Childminder pay question

[littlemissindulgence]

Hi,

We are looking to take on a childminder but having spoken to quite a few ofsted registered childminders I am hearing different things about pay over holidays and sick days.

Q1:4 weeks annual leave is v reasonable but should we as the family pay for these seen they are self-employed? (I understand with nanny's this is the case as you as the family are the employer).

Q2: if we as a family decide to go on holiday outside the childminders holiday/annual leave, should we still pay for this (as you do with nurseries / nannies)?

Q3: when childminder is ill or her children are ill in which case she cannot work - is the family liable to pay on these days?

I would like to understand what you have arranged and how it works for you.

Thanks a lot for your help!!

Kate

[crystal7]

Hi Kate

I'm not sure what is typical but this is what we have done with our childminder (and was written in her contract).

Q1:4 weeks annual leave is v reasonable but should we as the family pay for these seen they are self-employed? (I understand with nanny's this is the case as you as the family are the employer).

We do pay for 4 weeks annual holiday and our CM always gives us plenty of notice, from what I've heard this is typical in spite of CM being self employed.

Q2: if we as a family decide to go on holiday outside the childminders holiday/annual leave, should we still pay for this (as you do with nurseries / nannies)?

I am a teacher and we have an arrangement which means we pay half in the school holidays if she doesn't attend. Parents I know who are not teachers have to pay during their holidays though.

Q3: when childminder is ill or her children are ill in which case she cannot work - is the family liable to pay on these days?

We don't pay if CM or her children are ill but do if our daughter is and misses a day.

Hope this helps!

[littlemissindulgence]

Hi Crystal7,

Thank you very much for your reply and certainly helps!

appreciate it!

Thanks,

Kate

[reneet]

When I had a CM about 2 years or so ago I never paid for her holidays but I did pay when we went on holiday. Strange that this has changed.

[Belle]

I think it just varies - we pay half rate for holidays (both ours and the CM's).

[Smiler]

There are no rules or "entitlements" on this, is just whatever is agreed in the contract. My CM (not In ED) doesn't charge for her holidays but we have to pay full fee for our holidays. We don't pay if she / her kids are ill but do if we are.

Other potentially tricky areas are retainers to secure services before the contract starts; whether statutory bank holidays are charged-for (our contract says not offered unless otherwise agreed and not charged) and when the CM's holidays can be taken (eg not in term-time).