Nursery Fees

[Guest]

I am setting up a new Neighbourhood Nursery and am getting very confused with the conflicting advice about how to charge parents. I have been told that we still charge full fees if a child is off sick or on holiday. What if one of the Mums is a teacher and has the school holidays off or a parent works term time only? Surely this would make the care much too expensive if they had to pay for school holidays as well? Do I make monthly or yearly bookings for parents?

 

Any help would be appreciated

 

Teri

[Guest]

Hi Teri

I own a pre-school which is open term time only and charge if children are off ill or are on holiday. It would be difficult to pay staff, rent etc if we refunded when children were absent.

I know the day nurseries locally allow parents 4 weeks free but then charge for the rest of the year. Again I would think it is becasue you would have real problems with staffing etc. if you didn't. You could fill those places with fee paying children otherwise. I think most parents realise that they have to pay some sort of a retainer in order to guarantee thier child's place.

Linda

[Lucy P]

Hi Teri

 

I own a day nursery which is open all year with the exception of bank hols and the period between Christmas and New Year.

 

The parents are entitled to take four weeks holiday per year in which they pay 50% of the fees, they also pay 50% when the nursery is closed on bank holidays.

 

There is no reduction for time taken off due to illness, unless the child is taken into hospital or has to have a long period off, but for odd days they still pay.

 

As far as i am concerned, i still have to pay the staff, bills etc when the children are off so financially i need the parents to pay a retainer.

[Guest]

Thank you both for your advice, I guess I shall have to stop feeling sorry for the parents and be a bit more business like!

 

Teri

[Sue R]

I work in a Day Nursery - we work the same as lucyp, however, parents need to have been with us for 6 months to qualify for the 50%! If part-time children normally attend on a a day that is a Bank Holiday, they are entitled to a day in lieu, but it's tough for the full-timers!! (Although, full-time works out more conomical than part-time, so I sipoose it balances out....)

 

With the case of teachers, often they leave their children with us throughout holidays as well (!!), but if they keep them home, they can speak to the Director and usually something can be worked out. But, of course, payment can't just be waived, as staff have to be paid to keep the Nursery open and available!!!

 

Sue

[hali]

Hi we do the same as linda for the same reasons....