Childminders charging half fees when they are away on holiday.

lil_me

I asked a few local ones, they don't charge for their holidays but charge either full or half rate when the child is on holiday.

I've been a bit shocked actually finding out the rates they charge, one of the minders had 8 children with her today including 2 toddlers she has all the time, was thinking must be hard work having 8 at the park and why does she take on so many, then when I think - she charges £3.25 per hour, so she was earning £26 an hour, WOW!

Greenqueen_2

Dont forget though that the minder has to pay tax on their earnings and presumably NI and, if sensible, pay into a pension scheme.They also need public liability insurance. Then there is all the training requirements of OFSTED who insist on things like first aid training and food hygiene certificates etc. They have the expense of providing food, perhaps nappies, tissues, wet wipes. And there is the wear and tear on their household fittings and furniture. (maybe carpet shampoo is needed more often more than a "normal house"). A good childminder will provide loads of play equipment and craft activities which can be dear and some have to have extra car insurance.

ailuro2

I pay our childminder half pay when we are on holiday, and half when she is on holiday, because I think it's fair to do so, but to be blunt, we are only there part time, so it's not an awful lot of money over the year.

I get paid full rate for taking holidays from work, so feel it's only right to do the same by my childminder, she didn't ask for it, I insisted.

Some may say that's not MSE, but having a good childminder is something we can't put a price on - especially when my hourly rate is much more than hers, childminders are what keeps us both in paid employment - without her I'd be lost!

lil_me

The ones I mentioned charge 'expenses' for food, drinks, nappies etc etc unless provided. They also claim a vast amount of other expenses including towards household expenses http://www.nicma.org/06/publications/IR0607.pdf

Thats a guide for Northern Ireland but it works out about the same.

Mojisola

bylromarha wrote: »

Not sure all childminders include their holiday pay in their rates.

If they don't, they are not being very good business people. As Greenqueen says, the hourly rate charged has to pay an income after you've covered all the business expenses and part of this is the weeks when you are on holiday.

thatgirlsam

childminding is a very demanding job..
i did it for 10 years, and i did love it..
sometimes you are expected to be available at very short notice.. hang around while parents drop off late..
put any of your own plans aside if parents pick up late..
basically i used to break my back being flexible to the parents needs..
i also provided an excellant quality of care..

i did used to annoy me when it was 'pay you for a weeks holiday??... err no thanks'

Mips

thatgirlsam wrote: »

childminding is a very demanding job..
i did it for 10 years, and i did love it..
sometimes you are expected to be available at very short notice.. hang around while parents drop off late..
put any of your own plans aside if parents pick up late..
basically i used to break my back being flexible to the parents needs..
i also provided an excellant quality of care..

i did used to annoy me when it was 'pay you for a weeks holiday??... err no thanks'

Well it is a shame you are not still childminding, because the last one I have had left me in the !!!!!! - I rang them to say I would be late as I had missed the Bus and would be gettin the next one. My baby had me up at 5am hysterical with pains in her Stomach I put down to constipation.

I got no answer! It takes me 45 minutes to get there by Bus and I was not risking doing that, considering their house phone was ringing out. :mad:

I did not work yesterday and can't work today and am absolutely furious.


I expect to pay when I am not available, but no way am I paying childcare 52 weeks of the year.

I think the Tax Credit system has left this open to abuse, because I only get a small amount compared to what my childcare costs are, so I have to pay the bulk of it.

thatgirlsam

some childminders are not great..
if you get a good one (like i was lol)... hold on to her
i would have bent over backwards to have been there for you to drop your little one off... late or not

but then again i might not have taken your child on if you would not have been prepared to pay me for a weeks hol! (no offence)

Mips

thatgirlsam wrote: »

some childminders are not great..
if you get a good one (like i was lol)... hold on to her
i would have bent over backwards to have been there for you to drop your little one off... late or not

but then again i might not have taken your child on if you would not have been prepared to pay me for a weeks hol! (no offence)

Right lets get this straight.

I pay a childminder to go on Holiday. I pay them whilst I go on Holiday too.

They are being paid 52 weeks of the year.

How am I supposed to afford alternative childcare for , say those 4 weeks of the year?

How do I afford two lots?

full-time-mum

Fortunately, I've never had to deal with childminders. However, I have heard of this froim other parents. I was told it was common practise. It doesn't seem right to me.

If your child goes to a childminder on a regular basis, then it is only right and proper that you pay for days when your child is ill or you go on holiday but I think it is wrong for a childminder to charge when she is on holiday or ill.

The only other point to make is that if you agreed to a contract with the childminder and it stated that they charged when they were away then you don't really have a choice but to pay up.