Retainers for Children accessing Funded Hours elsewhere

[Guest]

Hi,

 

I was wondering if anyone charges a retainer for the children who access their funded hours in another setting but require wrap round from us. It means that I cant do anything with the 3 hours. Just curious as to what people charge if they do so.

 

Thanks in advance

[lsp]

Sorry had a bad day and feeling a bit dense. What times of the day is the child with you and what times with other setting?

Edited June 9, 2015 by lsp

[Guest]

They may be with me for breakfast club and then the afternoon session. I tend to then give those three hours to other funded children. The problem arises when the school nursery close for approx 8 extra days a year. So those children that are funded with me have priority on those days not the children who access their funded hours at school.

[Cait]

I think that's fair enough. I a parent wants to guarantee that those hours are available for their child's use, then they would need to pay for them, whether their child uses them or not. If you are able to 'rent' out the space to someone on a temporary basis, you would reimburse the parent. But the person renting the space must be aware that this is not a permanent place. If you aren't full, then charging for the space would be unnecessary,I would think. I would only approach the parent to pay for it when it was the only space available

[lsp]

Thats tricky. I agree with Cait if they want to guarantee a place they need to pay for it. The problem would be with renting it out - who would have priority over the place. I think I would go with funded places having the priority. That would have to be very carefully worded in policies and parent agreements. Its not a problem that we have had, although we have parents that use childminders alongside us.

 

Can I ask why the parent chooses to have their funded hours at another seting or is it in a school nursery?

[Guest]

If you put your business head on then perhaps the question you could ask is which children generate the most income - is it the funded children who come to you all of the time, or your before and after children who use you regularly for wrap around care but not for funded care but give you the 8 extra days? If I am understanding this at all that is!