Payment charges for before & after school care in home

[Dory]

Hi, I'm new to this site but have found it very helpful so far. I am trying to get organised so I can advertise for before/after school care in my home this Sept. My question is: Is it normal to charge a client a full daily fee regardless of whether or not the child will need am or pm care, a few days/full week? As I see it the child is taking up the spot. If I'm only allowed 5 children in the home, I can't fill empty spots with more kids to guarantee my wage as I will be covering PA days & other holiday days. On those days I would end up with extra kids. I hope this makes sense. Thanks

[Momof4]

Welcome to the forum and if you are in Ontario then you are right, you can only have 5 daycare children in your house at one time. But other provinces have different laws.

I don't offer before/after care at all, but wish you the best of luck.

[playfelt]

One of the reasons very few of us do before and after school is the loss of income. Parents are not willing to pay for time the child is not there. At the same time you can not double up children even for a few minutes.

It is normal to have a fee for either before or after such as $15 and to also have a before/after fee such as $25 if they come for both times. There is also a fee charged for any day the child is in care the rest of the day such as PD days, Christmas/march/summer breaks.

The problem with school age is that by the time you give them a snack and an activity you basically don't earn anything.

[Dory]

Thanks Playfelt. That's what I thought. So for PD & holidays you would charge a separate fee? I was thinking maybe I could charge $17.50 am or pm price. $25 for both before & after, PA days & holidays?. I feel I can't ask any daycare providers here what they provide ect, as It's like I'm poaching their business.? lol. I am driving myself insane weighing it all up. Thanks so much Ladies for your info.

[Sassygirl]

When I first opened in January 2013, I had 1 school age boy who came before and after school. He was in Grade 1. He ate me out of house and home, didn't want to do anything except watch tv and play videogames. He was always asking to hang out with my older boys before and after school and would get VERY upset if they didn't want to play with him (as they shouldn't HAVE to). His mom wanted him to not watch tv or play video games, and do his homework and reading. That was a joke! All he did was follow me around saying "I'm boooooooooored" OR "I'm hungry". It was also extremely difficult to manage naps for the babies that I have in my full time care with his school bus pick ups and drop offs. After 2 months of this and not having him the week of March Break as his mom didn't want to pay my full days rate I termed them. My daycare life has been sooooo much easier having all babies, all the same age, all on the same schedule!
School age care ever again... No thanks! However, when I did provide it was $5 per hour.

[Dory]

I have a school age child and so am concerned also about how I'm going to manage her "space" should she want it. As well as her own toys. I'm not likely to stop them altogether from playing with her things. And yes, having a child that is "bored" is sooo tough. My daughter has a friend who is like that. Even though we have plenty to play with. I sometimes think they just don't know HOW to play. You mentioned kids that have bus drop offs. How does that work. Do they get the bus then you have to meet them off it & take them back you your home? Thanks so much Sassygirl !

[torontokids]

I agree with Sassygirl. It is not worth it!! I did b&a when I started and had the same issues (waking little ones from their nap to pick up, the school aged kids getting mad at the little ones for not being at their level, bundling up babies in the winter just to go across the rd to pick up one kid). I termed my b&a and am so much happier since.

[Dory]

Hi Torontokids, I won't be doing daycare though. Just before/after school PA days & a few holiday days. Feeling like I've failed before I even start.

[playfelt]

Different school boards will have different rules so that is where you should start. Find out what the routes are and the policy. In some cases the parents can request a change of their child to the bus that serves the caregivers house so that can increase the children you can accept.

Here the children up to the end of grade 1 have to be put on and taken off the bus by an adult and the stop can be up to 1/2 kilometer from the home or at least that used to be the rules - been ages since I did school age. Did kindergarten when they were picked up and dropped off at the driveway by mini bus but when that stopped so did I.

If you are not doing care for little ones then you won't have to worry about getting them dressed and out in all sorts of weather to the bus stop.

For space I would set up a play area for the kids to use and put neutral toys in it that you buy from garage sales over the summer. Let your child keep their things in their room and make the room off limits during daycare hours. For full days many that do only school age take them out somewhere such as to a museum or indoor play space so less time at the home playing.