Hoooow much?!

CG77

Fly_Baby wrote: »

Some childminders charge for their holidays, some don't (mine didn't). It is not a law and not the parent's obligation, it is the childminder's pure choice. Why do they do that? Basically, because they can. If a parent doesn't have a choice of 5 childminders and only found one who has vacancies and yet this parent needs childcare, then they have no choice but to pay whatever this particular childminder pleases.

By law though, childminders are self-employed. They are not supposed to get any different treatment. And this kind of occupation does not presume paid annual leave. Most self-employed people either don't have holidays or don't get paid when they have them.

Childminders charging for their holidays is even more outrageous because parents have to pay for childcare elsewhere. What other self-employed person can say to their client: "I am not going to be able to deliver the service because I am on my leave so you must find an alternative and pay for this service elsewhere, but make sure you still pay me as well as though I am at work".

If the childminder wants their paid leave they can go to work in the nursery.

Thanks, Fly Baby-that's EXACTLY as I see it!!! Really riles me, but I pay it because the childminder's good, my little one likes her, she very flexible, and I don't know where my little one would go when i work if he didn't go to her!!

CG. x

Fly_Baby

CG, you see I am self-employed.

My childminder didn't charge for her holidays (provided I give her a notice) and charged 1/2 fee for my child's holidays and illness. Which is fair. In fact, even full fee for these would be fair. But definitely not me paying for her annual leave.

x

trisha909

My CM has unpaid leave just as i do, i see it as swings and roundabouts. If it were any other way, i would put my son in half nursery and get an aupair over for the rest of the time. To be perfectly honest, if i was ever offered a position from an CM that decided to try and put me over a barrel i would tell them politely to jog on. CRB checks are only valid for the day they are searched on to be honest. You can only rely on your own judge of character and your childs progression and behaviour to know there is something wrong. For all you know you could be paying your CM 900 a month to sit at home watching JK whilst your little one sits in a corner with his toys for 8 hrs a day. you only see the drop off and collection............ something to think about!!

charlea

i dont know if its the same case now but when my son was small (2 /3 years old ) i registered at the local college on a part time evening course
as a student i was then allowed to apply for a place at the colleges nursury for my son even though i was only on a part time course and it was evenings
i paid 60 a week for 4 days 8.30 -3.30 as its was heavily subisdised by the college
ok it was a long time ago but always worth seeing if something similar is availlble in your area

my kennals charge 8 a day for my bullmastiff but if i pick her up before 12 on the last day i dont have to pay and they will collect and deliver her for me as well and the longer she stays the cheaper it get up to a max of 4 weeks providing i pay in advance

chumbasmum

Just to throw another thought in.....
My nursery still charges me when they close for the snow days that we had this year. Part of me fully sees that they still have to pay their staff etc but how does that work for someone who can get to the nursery only to find that they are turned away, ring into work to say they can't get there and find that they are not paid/have to take the time as holiday.
Staff from major supermarkets have to work extra time to make up missed snow days or find their money docked.

This doesn't affect me as I was paid and am lucky - makes me stay in my job when I want to run!!

As I work in a school, my nursery (and have heard of many others) do not charge me for holidays as they offer my son's place to the holiday club children. They seem happy with it and I think its brill.

fernliebee

Sorry don't have time to read the whole thread so might be repeating what has already been said.

I used to know some friends who's toddlers went to the same nursery, both 2 days a week but different days. They arranged with the nursery that for one week a year one of their toddlers would attend 4 days (essentially using friends place) and then another week of the year it would be vice versa, They were paying for the days, so might as well be used, On the week one family would be on hols, the other parents would have 2 extra days of childcare so could catch up with stuff or have some time off. Not sure if you could work something out with the nursery? Might be worth asking if you can even understand what I mean from my garbled explanation.