How Do I Tell Parents That Extra Cost Extra ….

[familyschoolcare]

I interviewed a special needs child last week. During the phone conversation the father let me know that DCB is special needs, wanted to know it that was still ok as I do advertise will take special needs on a case by case bases. I told him that we could discuss what care his child needs at the interview and whether or not I will be able to supply that service I quoted him the base price and at that time did not discuss the fact that some services cost extra. Even with non-special needs children I do not discuss this until it comes up (I currently have one that I take to soccer practice that cost extra). Dad asked if it was ok if they were sometime late picking up I said that it is a $1 a minute for every minute that you are past 6:15 picking the child up.
So at the interview we discuss what “characteristics” the child has that make him special needs. The parents did not volunteer a diagnoses and I did not ask for one I do not ask for that until we are filling out paperwork. I do this on purpose the diagnoses does not deiced wither or not I am able to supply service the child’s “Characteristics” does. (Just because I can take Johnny that has XYZ does not mean I can take Suzie that has XYZ because it affects them differently). SO, during the interview that parents let me know that DCB is non-verbal and that if he wants some water he will just go and help him-self, not a problem water is available to all the DCK all the time and they all help themselves. They also let me know that he is fully potty trained, just needs lots of reminders. No, problem already have one like that. They also let me know that the child has a lot of dietary restriction his is not allergic just restricting diet for behavior reason and they will supply all the food, again, no problem. On the pre-enrollment survey they put that they needed care until 6:30Pm so I mention several times that it will be $1 minute after 6:15 that they are late picking the child up. We did discuss other special needs or characteristics of the child they are just not relevant to the story at least not at this point.
The interview was Tuesday and the father just shows up at my front door on Thursday to have me meet some lady that will pick the boy up from my house and take him to speech therapy. While I thought it was a little strange that the Dad did not call to at least make sure I was home I was relieved because they seemed to have solved the late pick up problem on their own.
When DCD came over to fill out all the paperwork he tells me again that the child is fully potty trained just needs to be brought to toilet often and suggested a schedule of when to take him I smile and nod bite my tong from saying I know how to take care of a child that just needs to be reminded to go to the bathroom because I realize that they do not know me extremely well yet and they are mostly likely nervous about leaving their child in day care. He told me again that the child will just help himself when he news water he will just go get his cup. I did not respond to those things because I thought the dad was just nervous leaving the child in day care.
So today the Father comes over in the morning at least he called first this time. (I will pick the child up from school today for his first day) at this point he mentions that just before the lady picks DCB upp I will need to put a diaper on him and that his is fully poty trained they just do that because hw will be going to several theoropy appointments, He also said that he will be sinding me an E-mail with all the instructions for the DCB on it so that it will all be clear for me. Again just nod and smile say that will be fine. I was a little surprised about the diaper thing I usualy charge extra for children in diapers. Then I put the child back pack away and look in it first thought I should know what was in it I see a sippy cup. This was not mentioned before that the child does not drink from a cup, I usually charge extra for this as I need to have a cup on had in case they forget theirs and usually it also means that the child cannot feed themselves which I also charge extra for.
I should mention that I do not charge extra for younger children just for extra services.

So at this point I will be waiting tell I at least have the child for one day and receive the E-mail and see if there are any more surprises and then I will be drafting a letter that these parents and letting them know that the services they require will cost extra.
In the letter should I put a line item price on each extra service or just list them and say those cost $ Extra. Also, is sending the letter home on Thursday enough notice given payment is due Friday

[Willow]

So to clarify....you charge extra if a child needs diaper changes, you charge extra if the child uses a sippy cup, and you charge extra if the child needs help eating....but you also say that you don't charge extra for younger children.....who need help with all of those things?

I'm sorry but as a provider I'm confused by that :confused:

Additionally, as a parent I would be livid if I interviewed a provider and contracted for care at a specific rate and then got a week into care only to be told the day before I was supposed remit payment that they changed their mind and would be charging me more, pay up, tough beans.

If you choose to watch this child for a single day you need to tell the parents immediately if you choose to alter the terms of the original contract. If when they are told they choose to leave your care effective immediately they'd be well within their rights as you are altering the original contract in a way they have not yet agreed to.

A sippy in the backpack doesn't mean he can't drink from a cup. My kids at 8 and 9 still use lidded cups in the car. I'll be 31 next week and I do too.

And a diaper on during therapy doesn't necessarily mean he's not capable of staying dry at home. Therapists don't typically take their patients to the bathroom, and if the parent isn't there what else is he supposed to do for the interim?


I would tread very carefully here btw.

They told you he was special needs. You accepted him into care at your regular rate without any mention of additional charges.

Unless all of those additional charges are applied to every single family in your care and it's itemized in your phb, charging this family more in particular would be against the law. It would be considered discrimination and you very well could be sued.

