Childcare costs

**unicorn** · 31-Dec-08, 00:19

What would people say is a fair price to pay per hour per child for registered childcare. I know the credit crunch is having an effect on many people and have been wondering about fee's. I thought the org was as good a place as any to get a few views.

**Kodiak** · 31-Dec-08, 00:30

WOW I think even your lowest rate is expensive. £2.00 an hour, 5 Hours a day, 5 days a week and that come s to £50.00 a week. This I thing is expensive.

Now I could be way out of date so please correct me if I am way out but I would not pay any more than that.

When my first son was in a Nursury, 5 days a week it cost me £5.85 for 5 Days and I thought that was expensive then. Mind you that was back in 1978 so it was not as cheap as it looks.

**young_fishin_neep** · 31-Dec-08, 00:35

my wee sister goes to nursery one day a week from 8:30 am til 5pm down in england and that costs £30 a week.

kazzii xxx

**mccaugm** · 31-Dec-08, 00:36

I paid £50 per week for full time childcare in 1991. Nowadays the average cost is around £4.00 + per hour. The only exception is a day care centre which charges around £2.00 to £3.00 per hour. Childcarers need to pay expenses and make a profit - its a business and a vocation. I must point out I am not a childminder just a realist.

**Venture** · 31-Dec-08, 00:39

I think sometimes people think because its "only looking after children" that it shouldn't be highly paid. At the end of the day it is a job and the childminder is offering a service. It's not always an easy job sometimes with three or more children to look after. I'd say a fair wage is £4 an hour, after all the majority of those working receive tax credits and are entitled to money towards their childcare costs. It's only a percentage that comes out of the parents' pockets.

**igglepiggle** · 31-Dec-08, 00:40

i would say that the £4 is an average wage, most people get a % from with the working tax credits so the parents dont pay all of the costs. Plus if you think about it the average wage is £5.70 i think so it is well below that.

**unicorn** · 31-Dec-08, 00:42

I think what really has affected prices more is that there is now so much paperwork involved.
Also most childminders don't charge for their time off and holidays so a bit gets set aside for any time off.
Work doesn't start at 7 am and finish at 6 pm any more once you have cooked dinner you have to sit down and do the days paperwork, go back out and do courses.
Being honest I have seen me working on paperwork some nights until 1am.
But at the moment I am looking at a lot of different things and planning changes, the first probably being pricing

**ShelleyCowie** · 31-Dec-08, 00:59

Thats weird cos me and my OH were just talking about childcare! I am due back to work from maternity in May 09 and we have actually worked it out we are cheaper me not going back to work than paying childcare because my OH works 12 hour shifts, day and night!

But i have to say some child minders are not that expensive, i have heard of a few! I just dont like the idea of missing those really exciting moments of my sons development like when he starts walking or anything!

**unicorn** · 31-Dec-08, 01:05

It really depends on the individual minder. I am really looking to see what people want and it is hard to get views when you have clients already in a routine.
this is where you put in post code for a search for childminders in your area.
http://www.scottishchildcare.gov.uk/...aspx?chisid=25
and once you find names you can go here to look at inspection reports
http://www.carecommission.com/index....d=24&Itemid=45
so you can do the first part from the comfort of your own home
changi you moved your post, honest I am not answering unasked questions lol.

**unicorn** · 31-Dec-08, 01:13

I can understand those concerns Shelley, I worked when my daughter was small and I often felt I missed things but granny got them instead so I didn't mind.

Especially teething

I was lucky to have my mum.

**ShelleyCowie** · 31-Dec-08, 01:25

Originally Posted by unicorn

I can understand those concerns Shelley, I worked when my daughter was small and I often felt I missed things but granny got them instead so I didn't mind.

Especially teething

I was lucky to have my mum.

Haha i am sure i wont mind missin the teething!! But he is only 12 weeks just now! A few more months of peace!

My cousin is a registered child minder and i still wouldn't want to leave him with someone else! Another thing is...he is too glued to me! He screams if anybody else holds him!! He just doesn't like being away from me! Me and my OH went out for dinner a few weeks ago and he stayed with Granny..he screamed blue murder!

