off contract for an emergency when they are not on your books.

thanks
Tanya

[Mamma4Ya]

ok. tried to find out what the simplist term is for "ad hoc" and I can't find one. tbh. I really don't understand it, as I have never come across this word before. I don't do latin. and I have never eaten a dictionary. so some one will have to help me out on this. have read wiki and still don't get it. found this elsewhere "for this purpose" hw does that fit into childminding. and where can you get an ad hoc contract if one exists. eg. I may have an abundence of people want chidminding if a last minute circumsnce turns up, school closed to - weather, teachers strike, (proof needed) family emergency ( parent taken to hosp or a funeral) how does one go about doing a one off contract for an emergency when they are not on your books.

thanks
Tanya

Ad hoc is simply 'not regular' 'no specific times' 'once in a blue moon' For an emergency I think I would just take the details required for the child and parents and then ask the parent to complete a contract at their earliest convenience so that if the need arose in the future (and you had a vacancy) you would have one already in place.

[Fairy Tanya]

just seems an awful waste of a contract if nothing occurs again. and the price that the ncma are doing for just a packet of 6 contracts to go and waste one, seems ridiculous. my school shut for the first time in 10 years for bad weather and it was only because the boiler had broken down, I think she would have expected them to show anyway, since is was about a week before she had the boiler repair men to come over prob cos they had never been crb'd and she didn't want to get into trouble with the local ofested. never mind putting our childrens health at risk, by them not allowed to wear their coats during school hours , the children still had to go to school with no heating. where as other schools seem to close on the odd occasion due to bad snow, or no heating, our one never will. even if the school was flattened by something the head teacher probb would expect them to go to school in the village hall, no excuses. she that hard.
sorry about the rant. will be glad my daughter will be leaving for senior school next year 2012.
Tanya

[love381]

I have shorter contracts for those emergency one off cares - they have only the essential information on them. Like child's name, date of birth, emergency contacts, fees, permissions - important ones! x

[Fairy Tanya]

do you use the ncma28 days ones for the short contracts. or make your own?
Tanya

[little chickee]

"ad hoc" to me means as and when required. Nothing set or permanent.

I would do this if i had a space. I think i would make up an ad hoc contract stating that it could be cancelled with 48 hours notice. I'm with MM so would just make my own (no cost).

I would also ask for payment up front each day i was required.
If a day was booked and then not used i would charge.

If a parent came along needing the space on a regular basis i would cancel the ad hoc contract.

[love381]

do you use the ncma28 days ones for the short contracts. or make your own?
Tanya

I make my own! x

[Fairy Tanya]

thats great thank you.
how would you make your own contract, apart from the obvious.
name address, medical history, ofsted number, hourly rate. what else would you put on there. the 1 year contract for ncma is very big with lot of stuff. what other sort of info would you put on there and how would you lay it out. I have letter headed paper, could I put the it on that??
Tanya