Guest Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 Hi all, We are a voluntary pre-school so sustainability is always an issue. We charge £3 per hour at the moment which barely covers costs. A prospective parent came to look around today with 2 year old twin girls. She asked whether we had a sibling discount and would we consider implementing one as cost is an issue for her with paying for two children at once. At the moment we don't have anything like this in place and I don't know whether we could really afford too although I understand her point of view. We have the prospect of losing a large pre-school group this July and not enough 2 year olds coming up we need all the children we can get. What sort of discounts, if any do you all employ? Maybe I could just offer a twin discount! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gezabel Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 Hi all, We are a voluntary pre-school so sustainability is always an issue. We charge £3 per hour at the moment which barely covers costs. A prospective parent came to look around today with 2 year old twin girls. She asked whether we had a sibling discount and would we consider implementing one as cost is an issue for her with paying for two children at once. At the moment we don't have anything like this in place and I don't know whether we could really afford too although I understand her point of view. We have the prospect of losing a large pre-school group this July and not enough 2 year olds coming up we need all the children we can get. What sort of discounts, if any do you all employ? Maybe I could just offer a twin discount! Sorry but we don't do discounts and no parents have ever raised the issue. We currently have siblings attending (older one usually doing more sessions than the younger one) and we had a set of twins go to school last year but mum paid full price for both. Sorry it it's not what you want to hear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SueJ Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 We do a multiple births discount so with twins 1 child pays full price and 1 half price. However this is only whilst children are fee paying once they clock onto early education funding any discounts stop including those for hours over and above those funded. We have had at least one set of twins for the last four years. We don't offer any other sibling discounts as usually one is funded and one isn't - we have 2 to 5 year olds. Hope that helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salm Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 At the moment we have 3 sets of twins and we do not have a discount scheme we have been asked by the parents but they have been ok with the fact that no discount is offered, we do not insist that they take more than one session per week until they are funded. Another place I used to work did offer a discount for triplets but not for twins. Not sure if that helps with your decision Salm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thumperrabbit Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 I had a parent ask for discount a couple of years ago, we too are a charity and although I didn't like refusing I had to. As I explained to mum if she turned her 2 places down, I had the next people on the waiting list who were eager to join. She didn't want to wait until funded as she knew we wouldn't be able to take her children so she did 'find' the money from somewhere. What don't you do/provide for the 2nd child? I can't think of anything, so they can't expect to be cheaper surely? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 we didn't do any discounts either... they are both in need of the same care etc not like you can give one half care is it? and we could not afford to reduce fees either.. jsut covering costs... they just tended to do less hours until the funding kicked in... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finleysmaid Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 (edited) we used to discount but cannot now afford to...we do offer flexible payment terms though! Edited May 6, 2011 by finleysmaid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 At the moment we don't have anything like this in place and I don't know whether we could really afford too Hi Gwennie - think you have answered your own question there that's not meant in any flippant way I promise. I don't offer any form of discount......and absolutely could not afford to....... Good luck with it all - don't forget to come back and tell what decision you made Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 Thank you for the replies. I chatted with a couple of the Trustees today and we did decide like many of you that it's just not something that we can offer. Like you finleysmaid we offer flexible payments. I think they will just take up less sessions until funding comes in for them. Hi Gwennie - think you have answered your own question there that's not meant in any flippant way I promise. No flippancy taken It's so true what you are all saying - we don't provide a discounted standard of care for the discounted sibling!! Many thanks for your replies - they really helped that decision making along. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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