Holding Deposit - What is Your Policy?

[momma2girls]

What do daycare providers do to hold a spot, maternity, summers, or for weeks til they need care again????
This is what I do- I have a 2 week deposit if it is for a maternity or summers off for teachers. Just wondering what others have for their holding policy.
THanks!!

[DBug]

I have just had my first request to hold a spot. I decided to charge half-rate to reserve the spot, and I'll use the same procedure in the future. I wrote up a contract saying that each month's reservation fee must be paid in advance, until care starts, with a $100 cancellation fee if she changes her mind before then. I also offered a certain number of hours of free care during the reservation period (in this case it was 4 hours a month). She's reserved the spot for May, and seemed quite happy with the terms :-)

[mac60]

Here is my maternity leave/sick leave policy: I don't have a written policy for holding a spot to a new client.....but I got burnt before, I held a spot for 4 months then was told child was scared of dogs and we have 2 and parents knew it. I will have to come up with something though.

MATERNITY LEAVE and EXTENDED SICK LEAVE (parent or child)

I do not offer an unpaid maternity leave or extended sick leave for families because my business and my income are based on my enrollment at all times. I do offer to keep the spot open for you using the following guidelines:

 If your child is here 5 days per week----I will hold the spot open for up to 12 weeks at ½ rate per week. You may continue to bring your child during these weeks 2 days a week for this rate. If you would like to continue to bring your child more than 2 days per week during this time, the regular daily rate will apply.

 If your child is here 4 days a week -----I will hold the spot open for up to 12 weeks at ½ rate per week. You may continue to bring your child during these weeks 2 days a week for this rate. If you would like to continue to bring your child more than 2 days during this time, the regular daily rate will apply.

 If your child is here 3 days a week ----I will hold the spot open for up to 12 weeks for ½ rate per week. You may bring your child 1 day per week at this rate. If you would like to continue to bring your child more than 1 day per week during this time, the regular daily rate will apply.

 Under the extended sickness policy, full payment is expected for the first 2 consecutive weeks off.

 Full payment for the first 2 consecutive weeks off of maternity leave is not expected because it is a planned leave of absence. If you start a week and then go on maternity leave during the middle of the week, payment is expected at regular rate for that week, and then your hold the spot rate will start the following week.

 If additional time off is needed, please let me know, I am sure we can work out an agreement.

 The hold the spot rates above are based on 1 child per family, it will increase the more children I am holding the spot for.


What about layoffs, what have any of you done in this situation.

[jen]

That is very generous of you. I don't offer any kind of reduced rate for maternity or layoffs and I don't take part time kids...

[laundryduchess@yahoo.com]

I offer one free week of absense per year, with each additional week being 1/2 rate. I do not advertise the slot but should someone call , interview, and decide to use me, I let the original family decide if they want to continue care at full time or let the new family take their spot and go to a part time and drop in spot. Ive never had to do this because my license allows for 10 kids at one time in my mixed age group home. I typically keep 8 full time and 2 part time kids at a time. So I usually have a couple openings that I can work with.

[Unregistered]

I have been in business two years. I have not had the extended absence thing come up yet. But, I think I would do the 1/2 rate for the specified time desired up to 6 weeks. I do not think I would allow the child to come part time during that time. If they attend, they pay the full rate. I have had a layoff and there was "no end in sight". I worked with them on a daily rate (which I dont normally offer) while he was doing some side work. However, I told them I would have to fill the spot after the first couple weeks of that. It ended up working out because a few months later a child dropped at the same time they were ready to come back.