Find me a childminder that can deal with that 8-5! lol

**unicorn** · 31-Dec-08, 01:30

He is still tiny and all he needs in life is mummy. You are very much his whole world right now and that is a time to totally enjoy and hold on to. They don't stay tiny for long. Independence is great for babies as they grow but so so hard on mum and dad.
I found it worse when mine laughed and giggled with granny when I went to work it was like she was saying yay granny see you later mum.

**ShelleyCowie** · 31-Dec-08, 02:14

Originally Posted by unicorn

He is still tiny and all he needs in life is mummy. You are very much his whole world right now and that is a time to totally enjoy and hold on to. They don't stay tiny for long. Independence is great for babies as they grow but so so hard on mum and dad.
I found it worse when mine laughed and giggled with granny when I went to work it was like she was saying yay granny see you later mum.

I get what u mean! Dont like the thot o sayin a goodbye too him! Bad enuf just goin shoppin or something!

Breaks ma heart leavin him for anythin at all! Am just too attached!

**Kevin Milkins** · 31-Dec-08, 02:16

I am not in the know on such matters as Mrs stayed at home to bring our three boys up.

When I saw the poll I thought £4-00 an hour was not a lot for the responsibilty involved in looking after another persons child.

**changilass** · 31-Dec-08, 02:31

When you think just in terms of the value put on someone looking after your child then £4 seems very little, if however you balance this off against earning the minimum wage per hour then you can understand why it just isnt worth going back to work for some mums.

**Torvaig** · 31-Dec-08, 11:42

Originally Posted by Kevin Milkins

I am not in the know on such matters as Mrs stayed at home to bring our three boys up.

When I saw the poll I thought £4-00 an hour was not a lot for the responsibilty involved in looking after another persons child.

Hear, hear Kevin. One of the most responsible jobs is bringing up a child; you'll never get a second chance. Just think of all the things you may be missing; smiles, giggles, first words/steps etc. These belong to mums and dads!

**honey** · 31-Dec-08, 11:45

childcare is expensive. Ive been lucky that my mother in law watches mine. Id love another baby, but she isnt up to taking another one, and theres no way we could afford a childminder, so we cant do it.

i have and HNC in childcare though, maybe i should change my career..

**Bobinovich** · 31-Dec-08, 11:52

Thinking about this logically the minimum wage is currently £5.73 an hour, but I wouldn't class childminding as a minimum wage job, so realistically I would suggest they should be taking at least £7.00+ per hour to cover overheads, holiday pay, etc.

I would imagine that a registered childminder would be looking after a minimum of 2 children so would need to charge at least £3.50 per hour per child to achieve that. If they look after 3 regularly then it could come down to £3 per hour per child - or if 2 children are from the same family they could get a discounted rate.

**A9RUNNER** · 31-Dec-08, 12:16

In an ideal world one wage coming into a house should be enough to pay all the bills and a little left over for holidays and hobbies without having to claim any benefits or tax credits allowing one parent to be at home. However that is not the case for many folk. Nobody should be taking less than minumum wage home every week (apart from those on the dole but thats another topic all together). I voted for the £4 an hour option as it was the most expensive but yet I would see it as a bargain price for looking after a child. I however would not pay it my self as I would rather that I or my wife or the grannies be at home with my kids than to send them out to a childminder. I am sure most Childminders are very good carers but at the end of the day they are doing a job. And everyone I know gets fed up with the job everynow and then. I wouldnt want a fed up employee looking after my kids. I would rather someone with blood ties doing it as they always have the best interests of my children coming first above all others.

**gollach** · 31-Dec-08, 12:18

Originally Posted by Bobinovich

Thinking about this logically the minimum wage is currently £5.73 an hour, but I wouldn't class childminding as a minimum wage job, so realistically I would suggest they should be taking at least £7.00+ per hour to cover overheads, holiday pay, etc.

I would imagine that a registered childminder would be looking after a minimum of 2 children so would need to charge at least £3.50 per hour per child to achieve that. If they look after 3 regularly then it could come down to £3 per hour per child - or if 2 children are from the same family they could get a discounted rate.

total agreement with you there. Childminders should get more than minimum wage.