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Do you have a maximum number of hours that you care for a child? Like for example, if you are open 7-5 or 7-6, etc. do you allow a child to stay the whole 10/11 hrs? How do you state it in your contract? i don't and i am wondering if i should put something like a max # of hours of care per day? What do you think?
I state in my contract that if you do not need to wait until the last minute to pick up, please don't. I ask that they pick up within a reasonable time of their shift ending. I used to be open until 530 and most times had a child right till then due to parents shifts. Those late children left and I switched my hours to 5. Unless a couple of the dads are picking up, I am usually done by 430. None of the parents have ever complained about this rule. I don't mind if they go shopping without their child from time to time but if it was happening a lot where they were picking up much later than needed I would remind them of this rule.
In daycare centres I worked at, parents had 15-30 mins before and after their shift to drop off and pick up.
I am only open 9.75 hours so I don't have a problem but I know some only allow a max of 9 hours and some providers give only the travel time plus 15 mins from when they finish work .... So if a parent finished at 3 and they worked 30 mins from the daycare they must pick up by 345. But whatever you choose to do most people will leave their child the longest possible to "get their money's worth" .
They have to be within 10 hours, which is the number of hours I am officially open anyway (7:15 to 5:15). I have it as part of the contract agreement the time of pick up and drop off and the parents are obligated to stick to that, whether it is the max number of hours allowed or not.
I am thinking about putting something like this in my contract as well. Technically I'm willing to be open 7:30-5:30, but when I know mom is off at 4:30 every day and it's well past 5:30 when she finally saunters in without even an apology, it gets tiring. They show up at 7:30 on the dot, if not earlier, and 10 hours for an 8-8 1/2 hour work day is starting to feel pretty ridiculous. I think I'm going to put something like:
"A full day at daycare is considered 9 1/2 hours (allowing for an 8 1/2 hour work day, plus a half hour travel time each way). After this time, a late fee of $5 per child for every 15 minutes will apply. If additional time is needed on a regular basis, then an increase to weekly fees can be discussed."
I currently don't have a late fee policy (as I was stupid and didn't think of that when I opened 6 months ago) and this one family has been insane in how often they're late, even when I know for a fact they got off work over an hour previously.
I am open from 7:30 until 5. I don't care how long the child is here as long as it is not before 7:30 and they aren't after 5. I have a late fee of $1 per minute after 5 per child. I would strongly consider enforcing a late fee ASAP..
I have seen some ads charging an additional $5 per day when care over 9 hours is needed.
Probably just adding a early/late fee would start to stem some of the issues. Make it severe enough that being more than a few minutes early in the morning as traffic or stoplights makes a difference with no leeway at the end of the day and she is bound to be there well before the time late fees kicks in - that is after having been charged a few times.
It depends on your area too and the type of parents you attract. Some get paid lunch and some don't so for some they work 9 hour days but get an hour off unpaid lunch meaning you work a really long day for them. Then of course there are those that work through their lunch and get alternate Fridays off while you work all day Friday every week for them.
I am open 8:30-5:39 (9 hours). Since people in my area don't have a long commute, this has worked for all the families I care for. I had some inquiries requesting earlier drop off but I am busy getting my own little ones up and ready in the morning and am not willing to open earlier than 8:30. I would prefer to close earlier but 5:30 isn't too bad.
If the last parent picking up is coming at your close time and you know they could come earlier without it being a problem then changing your working hours is the other option to close sooner such that late fees will also kick in sooner such as closing at 4:45 instead of 5 and especially if you know she can be there by 4:30 if she wanted to be.
Then if you get a family needing later than that you can negotiate the fee accordingly but the official close time still stands.