Childminders - what is a reasonable retainer fee?

duchy

Well you've had your answer -Yes a 50% retainer is normal practice.
Now it's down to you to decide if you want to accept those terms of business or not. Just like any other business transaction.

Frankly though if I was your prospective childminder and was reading your resentful attitude and rudeness I'd probably be "full" when you came back to me as the parent / childminder relationship should be mutually co-operative and respectful . (and yes I've paid retainers to childminders in the past)

Tirian

@ onlyroz - but that's not even how it works ... I'm being asked to pay the retainer whether or not someone else comes along. The way you describe it makes a lot more sense, but it isn't that way.

Maybe I do sound aggressive. But bear in mind that I've had an unexpected £1000 bill sprung on me, and merely by virtue of querying this on an internet forum it's been suggested that I:

* begrudge people's wages
* view my child as a hinderance
* am 'sniping about money'
* haven't budgeted for having a family
* might expect a childminder to deal with commuting problems that I wouldn't expect my own work to accept

None of which is true, so it's aggravating when the insinuations come in. We've spoken to a range of people who offer a service that we will value very much. We've been frank and open about the issues (including travel etc) that may arise for us, and asked every single person about rates, charges etc. I just find it very odd indeed that nobody but nobody mentioned the rather substantial issue of having to pay this massive retainer.

Whatever the justifications or otherwise for it, it's a huge amount of money and it's not really on to forget to mention it when someone asks you about your charges. If you're really trying to run a professional business, it's pretty important to be clear about things like this.

And personally, I've done all sorts of work in the past on ad hoc, agency, and contract basis. Including roles in childcare. I never got paid a retainer. I was offered work, and I either took it or it went to someone else - hence this is all a bit of a surprise to me.

xyellowx

either pay the retainer which is going rate or if you dont agree with it wait till april and keep your fingers crossed still a place

will they not let you pay the ratainer and just use them a few hours aweek as sugessted for shopping trips ,tidying house bit of free time, keep both of you happy?

onlyroz

I can see why you might be annoyed if this was sprung on you, but presumably all of this is in the contract, which you are free to sign or not.

You say "I'm being asked to pay the retainer whether or not someone else comes along." That's not quite true. What you are saying is "I want the childminder to stop advertising this space and hold it open for me until X date in the future". If you say no to her now she will continue to advertise. If you say yes now then she will stop advertising and will turn down any long-term jobs that come along in the mean time.

newcook

Tirian wrote: »

But that's not even how it works ... I'm being asked to pay the retainer whether or not someone else comes along.

Thing is though, if another parent calls her asking if she has any spaces she will say no as you are retaining your childs space.
she wouldnt be able to take the other child aswell unless she has 2 places as childminders are only allowed to look after a certain amount of children with certain age groups (I think its a maximum of 6 - 1 under 12months, 2 under 3 and 3 under 6). very rarely will ofsted allow for more numbers than this in the age groups - its usually for twins etc.

Tirian

Yes, I am busy adjusting to this new reality roz. I still don't think it's right to wait until contracts come out to talk about this fee, when someone has already specifically asked you what your charges are.

If all five people we had talked to (and asked these questions) had discussed the retainer, perhaps I might have been a bit more prepared for it - rather than suddenly being hit with it after I thought we had already discussed and totted up all the relevant costs. None of them mentioned it.

I'm guessing that it's all so familiar/normal to them, that they don't realise it's not self-evident to someone new to this world of parenthood that they should get paid before the child starts. But it really isn't. It needs more introduction than just an "oh, and by the way ..."

Tirian

Metranil_Vavin wrote: »

My childminder is £6.30 per hour, so £63 a day.

We are in London though.

Guess I can be grateful we don't live in London then ... that's quite mind-boggling!

cannyscot_2

Tirian, I understand your concern. I had a problem with money and a childminder and at the risk of getting slated I will warn you. You need to be so aware of the contract and all the charges. My childminder charged for everything but everything and I did not realise till I was signed up. As money is an issue for you then you should check. Have you checked back with the other childminders in the area was there any other that was good? As the retainer thing has become "normal" if they have been on the childminding course that is what they are advised to do but some established older childminders do not charge it or charge more of a nominal fee as you suggest.

Check holidays and bank holidays as you can really come unstuck if she has a contract which allows her to take fully paid holidays anytime as mine did . I stupidly signed up for a Monday and Friday place ( because that was what the CM wanted not me) which hit every bank holiday which I had to pay double time if she were to take my child -but I don't get bank holidays and I defo dont get double time. There was a clause that gave her the right to take 4 weeks off when it suited her on full pay which she made sure she excercised but did not give us enough notice to organsie our holidays so it was unworkable and I was very upset to have to disrupt my child by taking her out.

She also charged for actvities that she chose to suit her kids and they were very expensive activities. So don't be afraid to check every detail-ask to see the contract and think about it. In your position with travel on public transport and obvious budget constraints it can become vert stressful for a wife leaving her child for the first time.

pinkshoes

Tirian wrote: »

That's not exactly the full picture though, is it? I mean, the likelihood of her being able to take someone else on immediately is nil - otherwise she wouldn't have a space. So I don't think it's reasonable to base the retainer on that assumption.

As I stated from the outset, I don't have a problem with the idea of a retainer fee. It's merely the amount that I find outrageous. It's £1000 for heavens sake!

If you're so sure she won't get anyone else before then, then wait until much nearer the time to find child care.

In my area, when DS was 2 months old, I couldn't find a single child minder that could take him on in 7 months time, as they all had under 1s booked in already!

Why don't you just see it as a £1000 retainer? Or offer £750 lump sum up front instead?

Lunar_Eclipse

If your only contract reservation with this childminder is the retainer, I would go back and discuss (ie negotiate) this with her. As with any job or contract, all terms are negotiable until contracts are signed. Whilst I accept her need for a retainer, she'll also be thrilled with half pay for 3 months without a child to look after, so common sense tells me there is some room for movement.

Be honest, tell her you had no knowledge of retainers and whilst you understand her need for one, it came as a shock and is a large sum of money that you have not accounted for and doesn't fit in with your current budget as a 1 income family. I imagine 3 months is a long period of retention and she might be happy to reduce it, perhaps by a month. As long as you are calm and professional and you are clear about what action you want and will settle with, the worst that can happen is she declines.

As a recent poster said, it's not all upside with a childminder. I never used one (£45/day here 8 years ago now!) because the thought of having to take my holidays when she wanted hers (& hopefully work obliged) was enough to make me pay higher fees for a day nursery where we had more control.

Another thought, you mentioned a work nursery that's full till September. Probably worth another call if you think this option could work.

Having said all of that, I have found it's best not to worry about 'what ifs', ie what may or may not happen, especially where children are involved. Life constantly changes.