Stats & rates.

Hello ladies,

I am new to the forum and have been a HDC provider for the past four years. Anyhow, i'm thinking of writing up a new contract, and would really like to know how you all go about charging for stat holidays. The F/T families all pay for stats, but part timers don't....is this fair, or should p/t families (2-3 days per week) have to pay for stats as well? Also, in regards to raising rates, how much of a raise do you give yourselves, and would you charge the extra per day or an extra set amount per week? I haven't given myself a raise since I started my business.
(My current rate per day is $42.00 btw, which is pretty much the going rate in the city I am in, which is FLOODED with home daycares!)

TIA:)

My part timers only pay for stats if it falls on their scheduled day. I usually raise rates when I get a new child, the existing parents continue at the old rate. I have been in this business for 20 years and have only raised rates for everyone at the same time once or twice. I am currently charging $38 per day for full time and $40 for part time. When I do a rate increase, it is usually a $1 or $2 per day. Hope this helps.

Is your pt daily rate higher then your ft daily rate? Have your families all been in care longer then a year? Will raising your rates cause your current families to look elsewhere? If your area is flooded and raising your rates even a dollar a day will send them scurrying then I wouldn't but I would up them for new families coming in as current ones leave.

I also charge more for part-time than full-time. In my case it's $3 more per day. The reasoning is that they can schedule around stat days and I can't fill the empty days so I lose out when I take a part-time family.

I agree that I wouldn't raise your rates more than $1-2 per day for current clients. Especially if you have a lot of competition around you. You still have to run your business as you see fit, let the clients know that, but you have to be fair.

My families all pay for stats. Part time rate is $5 more per day and if their day falls on a stat they pay me. I haven't given myself a raise as I've only been in the business since Feb. I think I will keep my rates as is for the time being as they are market rate and my area has a lot of care providers at the moment.

My families don't pay for stats... but my part timers have a min number of days they pay for regardless of sick, vacay (theirs or mine) stats ... anything. They all pay a min of 3 days a week. It's just easier for me to budget when I set minimums. And it makes PT a little less appealing... I hate doing PT.

AS for a raise... I only raise rates on new clients.

Given that there seem to be so many new daycare opening in a lot of areas I would be careful about raising fees if you are already at the middle to high end for your area. I only raise rates for new families and usually by a dollar or two ie went from $35 to $37, then to $39 and now to $40.

For stats my part time families pay a higher rate and only the ones whose day falls on the stat pay - ie pay by enrolment.