# The cost of Childminding



## De Boss

I was wondering if anyone could let me know what they pay for childminding costs?

I have 3 children who have been with a childminder for a year and are happy and settled.  I was paying her €100 per week per child. Now she has raised her fee to €150 per week per child.  I am in shock as I cannot afford €450 a week in childcare. Our minder lives out in the country - is this a reasonable request from her?  Do others find this cheap??!!


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## niceoneted

That's a fairly dramatic raise 50%!! I think that is about normal although I have a sister that is in a big provincial town and she minds kids. She charges 125 per child but takes 110 for second kids from the same family. 
If your children are happy and settled it may be worth negotiating. Would you be happy to pay 120 per child or maybe even 125? Still a big hike. Do you pay her when she's on holiday? 
I have no kids myself so only know from what friends and family are paying/charging.


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## Summer

My son is school going and the creche will drop and collect him to and from school. The creche is open from 7 a.m. to 6.30pm and provides all food. The cost per week is €130. These are Dublin rates.


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## De Boss

Thanks niceoneted.  No, thankfully, I dont pay her holiday pay.  If there are bank holidays in the week I would pay, but if we were off, say for 2 weeks at Christmas, she wouldnt get paid.

I know I am lucky in this respect as some of my friends have to pay all year round, but I am still in shock over the increase!

Anyone else have any ideas of childminding costs? Its from 8.00-5.00 Monday - Friday.


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## Samantha

I pay EUR 140 for 5 days a week 7 to 4.30, I paid her half pay during the holidays for the baby, for the toddler that go to Montessori it is EUR 80


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## NHG

I pay €25 per day from 8.15 to 5.00 and the days that my child goes playschool (which he just started) I pay her €15 from 1.00 to 5.00.  I pay her in full for holidays.  I get paid for my holidays! I provide all the food.  My babyminder is brilliant and all the kids there are treated as if they are part of the family and will even take the child if he is sick!

My sister-in-law in Nass pays €850 per month in a creche and its from 8.00 to 6.00 and they provide all the food - she drops to baby in and they give her her breakfast and she has had her dinner before she is collected.  She gets a chart as to what the child has eaten during the day etc.  If child has more than 2 dirty nappies in the day they have to come and pick her up - not much good when both are out working and no family living near!  

Same thing as happened you happened a friend of mine she was paying €100 for 1 child and when she had the second the babyminder looked for €250 for the two - my friend nearly died, but negotiated a better deal as the babyminder was brilliant (baybminder provided the food - i can't understand how €100 could have been paying her in the first place)  

Hope everything works out for you.


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## Trish2006

€150 per week sounds fine but I would expect a family discount, usually up to 20% especially since you have 3 with her, so that'd be €360.  I'd try negotiating for something around that but if she digs in her heels just say you can't afford it, I mean it's not a ridiculous price but it would mean you having to come up with an extra €645 (150x4.3) per month which is a bit much to expect from anyone.  I pay €135 to a creche for my son for 3 days a week.  So her price is fine but the sudden jump is not.  Maybe you could agree to up it in stages so you could get used to the increase over time.


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## my2leftfeet

We have one school going child with a childminder - who charges €200 per week. This is 52 weeks per year - 7.45am to 6pm.  School drop and collection included. We think this is very expensive but do not have another option as school drop is very difficult to get.
We also have baby in a creche - open 7.30am to 6.30pm. €930 per month. We supply everything ... food, nappies etc.


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## LMNOP

Our minder charges €40/day for 2. Ex food. We pay holidays. Playschool is seperate. 
I know a lot now charge hourly rates between €6 - €9.
We are based in North Dublin.


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## Purple

Does Rollercoaster.ie have more details on this?


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## 1308dorina

My childminder charges me €20 per day......from 8.30 until 4.45ish.....i provide the food. When my daughter is at preschool she has her from 13.00 until 4.45ish and i give her €15.
She won't take money for any days that I am off.
I have to say i think this is a very cheap rate.....i'm very lucky with this woman......other people i know pay more than this and also have to pay for their days off


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## pc7

de boss did you ask your childminder to negotiate? any update?


