Feeling bad about a daycare letter.

[Rachael]

I think something doesn't make sense here. You are scheduled 10.5 hours per week. It seems like you are paying a huge amount for so little hours. When I read your copy of her letter it said adding one day per week would be $650 a week and $650 for full time.

What is it?

I suspect the $650 for FT/$650 for an extra day a week is a tying error, either by the provider on the letter or by the parent on this thread.

I don't think it's too much though - I, like many, don't offer part-days. If you are coming on any given day, requiring care, I cannot schedule other clients around hourly requirements. It's a full day rate, no matter how long a child is in my home. Also. I would specify the hours that care was contracted. So my current clients, one would be 8.30pm until 4.30pm, another would be 7.30am until 4pm, it really does depend on what we agreed.

Since it seems that this particular carer just has the two clients, then I think it's really smart to specify hours care has been agreed, otherwise, this carer would be tied to the house all morning just in case vs currently having the ability to run errands provided she's back to the day care and available by 1pm.

So, right now, the client might be paying full day rate for the Monday, Wednesday and Friday contracted. The letter says if she wants to add a fourth day on a regular basis, then the fees would be $650 a month for those 4 days a week. That's about right.

Is it unfortunate for the parents that a full day rate is charged when they need so few hours - maybe - but they also have a high-care child, who takes a lot of time, means the carer has to limit the clients she has in order to provide the level of care needed. I think it's reasonable that the full day rate is applied. I would charge it too even without the special needs.

EDIT - I bet the $650 for 4 days and $650 for 5 days might be due to PT rates. We all know that if someone is here 4 days a week the odds of getting someone for one day and the exact same unwanted day are slim. A 4 day a week client is essentially taking a FT place anyway. I bet her fees are structured so she's not financially losing out if someone wants 4 days only.