What to pay child minder now?

Karlrove

I have 2 children and our minder is lovely. She minds our children for 3 days a week. Our 2 children are dropped at 8:15 to her. Next September they will both go to montessori which starts at 9am close by. It runs until 12:30pm. Minder collects them, which is short distance from her home and keeps them until 3:30 when my partner collects them. So it's 3hrs 45 mins per day. 3 days a week ends up being approx 11 1/2 hours. How much would be a reasonable about to expect to pay. This is all cash in hand. Any help much appreciated.

K

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I think you will probably need to pay her much the same as you are paying now .

She will, I presume be using her car to drop and collect . You have to leave early for collection if it involves parking and qeuing outside to collect kids.
Have you thought about who are the crèche going to call if someone is sick ( which unfortunately they often are in first year) Will it be you or childminder who will be on call to collect them?
Also have you thought about her just getting other kids to mind that will pay her for much more hours?

Watergirl4

I haven't been in exactly the same position myself as I used a creche until my children went to school, but from my experience, it is possible that there will be no reduction in fees that you will have to pay. As the childminder is self employed she sets her own fees and you can chose to avail of the service.

If she has to drop and collect to montessori and presumably mind them any time montessori is not on, then the work involved in dropping and collecting and the fact that she cannot fill the 3.5 hours they are away with another mindee, may mean that you pay for the full place as you do today.

Its best to ask her what she is planning on charging so that you know in advance, but it is common for there to be no reduction.

lazygal

We paid the same as there are logistics for drop off, collection and days where school is closed. Then there's school midterms, holidays, in service days etc, where we'd need them minded. Also the days when they're sick enough to stay home but not vomiting or very sick so can't go to school, our minder would take them to save us a day off work.
I don't know why you'd calculate her hours based on a segment of an hour!

AlisonN

Hi. I dont often post but as a childminder for the last 18 years I thought Id give my point of view.
Personally I dont reduce my rates when a child goes to preschool, mainly because theres now a school run involved where there wasnt before. I do reduce for primary school however as its a much longer day away from me (although I dont often mind afterschoolers for that reason).
Theres no harm asking your minder if she would consider reducing her rate, I dont mind parents discussing rates with me but I have set rates & I dont change them because I think its only fair to charge the same across the board for all of my clients.
Can I also just clear up one thing that really bugs me. I hate when parents say I pay cash in hand to my minder. This implies that its all underhand when most parents have absolutely no clue of their minders tax affairs.
The parents I work for all pay me cash so maybe they think its cash in hand however I declare all my income & do my tax return every year.
Sorry thats just a pet hate of mine.
Best of luck with whatever you decide.

Moonbeam

normally there is no reduction for play school.

ldsolare

if you need an idea on how much childminders can charge there is the website https://www.mindme.ie/ that i find really useful. I recommend you have a look as it gives you an insight of a typical childminder depending on experience and qualifications if available. 
You must search for it as there are other services that this website provides.
Goodluck.

Neyite

Would your childminder not be deciding what they will charge for wraparound care?

Moonbeam

I agree, as a childminder I have always declared my income as a self employed childminder and paid my insurance and the extra on car insurance too.