PDA

View Full Version : Rates for Before and After School care



Sharonw
07-07-2011, 12:48 PM
My question is quite simple. I have a couple of mum's that require before and after school care. I typically charge $17.50 per day per child (half of my full time rate). Do you charge the same rate regardless of how long they are how long they are in your care? I have one mom that needs me from 7:30 to the start of school and after school from 3:20 - 4 p.m. In a way I feel guilty charging her $17.50 for so little time (only 3 hours basically). But then again it is a business. Tell you me what you think???
Sharon

playfelt
07-07-2011, 08:26 PM
Before and after school isnt' so much about the length of time but is about the cost of supplies used by the children. A child in care for an hour still gets an after school snack so costs the same to care for as one there two hours. Again it is a space issue since the child is using one of your spaces so even though they are only there a short time you can't give the extra hours to anyone else. When you look at it as they are booking a block of time in your daycare and using as much of it as they want then you should feel better. At the same time if this same family for any reason needed the child to stay longer on a night but before your final closing time I probably would not be charging them any additional fees with the idea thay are paid up from 3:30 - 5.

mom-in-alberta
07-08-2011, 12:08 PM
I agree. My parents pay for a spot, as opposed to hourly wage, as I see it. I had the same situation during the school year. Mom only needed care for an hour or so daily. Be prepared for them to stretch out the length of time that the child is in your care. That's what happened with us; gradually a 4 o'clock pick up became 4:30, almost 5. Not a big deal, but a little irritating.
What about for full days? In my dayhome, parents paid a flat fee for the B/A care, and an additional daily fee for any holiday or prof development days ($10, which basically just covered the extra food). Perhaps if this mom will need those full days, you can include them in the cost, IF she agrees that the 40 min daily will be the standard timeframe. If she needs to pick up later, consistently, then I would go back to charging daily.
Keep in mind, too, that 4 pm in the spring, summer and fall can turn into an extra half hour to an hour later in the winter. At least where I live it does!! lol

Sharonw
07-09-2011, 06:52 AM
Thanks for your advice, everyone. You make some very valid points. It is a space, a service that I am providing. I could easily fill the spot with a part-timer or another mum that needed before and after school care. I agree I shouldn't drop my price based upon how little they require me. I take care of these children for the summer, and she pays me a full rate for the summer. She wants me now to have her children in the fall too, which is great, love the kids. Anyhow, thanks again, I hope it all works out. I should be speaking to her next week about this.:thumbup:

LateMom
08-01-2011, 11:08 PM
Hello, I'm planning to start my before and after for the next school year, but have so many questions and nobody to answer.....

1.- Since it is a before and after, I'm not planning to work on off school days, so my question is...Should I charge for P.A Days, March Break and Christmas Break?

2.- How works on Early Release Days, same rate?

3.- What about Statutory Holidays, charge or not charge?

4.- Pay time.....weekly? every two weeks? monthly?

5.- When should I charge overtime?

Play and Learn
08-02-2011, 07:46 AM
Hello, I'm planning to start my before and after for the next school year, but have so many questions and nobody to answer.....

1.- Since it is a before and after, I'm not planning to work on off school days, so my question is...Should I charge for P.A Days, March Break and Christmas Break?

2.- How works on Early Release Days, same rate?

3.- What about Statutory Holidays, charge or not charge?

4.- Pay time.....weekly? every two weeks? monthly?

5.- When should I charge overtime?

1. Yes, I would charge for P.A. Days - If you're not working, it's up to you....you might want to charge the same as b/a rates. But it's your business, so do as you please!

2. Same rates - and if you're late, it becomes the $1/minute. I've had to do this.

3. Stat Holidays - charge

4. Pay time - weekly at the Beginning of each week on DROP OFF. You do not pay, you do not receive care.

5. Overtime - in my manual it states: I give you a 5 minute grace period, then $1/minute for 20 minutes. After those 20 minutes it begins at $5/minute. If there is an emergency and you cannot get to me, but call me before pick-up time, I'll give you at 20 minute grace period (ie weather), and then it becomes $5/minute afterwards. I plan it to MY clock which is programmed to the weather network.

Hopefully that helps! If you have any other questions, please feel free to PM me...

LateMom
08-02-2011, 04:08 PM
Thank you Play and Learn......there is any place on the web where I can find guidelines to build my regulations? How you did yours? asking? somebody help you?
Thanks

Play and Learn
08-02-2011, 09:58 PM
Thank you Play and Learn......there is any place on the web where I can find guidelines to build my regulations? How you did yours? asking? somebody help you?
Thanks

As I had worked in many Daycare Center settings prior to opening my home daycare, I had a great advantage to knowing some things and speaking with bosses! Please feel free to PM me.

Denguy
07-20-2012, 07:30 PM
I am also starting up a after-school care program in my home. I look after other people's kids all the time and I thought I should start getting paid for it.
Have no idea how to do this, but the info here is a good start.

Dory
08-13-2013, 11:12 PM
Oh no! Here I am thinking I'm doing the right thing for potential clients by having different rates. ya know, trying to be kind!? I will be doing before & after school care, full days for PA days. I was going to charge a smaller rate if the client only wanted mornings or only wanted evenings. full fee only for both and PA days. Now I realise I'm complicating it for myself, not to mention doing myself out of cash! Argghh now I have to re-write my full policy/contract. I'm panicking I'm not going to get anyone, but I'm kind of glad I read the posts here first before I get calls and hand out my "old" contract. I LOVE this site! :D

Crayola kiddies
08-14-2013, 07:30 AM
I used to offer b&a care and how I did it was ..... $15 for either before or after and $25 for both... They paid the full time fee for pa days, school holidays (march break,Xmas, ect), inclement weather days, and summer. But what I quickly realized was the income I was losing between sept and June so I have put an end to b&a and just do full time. It might be something to revisit in five years or so if I want to have my days free and just do b&a but right now my mortgage is telling me that I must work full time