[Country Kids]

So to clarify....you charge extra if a child needs diaper changes, you charge extra if the child uses a sippy cup, and you charge extra if the child needs help eating....but you also say that you don't charge extra for younger children.....who need help with all of those things?

I'm sorry but as a provider I'm confused by that :confused:

Additionally, as a parent I would be livid if I interviewed a provider and contracted for care at a specific rate and then got a week into care only to be told the day before I was supposed remit payment that they changed their mind and would be charging me more, pay up, tough beans.

If you're continuing to watch the child you need to tell them IMMEDIATELY if you choose to alter the terms of the original contract. If when they are told they choose to leave your care effective immediately they'd be well within their rights as you are altering the original contract in a way they have not yet agreed to.

A sippy in the backpack doesn't mean he can't drink from a cup.

And a diaper on during therapy doesn't necessarily mean he's not capable of staying dry at home. Therapists don't typically take their patients to the bathroom, and if the parent isn't there what else is he supposed to do for the interim?


I would tread very carefully here btw.

They told you he was special needs. You accepted him into care at your regular rate without any mention of additional charges.

Unless all of those additional charges are applied to every single family in your care and it's itemized in your phb, charging this family more in particular would be against the law. It would be considered discrimination and you very well could be sued.

Actually Willow, you can have a different contract for every family in your care. So what is covered for one parent may not apply for another parent.

She actually told them there maybe extra charges at the very beginning. They never mentioned a sippy cup to her or needing a diaper till he started.

If those are things that she charges extra for there would be nothing against the law for that even if at the moment she isn't charging anyone else for it. If no one else uses those services then there would be no reason for her to charge them.

[SquirrellyMama]

I got from the OPs post that she did tell them there were extra charges based on "characteristics" and they chose not to be open about them or maybe they didn't understand the extent. I wouldn't consider putting a diaper on him at the end of the day as a diaper change.

I agree that the fee schedule is very confusing and maybe everyone should be given a list of "extra fees" at the interview and they could check off what they need.

I would give it more than a day before you add on fees.

K

[cheerfuldom]

I was confused just as the PP was. I think you should have been more clear in the fact that you need a trial basis to evaluate the childs full needs to see if you can accommodate them or not. To me, I just dont see putting one diaper on a child or providing one sippy cup as being "extra" care.....and it is my understanding that you cannot charge more for special needs children.

[Willow]

Actually Willow, you can have a different contract for every family in your care. So what is covered for one parent may not apply for another parent.

She actually told them there maybe extra charges at the very beginning. They never mentioned a sippy cup to her or needing a diaper till he started.

If those are things that she charges extra for there would be nothing against the law for that even if at the moment she isn't charging anyone else for it. If no one else uses those services then there would be no reason for her to charge them.

You're grasping at straws there.


They never mentioned he DID need a sippy cup.

Nor do they mention him needing to be diapered. Having a diaper put on as he's walking out the door for an occasional therapy session is no different than putting on a coat....at least to me.


And it still doesn't address how one doesn't charge extra for younger children but does charge for all of the extra things all younger children need.

[countrymom]

I agree with every family is different. We all have the basic contract but if we need to do special then its per family.

I would just be worried about what else they didn't tell you. dumb question, if he is getting his own water then how is he putting the lid on the sippy cup. And why can't whoever takes him to the appointments take him to the bathroom like we take all the other children. Hmmm, this really makes me go hmmm.

[familyschoolcare]

So to clarify....you charge extra if a child needs diaper changes, you charge extra if the child uses a sippy cup, and you charge extra if the child needs help eating....but you also say that you don't charge extra for younger children.....who need help with all of those things?

I'm sorry but as a provider I'm confused by that :confused:

IF the parent had told me from the start that I would need to place the child in a daiper before they leave my house then I would have told them about the extra cost then. If the child can stay dry at my house then the extra cost will not be the same as the child I had last year that needed diapers the whole day.

Additionally, as a parent I would be livid if I interviewed a provider and contracted for care at a specific rate and then got a week into care only to be told the day before I was supposed remit payment that they changed their mind and would be charging me more, pay up, tough beans.

IF the parent had told me from the start that I would need to place the child in a daiper before they leave my house then I would have told them about the extra cost then. If the child can stay dry at my house then the extra cost will not be the same as the child I had last year that needed diapers the whole day.

If you choose to watch this child for a single day you need to tell the parents immediately if you choose to alter the terms of the original contract. If when they are told they choose to leave your care effective immediately they'd be well within their rights as you are altering the original contract in a way they have not yet agreed to.

I am not changing the contract they are adding services that where not discused untill hours before I am schedguled to pick the child up from school. THey already paid for this week. After giving your opinion into consideration I will have the new rate start in two weeks thus giving them the ability to simply give their notice instead. Again they changed the contract not me.

A sippy in the backpack doesn't mean he can't drink from a cup. My kids at 8 and 9 still use lidded cups in the car. I'll be 31 next week and I do too.

