question about childminders picking up from pre-school

[hellosailor]

Just wanted to pick the brains of mums and childminders about this as not sure how it works?

If a child minder picks your toddler up from pre school - (I guess they would either be picking up at 12:15ish or 3:15ish depending on wether the child had done a single or double session?) - is there normally an hourly rate you pay from the pick up time (I only know that in terms of a day rate childminders normally charge about ?50 for a full day so not sure how it works when it isn't a full day)

if the pre school only operates term time, what happens in the holidays if you're at home and don't need the pick ups? Presumably the childminder cannot just lose the hours and money so do you still pay over the holidays? Or do you just pay a retainer? Or do most people just continue to drop their toddler with the childminder on those afternoons anyway even if they haven't beem to school to keep continuity or how does it work? Grateful for any advice as just trying to weigh up the differing costs of private nursery a couple of days a week as opposed to pre-school and childminder option..thanks for any advice!

[shelly2012]

I am a childminder my fees are ?60 day . After school is charged by the hour . I take a retainer which is half the daily fee ( in holidays ) but all childminder are different .

[pebbles]

When my son started nursery but continued to go to the childminders from midday I continued to pay her for a full day as she wasn't able to take an extra child to cover the 3 hours she didn't have my son (due to numbers allowed) - if that makes sense. If however they are school age and being picked up after school she would charge an after school hourly fee.

Hope that helps

[Helen GV]

You may be able to get a term time only agreement with a childminder, some might have their own kids at home during the hols and welcome the break so def worth asking!

[hellosailor]

thanks all, very helpful!