childminders pay???

[6758]

Hi there all.... just wondering what the going rate is?
I have 2 boys aged 13 & 11 who go to unregistered childminder for 7 hours a day, 3 times a week... What do you think is a fair rate to pay? I asked her what she wanted but she just said it was up to me and i dont want to short change her.....

[Lore]

If she's unregistered then she can't take money for looking after your children.

She should be ofsted registered.

On a friendship basis with 'cash in hand' slipped under the table is ok I guess but if there were any implications or allegations made against her from either of your children then you could end up in a really difficult situation.
( I don't mean that to sound offensive towards her, but it could be something as simple as an accident that happens in her house).

At the moment, for one child, I pay �30 per day, 3 days a week for a nursery place and �25 per day, twice a week for a childminder.

Also, think about her situation, is she unemployed?does she claim for any benefits? Earning money without declaring it could have her claim stopped.

What if she decides she can't take care of them for a week or two? how will that affect you?

I'm not trying to talk you out of it, but think carefully about it. If you go with a registered childminder then you're covered in all areas.

I'm just trying to be helpful, even though it doesn't look like it lol.

[Goodsoulette]

25 to 30 quid a day is the going rate for looking after kids under 8 and babies. It should be less for teenagers in my opinion and half of that again for the second child. I would offer between 30 and 40 quid a day but discuss anything as low as 20 or 25 with her. Talk to her about what you can afford and agree something sensible about holidays, or when they are ill so neither of you go drastically out of pocket,

[Drisgirl]

O i agree with Lore although in saying that -one gripe I had was that I had to fit my holidays in with hers then pay half the price-even although I then had to try and get someone else to look after my 2.I didnt think that was fair and was a bone of contention for me.

Now R and J are 22 and 18 and at one point I was paying �80 a week - a hellof a lot of money -but I had no option and she was good top them but boy she dictated the terms -there wasnt much flexibility -she was the boss and I was had to adhere to her rules.

Needless to say i wouldnt do the same again.

I personally would give her �10 a day for each of the boys -the boys dont need much attention and really its money for old rope -I would be chuffed with that extra a week.

[tigwig]

I agree with Lore, why don't you use a registered childminder? I myself registered as one some years back and we were all told it was actually illegal for anyone to look after children in their own home unless they were registered. Back then, the rate was about �2.50 an hour.

[isymcd]

If your childminder is registered you can claim some money back through tax credits. I pay �5 an hour for my two (they are 3 & 1). When it was just one baby, i paid �2.70 an hour. I am a teacher so my holiday dates are set and my childmionder's children are grown up so takes her holidays in term time so can be a problem

[figure]

Isymcd - �2.70 is what you value the Childminder care of your child is worth?

I always find interesting how folks want tip-top care but want to pay a next-to-nothing fee. Those of you who actually have babies/toddlers know the hard work and how tiresome this job can be. If you had to commit to such a tedious task, how much do you think would be the justified salary you should receive?

[Drisgirl]

Can I just say that when I had my registered childminder there was no such thing as assistance -I robbed Peter to pay Paul which ultimately resulted in the demise of my health and my job -she is still going strong.

Theres been a lot of changes since I had to pay full whack for one -with no assistance -no paid nursery -****** all in fact.I just missed the boat i guess.

[isymcd]

Figure - where in my answer did i suggest that i had a sub standard level of child care in return for my �2.70 per hour?? If it was any of your business and i could be bothered i would give you my child minders Ofted reg number where you could read she achieved 'outstanding' in EVERY category in her lasted inspection in September. I am incredibly lucky in the minder i have and would not accept anything less though quite why i am justifying myself is beyond me!
I do not set the price she charges and would still send my children if she did charge more. I always find it interesting how people can make statements when they know nothing!

[Goodsoulette]

Thats swings and roundabouts a bit though Dris, my mum and dad put us in childcare with a registered chilminder it was 50 p an hour for me and 75p an hour for my brother. She never put the money up in ten years because she liked us, they didnt have governement assistance but life was a little different then and family helped to look after us.

14 years later I needed childcare myself, it cost me nearer 8 quid an hour, I had to pay for my holidays, if my little'un was ill even when every flipping thing he caufght was from there. I ended up paying 900 quid for 3 months childcare when he had barely attended a week, and believe me I battled to get it knocked down to that price. I wasnt entitled to money from my employers because it wasn;t me who was sick so I had to pay the rent, the nursey fees, the council tax, the food, the electric and the gas on 150 quid a week which is meant to be your top up to help you pay childcare etc. No family childcare support after my relationship breakdown, it's a con this tax credits helping you back to work and everyone resents a working mum getting preferential hours. People are barely better off than they were 20 years ago, becuase if a childminder is registered everything is on their limited terms.......find one that will work shifts for you, will take your child with a slight cold and a runny nose. It's impossible!!

[Pippa68]

I agree with you Goodie.

I gave up work because it was far too tough dealing with a childminder ~ heck I even thought about becoming one myself! Luckily I didn't have to pay for her holidays, but I think she was in the minority.

My tax credit didn't cover childcare costs. It was barely a quarter.

[Drisgirl]

Sorry -just caught up with this one in case you thought I was ignoring your post -guess I dont know too much about the Tax Credits -I just assumed that had they been in place I would have been better off.I too had to pay the full amount for when I took my holidays -I just fellt at the time I was in a lose/lose situation.
Ames -thats is crappy having to pay all that money for basically keeping your sons place open -each childminder seems to have their own set of guidelines.
Never mind -dont need them now -and 6758 still think a tenner a day for each of your children is enough -completely different story when its babies and toddlers -that I would agree with.

[annie0000]

When I used a child minder when my son was a baby, about 7 yeras ago, the rate was �2.75 an hour. My neighbour is a childminder and she charges �4.25, I think that she is on the more expensive end of the range, i don't know if it varies by the age of the child. Our after school club charges �7 for care from 3.15 until 6pm which I think is quite expensive.

Luckily, we only had to use childcare for a few months and then my husband gave up work to look after our children and I have used it only very infrequently since as I have been able to change my hours to fit in with school hours.

Even if yours sons don't need much childcare, it is still a big responsibility and a tie to look after them, I presume that she feeds them as well.

Even at �20 a day for the two of them, that is less than �3 an hour, but would be a minimum I would suggest.

[6758]

thanks for all your suggestions... she is a friend and old neighbour who offered to look after them for me because i only need her when boys are off school as their dad finishes in time for them when they are at school... i would be more than happy to pay a registered childminder, its not that i'm being cheap, i just dont think that any registered minder would be interested as its only for a few weeks a year when you take into account the holidays i take with them when they're off... maybe i should reconsider as i didn't realise we were breaking any laws!!!!!!!!!!
my eldest will be 14 this summer, when did you all stop sending yours to minders cos he's already grumbling about having to go and i dont have any family nearby who can help

[Goodsoulette]

It's only illegal because of the money. I stopped going to a childminder the summer of my 14th birthday. I would say as it is only holidays, it might even be cheaper for you to send your kids on playschemes, or football schemes at your sports centres which run during what would be school hours. Most council run sports centres do them, then they wont feel so mollycoddled and will actually get a bit of exercise.

Your other problem with registered childminders is they only really deal with those under 8 years old. Noone needs to know you are paying her do they? As long as she says nothing and neither do you then you'll be fine.

[Goodsoulette]

Playscheme sounds really babyish doesnt it but they do karate, horseriding, tennis, rock climbing and all sorts.

[figure]

6758, in such a situation I would take my chances with neighbour. As Goody said, no one has to know she's getting paid under the table. This agreement should stay only between you both. All the best.