Childcare Costs
My 8 month old has been attending a lovely child minder down the road twice a week for about a month now. The lady is so lovely, her house is so welcoming and my daughter seems to love it.
Obviously I understood her terms and conditions when we decided to enrol her there, but I think I was so distracted with the transition of going back to work and the relief that we’d found such lovely local child care that I didn’t notice just how many charges they’d be.
She goes every Monday and Tuesday, 9-5, but we also have to pay for all of the bank holidays and the child minders’ holidays which are
Monday 30th December 2024
Till Friday 3rd January 2025
Monday 17th February till Friday 21st February 2025
Monday 14th April 2025 till
Friday 18th April 2025
Monday 4th August 2025 till Friday 22nd August 2025
It just seems like we are paying her for SO many dates that our daughter won’t even be there for.
My partner has reduced his hours significantly to be with our daughter for two days a week and money is super tight at the moment.
I’m just wondering, is this the norm for childcare, or will it be worth finding another child minder? We will be entitled to free hours when she turns 9 months but that’s only term time and doesn’t cover any holidays…. 😢
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Its deffo the norm! If you would be able to switch the Monday to another day in the week i would look into it, its so frustrating & seems unfair to have to pay when they are technically closed🥲
It is the norm but closure days for a nursery would be a lot less than a childminder as you’re not just relying on one person. I deliberately won’t send them on a Monday because of bank holidays.
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I think its the norm tbh, that's how the nursery's do it and unfortunately that's the case if you have them in on Mondays. If you didn't pay them for their holidays they wouldn't have paid holidays like those who are employed. Some who are self employed may not charge you but if it's a company the childminder works for then chances are you're gonna pay wherever you go. Is there a way for your partner to change his days so he doesn't work a Monday instead and then at least you're getting more days that you're paying for? It's so frustrating especially with how expensive it is. double check with your childminder cause I know with nursery's and some childminders you can split the 15 free hours up over the year so works out at 11hrs a week instead