child minder query

ruthyjo

I pay £3.50 an hour for my childminder which seems to be around average according to this thread. Of course I don't think that £3.50 on its own is a decent wage and I wouldn't expect someone to work for that, but she also has her own two children and generally 3-4 others as well so her actual hourly rate is £14-£17.50 with no childcare costs of her own.

My childminder is a star and I'm really grateful for the generous and loving way she looks after my daughter. I just can't understand this misconception that childminders only earn the hourly rate for one child per hour when their registration allows them to look after several children. No one would say a nursery was only making its hourly rate for one child per hour so why are childminders presented differently?

At £3.50 an hour I know of one mum who had to give up work after child number 3 because the childminder's fees were going to be more than her own gross pay.

Delilah

We pay our childminder 7 - 5 monday to friday, if we pick her up early or keep her as she is ill or has an appt then we still pay - Bank holidays we dont pay for because neither us or our childminder works. We pay our childminder full pay when we have holiday because if we need to drop her off then the option is there, she has offered to do it half price for holidays but she is a great childminder, my daughter is happy and i trust her with my daughters life why not pay?? I pay rent when i go on holiday!!

anonymousie

Quietgirl wrote: »

My cm is priceless. My child is happy, safe & secure. She's in a loving family enviroment. I can rest easy at work knowing she's ok. Her teacher told me that he'd like 25 kids like my girl & that her manners are impeckable. Thats my cm & i bringing her up. I consider my cm a good friend and my girl loves her. Being an employee myself i like to feel appretiated. My mum used to mind my daughter until she took ill which is why i have a cm but my cm looked after my girl above and beyond when my mum was critical in hospital & did not charge extra. I have no problem paying holidays, sick days which are rare anyway because cm is good with us. Security, stability for my child is worth it.

:T Well said! My CM often goes "above and beyond the call of duty". When DD was little and had lots of ear infections she would have her to sit on her lap all day (and DD was happy to go even when she felt rotten, and, even more so I know DD would be as well cared for ther ethan at home). CM often takkes her to Beaver events etc as she is a beaver leader too (and with 3 children to ferry to different places on sun am, I know it would be youngest DD that would be unable to go otherwise). I do make sure she is apprwciated.

Rachie_B

ruthyjo wrote: »

At £3.50 an hour I know of one mum who had to give up work after child number 3 because the childminder's fees were going to be more than her own gross pay.

This is why when you have 3+ children its usually cheaper ( not to mention easier!) having a nanny as childcare rather than day nursery / CMer