Toddler groups etc

[mumof1]

Hi, i'm just considering childminding at the moment but as i take my own daughter to lots of toddler groups etc i would want to continue this if i was childminding. Would i charge the parents extra for these as they have a small charge. I was thinking that the charge would be about half of what i was getting paid for looking after the child for the hour. What do other cm do? Also what about days out in the holidays etc, if you go to the zoo or what ever, would you charge this to the parent?
Thanks.

[vik3000]

I personally charge:

the parents pay the fees at playgroup/toddler etc and any costs on a trip out

I inform them via newsletter of intention of the trip and details and costs - I point out that if the majority are going and they do not wish their child to attend and it would have been a normal day at the setting then I charge them half rate. Even if its childs day of and they want to attend the trip then I charge them full rate - after all they are in your care.
With the newsletter I also include the permission slip and a date to give me the money (and permission) by.

with regards to fees - if they are with me on a trip out I charge the full normal rate
if they are at playgroup/nursery I charge half rate if I dropping of and picking up for the time they are there.

All childminders are different though

[mumof1]

Thanks for advice!

[saira172]

Hi!

I don't charge the parents any extra for toddler groups and trips, they're tax deductible and I think parents would get pretty peeved if I was dictating lots of extra costs that they had no say in.

Toddler groups are fairly cheep anyway - even at soft play there is often toddler time or cheap rates for childminders. I wouldn't pay for playgroup - that's up to parents!

Saira

[susi513]

I don't charge the parent for routine activities like toddlers where I stay with the children. My fees include all regular routines like library visits, toddlers. As I pay it remains my choice which sessions we go to so I can choose to do something else if I want and if any of the children's drop offs/pickups/naps clash with the times of the toddler group I can accommodate new/changing needs of clients.

I have charged a family where they requested I take their child to a specific group where the fee was per child - it was more of a pre-preschool with a structured routine rather than a free play/do-what-you-like parent & toddler group. This was a temporary agreement on the understanding it would only continue while I had no other mindees or if all other mindees were of appropriate age for group with a parent paying for their place.

I do charge for occasional planned outings like zoos, swimming etc I request a contribution towards ,transport/entrance fee etc. I feel I can't insist a parent pay - this has to remain the parents choice and they can decline permission for their child to attend if they don't approve of my choice or the cost. No-one ever has declined to pay but it would mean refunding/disappointing everyone else if I couldn't rearrange it for a day when the child was away/not due to attend. If I didn't charge separately for this sort of outing I wouldn't be able to afford to include these outings or would have to put up my fees considerably to ensure I still earn a wage.

Preschools, brownies, sports activities etc, anything the parent has booked their child into and arranged for me to take their child to/from then the parent pays the activity provider direct usually, or gives me the money to pay on the day.

[rubybubbles]

I don't charge extra for stuff like toddler groups, my own choice. It works well for me as like said I can chose where and when we go! Luckly swimming is free as I use the one on the Miltary camp!! So make good use of that!

I've not done big trips yet, our local farm is dead cheap and I'm dead cheeky and ask for discount!! I tend to use all the free things!

[fionamal]

I dont charge any extra as i feel some weeks i struggle to get the fees from the parents without asking for trip money as well.

Suits me as it means this way that i can decide where and when we go out on trips. Try to do most free things as well like the park, soft play centre (annual membership for childminders), local farm, fire station, beach, library which runs losts of story and singing groups for under 5s.

[Pauline]

If parents choose for their children to go to playgroup then I would expect them to pay.

But toddler groups and childminding group subs I pay myself.

Don't forget to put them down as expenses though!!

[deeb66]

Like most of the others - I pay for toddler group and outings but ensure that I put all the expenses through my books.

Dee

[banana]

i dont ask for payment for toddler groups etc...

but do charge for day trips as they can work out costly

xx

[miffy]

I don't ask parents to pay towards toddler groups or outings for children who are "regulars"

If I have children short-term, say covering for another minders hols then I would charge them if I was going on a trip otherwise you could be out of pocket

If a child goes to playgroup then parents pay the fees and I don't get involved (I still charge parent as though child is with me as I can't fill that space for a few hours)

Miffy

[smartimartie]

Ditto Susi513.

I have a suitably high enough flat fee from 8 - 6 regardless of when the child in dropped or picked up and this covers all outings in and out of term (In term toddlers etc, hols local adventure parks etc). These group payments I then deduct from my books including car parking charges if I incur them and milage. However if a parent asked me to take the child to a specific group it would be as Susi513 above said.

[raggydolls]

so if and when i start childminding and a child i get goes to nursery at the school for 2.5 hours should i still charge the parent something as i doubt i would fill the space for that short period of time, and what about olderones going to school, do you charge, say for being emergency contact. i thought i had it all sorted then something else pops along, lol

leanne

[susi513]

its usual to charge while at preschool or nursery. Because you are usually emergency contact and parent usually wants you when preschool is closed so you can't offer the place to anyone else.

School is different - you can't have any other school aged children while a mindee is at school as all the others are at school too. So no space is being wasted. EXCEPT when a child starts school if they are 4 and attending less than 10 sessions weekly they still count as an under five so I charge the same as a preschooler. Once they turn 5 or start attending 10 school sessions weekly they count as an over five so I then charge a fee for before school and/or a fee for after school care instead of an hourly rate, with no charge for school hours in term-time.