Late Pick up fees

Happy Friday everyone!!
I'm just wondering what everyone's late pick up fees are? And do you change them even if they are 5 min late? Also do you charge a late pick up fee if they are late for normal scheduled pickup (4:30) even tho you are open till 5 but don't always have kids till 5?
I'm re-doing my contract/book for next month and want to make some changes, right now I change $5 for late pickups but have never made parents pay! I want to cut down on late pickups with the busy summer months coming so I thought re doing my contract and out lining late fees might help!!
Thanks everyone

I do not charge if they are later then their scheduled pick up time, if they go past 530, and they call prior, i might let it slide (the first time) however, I tell my parents that I have to go at 530 MOST nights to get to my kids activities, if they are late without a call, yes I charge $10, however it is not okay, and if they are late again I will terminate. I make it very clear at interview that I can not accept late pick ups, and that if you can not be here to pick up, and be gone by 530, than I am not the provider for them, because I will terminate for lateness. I am one of the few providers in my area that works until 530 (most are 5 or 430), but 530 is when they are to be gone, and yes I have handed kids to their parents while my car is running and my kids ready to go. In the past I have had this really abused, and it would make me nuts (parents grabbing groceries before grabbing their kids and the checkout line was long, stopping at the bank, meeting at work, blah blah blah, Traffic, weather, and medical emergency are really the only excuses that will work for me!) so I really spell it out early.

$5 for late pickups is too little an amount to deter the offence from occurring. I give a one time only 5 minute grace period, and then it's $20 for every 1/2 hr for every instance after that, even if it's 1-2 minutes late. Make it a significant charge if you want to stop it from occurring, otherwise they'll assume they can come late and just hand you the $5 without worrying about being late.

I charge $1 for every minute past 5. At 5:20 it is a full days rate. I also stress to parents that I have evening commitments so pickups are expected BEFORE 5 (as it takes a few minutes to get their child out the door). I also start texting a few minutes past 5 in the event they are late. That way they realize it is not acceptable. I have had a few issues nothing too major but I make it known that even though there is a fee that it doesn't mean I accept late pickups. I also have it stated in my contract that consistent late pickups may result in termination.

My late fee also applies to when I have to close early. If I close at noon one day that means all kids need to be gone BY noon not after. Late fees begin at 12:01.

I don't work with schedules pickups. I am open until 5 but if someone normally picks up ay 4 but doesn't get here until 4:45 that is fine, no late fees.

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Originally Posted by Tania

I'm just wondering what everyone's late pick up fees are? And do you change them even if they are 5 min late?

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$1 a minute immediately after close. 1 min late, is still late. No "free" period otherwise some parent will always pick up 4 mins late.

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Also do you charge a late pick up fee if they are late for normal scheduled pickup (4:30) even tho you are open till 5 but don't always have kids till 5?

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No. I think that is petty. Day care has open hours like any business. Although everyone drop off a different time, not a big deal if sometimes they need to come bit early or stop off and do errands after work, as long as they don't get here before open time or after closing, what big deal?
Only time I'd do different is if I am opening early for someone, then I would be on condition they picked up equally early. So, I open at 7.30-5pm. If someone want 7am drop off, it would be on condition they picked up by 4.30pm and if they were late, fees would apply from 4.30pm not normal 5pm.

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I'm re-doing my contract/book for next month and want to make some changes, right now I change $5 for late pickups but have never made parents pay!

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Make parent pay every time. If you want to be flexible, then let them off second time but never first time. If you don't enforce you contract, why expect parent to stick to it? Send clear message first time, and every time and if you want to let them off in future you can but at least they not expect not to pay.

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I want to cut down on late pickups with the busy summer months coming so I thought re doing my contract and out lining late fees might help!!

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It will only if you enforce it. If you add into contracts but never apply, then it empty threat of no consequence.
Thanks everyone

I give a grace period of 10 minutes on either side of 7:00/5:00. Living in Ottawa and not downtown the majority of my parents work in parliament or downtown and must buss to and from work (things happen, busses run late even if they were on time, traffic is bad, accidents happen) most parents plan for this and have aunts/uncles, grandparents ect on back up that will come and get them in those instances. I only give this grace period so that there is an understanding and give on my end too. I think of it as how often do children get dropped off after 7:00 and picked up an hour or more early before 5:00. When they are late after 10 minutes they are charged a $15 flat rate. If this happens more than 3 times they are terminated. Right after 5:00 they are texted and reminded of this rule (i'm almost always texted by them first and told that they are running late and their ETA, even still i charge if over 10 minutes). When they pick up late I do remind them that I have things to do and errands to run as well before stores close and emphasis that 5:00 is my pick up time and if thats not working for them (after 2 times of being late and charged the fee) then maybe they need to find a daycare that has longer opening hours, as they will be terminated if it happens again. I've only had to charge one parent one time for this fee and the fear of loosing their spot because they had to run and get milk before picking their child up, quickly got them not to do it again.

What if you have two children from the same family? I have a parent who picks up her kids the very last second of my closing time. Even when I ask for an early pick up for an appointment she waits until the very last second. Twice in less than two weeks she has been late. I charge $1.00 per minute parents are late. My question is, because she has two kids do I charge for each child or just the flat rate for each minute she's late?

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Originally Posted by Goldilocks

What if you have two children from the same family? I have a parent who picks up her kids the very last second of my closing time. Even when I ask for an early pick up for an appointment she waits until the very last second. Twice in less than two weeks she has been late. I charge $1.00 per minute parents are late. My question is, because she has two kids do I charge for each child or just the flat rate for each minute she's late?

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She pays a daily fee per child, so daily late fee per child but this needs to be in your contract.... is it? if you charge $1 per min per child guaranteed she will stop being late or start looking for someone who is open later. If your current contract doesnt have a late fee policy, amend your contract and send to your families stating effective immediately.

I do have a contract and a handbook. I put in a late fee policy and all parents know about it. I just wasn't sure if I should charge a flat fee or per child since she has two kids. I'm open until 5:30 and she's done work at 5:00 so I don't know why she consistently pushes her luck with this. She will just get charged late fees each time.

I also have in my contract that consistent late pickups can result in termination. Some people will just pay extra. If their spot is at risk they will make sure they aren't late. I would charge double as there is 2 kids.

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Originally Posted by mickyc

I also have in my contract that consistent late pickups can result in termination. Some people will just pay extra. If their spot is at risk they will make sure they aren't late. I would charge double as there is 2 kids.

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That how I do it too. Each child, even if siblings, have own contract. So late pick up is per child not per family.

And constant late pick up is instant termination with 4 week fee in lieu of notice as it entirely in their control to avoid.

Yes, my late fees are per child, not per family.