Advice needed about pricing, simple or complex

[Busy ECE mommy]

My rates are either full time(4-5days a week) or part time is 3 days a week minimum. I choose whether I open up part-time spots or not. Often I prefer to wait to get a full-timer. I only take little ones under 2 years on a full-time basis. Part time kids pay $5 a day more. I do not offer 1/2 days or drop-ins by the hour, as I need to know what my income will be each month, and I want a consistent group of kids. They pay for all their days and stats, whether they use them or not. I also get paid for 2 weeks of holidays. I don't discount for siblings or any other reason.

[sunnydays]

I only have full-time and part-time rates as well (though I don't generally take part-time anymore). Part-time rates are usually a bit higher daily rate than full-time rates. Also, I have not heard of home daycares charging different rates for different ages. If they are full-time it is one rate if they are before and after school it is another. I don't think there is actually that much difference in the care needs of a 12 month old and a 2 year old for example. The 12 month old has more physical needs like diaper changing, being fed, being held, etc. But the 2 year old has more behavioural, educational needs. A 3 year old will need more educational activities, school-readiness prep etc. I don't find one age more work than the other. And by the time they get a bit easier, they head off to school...LOL.

[Mike]

I have not heard of home daycares charging different rates for different ages. If they are full-time it is one rate if they are before and after school it is another.

Interesting. When I was first thinking about the idea, I searched for daycare websites, especially local ones, and most of them do have age group rates.

Here are some examples from local daycares:

Infant $38.50
Toddler $32.50
Preschool $29.50
Kindergarten $28.00
School-Aged $25.50

Infant (6 weeks to 18 months) $49
Toddler (18 to 30 months) $35
Preschool $34
School Age (full day) $32
School Age (before and after) $17

Full time (6 hrs or more)
Infant (Birth-18 months) $50.00
Toddler (15 months - 2.5 years) $44.00
Preschool (2 years-School Age) $38.00
Part Time (less than 6 hrs)
Infant (Birth-18 months) Not Available
Toddler (15 months - 2.5 years) $27.30
Preschool (2 years-School Age) $24.30

Ontario's average child care costs goes down as age goes up.

Most of the rates I could find on websites were for daycare centers though. Not all private daycares have websites and some don't have rates on the site. Maybe it's different for private home daycare.

I don't think there is actually that much difference in the care needs of a 12 month old and a 2 year old for example. The 12 month old has more physical needs like diaper changing, being fed, being held, etc. But the 2 year old has more behavioural, educational needs. A 3 year old will need more educational activities, school-readiness prep etc. I don't find one age more work than the other.

You've got a point there.

And by the time they get a bit easier, they head off to school...LOL.

Yup


Do any of you home daycare providers have different rates for different age groups?

[AmandaKDT]

I charge different rates based on age, but the reason for doing so is because I'm licensed and accept subsidy so I am required by the Manitoba government to charge the rate they set. I also get grant money per spot, on top of the parent fees (which are much less than other private home daycares here). This appears to be the only reason I've seen for anyone with home daycare to charge different rates based on age, otherwise they charge the same rate for all ages (other than school age). I won't bother listing my rates, as you are in Ontario and they would be much different than what you would charge.

Being licensed means I can take on more daycare kids, though there are rules on how many of each age I can accept. So I guess it balances out somewhat that I don't get the same amount of money for all the 8 spots I'm allowed to fill.

This would likely be similar reasons for the rates on the daycare center website you were looking at.

But if I were a private daycare I would charge the same rate for infant/preschool age and for school age.

[Mike]

I'm going to simplify my rates.

[AcornsFalling]

I would suspect the rates vary more by age in larger centres because they have strict rules about ratios of child care provider to # of children and are talking large numbers of children.
I care for 2 children in addition to my own 2 and I charge $50 per day, for a 9 hour care day. Some parents use the whole time and some don't, but even if they don't, they still pay for the full day. I don't do drop in or half days. The parents sign a contract for what days their child will attend and pay for that space. I also charge the same rate for all ages.

[Mike]

Same rate for all ages appears to be the norm for home daycare.

[Busy ECE mommy]

I found that I started out on the average end of rates, and as I got more established, or clients left, I slightly increased rates, or left rates the same for existing clients and added more paid vacation each year when my contracts renewed. The clients all stayed, and all new clients will pay the higher rate and some of my holidays too.

[sunnydays]

Mike, if you put in your postal code and search here on Daycare Bear for your area, that will give you a good idea of what others in your area are charging and whether they have different rates based on age. Where I am, I haven't seen anyone do that (except for centres) BUT this could change if the new bill goes through in parliament and we are only allowed 2 kids under the age of 2. Then I believe the majority of home daycares will put their rates up for the under 2 spaces as we will have a harder time filling our daycares and there will be competition among parents for those spots.

[Mike]

Mike, if you put in your postal code and search here on Daycare Bear for your area, that will give you a good idea of what others in your area are charging and whether they have different rates based on age. Where I am, I haven't seen anyone do that (except for centres) BUT this could change if the new bill goes through in parliament and we are only allowed 2 kids under the age of 2. Then I believe the majority of home daycares will put their rates up for the under 2 spaces as we will have a harder time filling our daycares and there will be competition among parents for those spots.

Good timing. My last reply pretty much covers that.