How To Tell Parents You Are Raising Rates?

[sahdaycaremom]

How do you let you dcp's know that you are raising rates? Do you tell them in person? If so, how do you go about bringing it up? Or do you send a note home? newsletter? I am renewing my contract and changing my rates in january and wanted to give the parents some notice. I am not good with comming out and telling parents that sort of thing. Any ideas would be much appreciated! Thanks in advance.
sahdaycaremom

[Unregistered]

I have only raised my rates when a new family starts. Everyone else keeps their original rate for the duration. Usually 3-4 years.

[marniewon]

I've never done it, but i think if I did, I would make up a new contract for everyone and give them a month in advance - tell them they need to sign and return in a week or two (give a return date). And maybe a little note attached to the contract saying "due to the cost of living/cost of supplies (whatever you want to say) your rates will change effective Jan 1, 2011. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions." Many dcp's renew contracts at the first of the year, so this isn't really unheard of.

[MarinaVanessa]

I have in imy handbook that I may raise my rates each year but not more than once a year. When I do raise my rates I word it to say that I will be raising my rates at $1 a week so it doesn't sound like I'm gouging them. In fact this is a $52 raise per child since I get paid weekly and there are 52 weeks in a year (minus of course the families vacation time). I got this wonderful idea from a post here in the forum and it has worked wonderfully. Reminds me of when something costs $19.99 because if it said $20 you'd be like "wow, that's a lot" .

When I get new families I charge them the next year's rate with the increase included so that they don't feel like they just signed up and now they're getting a rate increase. I also don't actually raise my rates each year. Probably more like every 2 years.

[Live and Learn]

I raised my rates a couple of years ago and did it face to face. I work for teachers so the rates changed in Sept. I notified them in June at the end of the school year. I also gave them each a note at that time breaking down my new payment schedule. I did lose one of my families but in all fairness I am not sure they would have stuck around if my rates had remained the same because the dcd had lost his job. The spot was filled with another teacher's kid the first week in September.