Changing Over to Contracted Hours for New Daycare Families

[Mandy_Jane]

I am just reopening my in-home daycare after a 3 year break, and I am totally reworking my policies and contracts this time around. I used to say that I was open from X to X every day, and when parents paid their weekly fee, they could use whatever amount of time they needed for childcare as long as it was no earlier or later than my open hours. I have recently decided that I am going to have each individual family fill out the exact hours and days they are needing care, and then I will give them a price for exactly what they need. I have a separate form for this which also specifies when the payments are due by.

Do you all think it's necessary to list my daily operating hours since I am having each family fill out a sheet saying exactly what they need? Or should I not even list my open hours at all now? Because even though I am doing contracted rates, I do not want to work before 7:15 am or after 5:45 pm. I don't want to confuse my parents by saying here are your contracted days and hours, and here are the hours I'm open. I'm afraid they will see that I am open until 5:45 pm and assume that means they can leave their child here until 5:45 pm. So, what do you all think I should do?

[Zoe]

In my state I'm supposed to put my open hours in my policy. I don't like to do that, but my licensor said it's necessary. My humble opinion is that if you don't have to, don't do it. It just confuses the parents and opens you up for getting taken advantage of.

[nannyde]

I don't give open to close hours. I just contract individually with each parent. The later they stay past three p.m. the more expensive. I offer only nine hour days max.

When they ask "what hours are you open?" I say "what hours do you need?"

[bice99]

DON'T PUT THEM IN! unless you have to. I used to list my hours 7 am-5 pm. Then I changed to contracted hours and was dumb! #1, families I already had knew the hours I usually worked, so they just left their kids longer regularly. So I changed my handbook to say the rates were based on a 9 hour day. If parents WORK a 9 hour day and cannot coordinate one parent dropping off and the other picking up, then I may work a longer day for an additional $5 per hour or portion or. Figured that covered my 10th hour normally open. BTW - this is written into their contract and still due with payment unless we do a new contract. No - but I picked up within 9 hours on these 2 days...But #2, now parents I have kept still want to max out at a 9 hour day. A teacher who only works 7 1/2 hours per day (PT job) has her little one here for 9 hours. Work is 5 minutes away.

Have parents tell you the exact hours they work and commute time. Figure it out by that. OR - do nannyde's way. If I didn't love my 3 YODCG as much as I do, I might do nannyde's schedule. But this little miss doesn't come until 9 AM and leaves at 5 PM. Just the hours mom works. I think they would leave me if I tried to charge more for the late pick up. BTW - my others are normally picked up by 4:30 so she is my last one.

[Lucy]

What I give them says "Your hours are from X to X. Even though the Daycare may open earlier and close later, these are your contracted hours. Late fees will be imposed if you are more than 5 minutes late. If you need to come early, please let me know ahead of time and I will tell you whether I am available."

[cheerfuldom]

I think that now is a great time to go to contracted hours! do not offer any extra information

[Christian Mother]

I list my daycare hrs but I also contract hrs to each family. Even though I am open 6am and close 4:30pm. It does confuse them. So I tell them these are just my hrs of operation. Your contracted hrs with me are from X to X or for what you need me. If you need to reschedule your contracted hrs we can negotiate on that however; each family is only allowed 10hrs max. Anything early or later is subjected to a fee of $5 per hr. doesn't matter if they are a min early or late. They get charged. Now, I'll admit I haven't really stuck to this. I am big on late fees but if I have a child getting dropped of early and I am open already then I'll allow however if it was something that wld be all the time I'd have them change there hrs on the contract.

[Blackcat31]

In my state I'm supposed to put my open hours in my policy. I don't like to do that, but my licensor said it's necessary. My humble opinion is that if you don't have to, don't do it. It just confuses the parents and opens you up for getting taken advantage of.

I am in MN too so my policy states that: "although I provide services between the hours of 7:00 a.m and 5:30 p.m. each family is still required to submit a written schedule outlining the hours of care you need. Rates are then calculated according to each families individual needs."

I then, do like Nan does and raise the rates as the pick up time gets later and later into the day. I learned to work it like that from a very wise person who often doesn't get the credit they deserve....

[Unregistered]

I am just reopening my in-home daycare after a 3 year break, and I am totally reworking my policies and contracts this time around. I used to say that I was open from X to X every day, and when parents paid their weekly fee, they could use whatever amount of time they needed for childcare as long as it was no earlier or later than my open hours. I have recently decided that I am going to have each individual family fill out the exact hours and days they are needing care, and then I will give them a price for exactly what they need. I have a separate form for this which also specifies when the payments are due by.

Do you all think it's necessary to list my daily operating hours since I am having each family fill out a sheet saying exactly what they need? Or should I not even list my open hours at all now? Because even though I am doing contracted rates, I do not want to work before 7:15 am or after 5:45 pm. I don't want to confuse my parents by saying here are your contracted days and hours, and here are the hours I'm open. I'm afraid they will see that I am open until 5:45 pm and assume that means they can leave their child here until 5:45 pm. So, what do you all think I should do?

I dont do contracted hours Im only open 10 hours max and thats it from 7:30 to 5:30pm if parents fit outside of my hours then they arent a good fit for my daycare I refuse to watch kids any earlier and I refuse to stay open any later I also charge a weekly flat rate for everyone I only watch kids age 6 weeks til in school then they have outgrown our daycare.

[Mandy_Jane]

Thank you so much for all the helpful information! So, here is what my contract says now,

"I work on an individual basis with each family to accommodate the hours of care needed for your child(ren). Child care is only offered during the daily operating hours listed above. The specific hours your family needs care must fall within those daily operating hours unless special arrangements have been made with me in advance.

Each child’s daily enrollment hours will be outlined on the “Daycare Fees and Hours” form provided to you during your interview. I ask that each family complete this form so I know the exact hours I will have each child in care every day and I can plan my schedule accordingly. I require 2 weeks notice if you need to change your enrollment hours and I must approve the changes before they can go into effect. If your child is picked up later than your contracted pick-up time, a late fee of $5.00 per child for every 15 minutes you are late, is understood and agreed upon. The only exception to this would be if prior arrangements have been made with and accepted by me."

So, should I take out my weekly rates that are listed in my contract and say it's on a case by case basis? I am currently charging $135 for infants to 23 months and $125 for 24 months and up. I don't know if removing the rates would cause me trouble, because that's the first thing out of a parent's mouth when they call. "HOW MUCH DO YOU CHARGE?" It's sad but true. So how would you handle that?

Edit: So I suppose I should take out the part that says, "the operating hours listed above" and not even include them. That would probably be the smarter thing to do.

[Mandy_Jane]

Guest - Even with contracted hours, you can STILL only work the hours you want to. Just don't accept anyone who comes before you are willing to open and anyone who needs care after you want to be closed. It would probably work out better for you because then you would know exactly what times each child will be in your care instead of knowing the parent has the option to leave them there for the full 10 hours you are open. It would probably lighten up your workload each day having parents adhere to their contracted hours.