If they child can fed themself and drink from a regualr cup then there will not be a additional charge. If the child can feed themselves and needs a sipy cup then there willl be an additional charge just not as musch as the child I had last year that could not feed themselves and drank froma a sippy cup.

And a diaper on during therapy doesn't necessarily mean he's not capable of staying dry at home. Therapists don't typically take their patients to the bathroom, and if the parent isn't there what else is he supposed to do for the interim?

Yes, A diaper for leaving my house does not mean they can not stay dry at my house we will see.

I would tread very carefully here btw.

They told you he was special needs. You accepted him into care at your regular rate without any mention of additional charges.


The nees they presented at the time I accepted the child did not come with additional charges I have had several one enrolled now speicail needs children that do not require services that are an extra charge. I extra fees are appied to every family that needs them, as ai mentioned in my post I have a "regualar ED" student that curently pay for an extra service.

Unless all of those additional charges are applied to every single family in your care and it's itemized in your phb, charging this family more in particular would be against the law. It would be considered discrimination and you very well could be sued.

I answered aboe in red

I hop that clarifios thigs for you and I see you point about raing rates with out notice and I will give notice about it even if it is the parents that miss repersented the care their child needs.

[Willow]

I agree with every family is different. We all have the basic contract but if we need to do special then its per family.

I would just be worried about what else they didn't tell you. dumb question, if he is getting his own water then how is he putting the lid on the sippy cup. And why can't whoever takes him to the appointments take him to the bathroom like we take all the other children. Hmmm, this really makes me go hmmm.

To repeat:

This provider found a sippy cup while investigating the child's backpack.

It was not handed to her and told that she was expected to assist him with it. Could be for use in therapy sessions so avoid spills, for in the car or while visiting grandma if they bring the same bag with everywhere....as most parents do.



There are tampons in the bottom of one of my kiddos diaper bags right now, that doesn't mean they are for the child or for the child to use while in my care

To jump to accusations that because a sippy was found in a backpack means the parent was lying is flat out over kill.

[familyschoolcare]

Just to clarify for everyone the reason I did not whant to send a letter untill Thursday was that would give me two days of giving care tot he child before having to draft the letter thus knowing exactly what extra services are being used/needed

[daycare]

To repeat:

This provider found a sippy cup while investigating the child's backpack.

It was not handed to her and told that she was expected to assist him with it. Could be for use in therapy sessions so avoid spills, for in the car or while visiting grandma if they bring the same bag with everywhere....as most parents do.



There are tampons in the bottom of one of my kiddos diaper bags right now, that doesn't mean they are for the child or for the child to use while in my care

To jump to accusations that because a sippy was found in a backpack means the parent was lying is flat out over kill.

gotta pull some humor out of this....that was super funny that there are tampons in your childs bag.....

Hey maybe the kid might get a bloody nose....yeah thats what they are there for..

I kind of agree with what you are saying willow, but I do understand where the op is coming from too.

I don't think that it would be a good idea to itemize a list of charges, that might scare the family off. Then they will think that you are digging for extra money and what will you come up with next.

Does it say in your PHB or contract that you can charge for such things as you listed?

[Crystal]

hmmmm....I guess what I don't understand is why you would charge more because he uses a sippy or why you would charge more for putting on ONE diaper at the end of the day? I feel like that is really nit-picking prices and would honestl;y consider that to be more work for the provider than the little bit of extra $ is worth.

I also would not be surprised if the parents decide they no longer want to use your services if you decide to tack on these "extras" which, IMO, aren't extras at all, but more along the lines of general child care services.

[familyschoolcare]

hmmmm....I guess what I don't understand is why you would charge more because he uses a sippy or why you would charge more for putting on ONE diaper at the end of the day? I feel like that is really nit-picking prices and would honestl;y consider that to be more work for the provider than the little bit of extra $ is worth.

I also would not be surprised if the parents decide they no longer want to use your services if you decide to tack on these "extras" which, IMO, aren't extras at all, but more along the lines of general child care services.

I think I understand what you are saying. With the Family Day Care I run, using a sippy cup is not general child care as it means keeping extra supplies on hand and extra tie at the end of the day to wash then and it also means tha I have to help the child put water into the cup those are thing s I do not normally do.

As for putting on a daiper at the end of the day it would mean my being in the otherroom and if I leave the child for that 5 min then some one will hit/kcik or look at funny someone else. Again something I normaly do not do and creates more work for me. I do not even help lput on coats or shoes. I run a school aged program and the childrencan do that for themselves.

[newtodaycare22]

I'm curious....is he actually going potty today?

[Willow]

I do not even help lput on coats or shoes.

This just blows my mind......I'm sorry, but seriously?


I'm all about encouraging self help skills but that's just so far out of my realm of comprehension that you couldn't be bothered to help a child put their shoes on with the alternative being you'd charge the parents if you ever were......



Different strokes for different folks I suppose. To each their own.