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## ClubMan

1308dorina said:


> My childminder charges me €20 per day......from 8.30 until 4.45ish


Wow!!! Less than a third of the minimum wage. Are they indentured?


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## Thrifty1

ClubMan said:


> Wow!!! Less than a third of the minimum wage. Are they indentured?


 
Probably minding kids in own home, or Mothers home and getting food provided, cash in hand, no qualifications. You can hardly expect them to be paid minimum wage.
Yes its cheap but hardly slave labour.


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## ClubMan

Where does it say that the minimum wage is dependent on qualifications? Maybe the food *is *worth c. €6 an hour though?


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## 1308dorina

She minds her in her own home......i have offered to give her more money and she won't accept it......i try to make up for it by giving her really nice presents on special occasions but i do appreciate that it's probably the cheapest around.


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## Purple

ClubMan said:


> Wow!!! Less than a third of the minimum wage. Are they indentured?



Depends on how many children she is minding.


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## Thrifty1

ClubMan said:


> Where does it say that the minimum wage is dependent on qualifications? Maybe the food *is *worth c. €6 an hour though?


 
Minimum wage isnt but childcare costs are. You would pay a creche or qualified childminder a lot more than that.


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## De Boss

Hi pc7, I havent got back to the childminder yet.  I have to consider that one child is about to start school, and also how much I can afford - if I am just handing my wages straight over then there is no point in working!

I was thinking €125 per child plus €80 for school going child - this is €330 pw instead of €450. Does this sound fair?  Please be honest as I don't want to insult her - she is a great childminder!


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## De Boss

my2leftfeet said:


> We have one school going child with a childminder - who charges €200 per week. This is 52 weeks per year - 7.45am to 6pm. School drop and collection included. We think this is very expensive but do not have another option as school drop is very difficult to get.
> We also have baby in a creche - open 7.30am to 6.30pm. €930 per month. We supply everything ... food, nappies etc.


 

Holy crap! Nearly €2,000 a month!! That is more than my monthly wages!!  What on earth do you live on??


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## niceoneted

I think this sounds like a fair compromise - a 25% hike. 80 sounds very good for the school going lad. Just explain that you feel it is too much of a hike and that perhaps you could review it again in 12 months. I wonder is there any particular reason why she wanted such a hike in the first place. Does she mind any other children or just yours? Do you bring all the food etc for the kids? Will she have to do the school run for the child that is starting school. Perhaps she was thinking of this and maybe it's an inconvenience for her and that's why she put up her price. 
Open to what others think. 

Also did you think to sit down and crunch the numbers and see if you could take a few years out from work? Is it possible for you to take a career break/leave of absence? You might have an even better child minder then ;-)


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## my2leftfeet

Originally Posted by *my2leftfeet* http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?p=451293#post451293 
_We have one school going child with a childminder - who charges €200 per week. This is 52 weeks per year - 7.45am to 6pm. School drop and collection included. We think this is very expensive but do not have another option as school drop is very difficult to get.
We also have baby in a creche - open 7.30am to 6.30pm. €930 per month. We supply everything ... food, nappies etc._


[Holy crap! Nearly €2,000 a month!! That is more than my monthly wages!! What on earth do you live on??]

De Boss ... I know it's very steep. It is still worth my while to work financially ... and def mentally! I think the charges for the baby are ok - it's open 52 weeks a year etc. etc. It's paying a minder €200 per week 52 weeks for child who goes to school that kind of hurts ... but as I said ... we haven't been able to find another option. I would gladly pay that to a creche as it is a proper business but they won't do the school drop!


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## De Boss

my2leftfeet said:


> Originally Posted by *my2leftfeet* http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?p=451293#post451293
> 
> De Boss ... I know it's very steep. It is still worth my while to work financially ... and def mentally!
> 
> I'll mind your children for you, at that price!!
> 
> Better still, do you fancy swapping jobs???....


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## pc7

hi de boss definately fair offer, as you say you can't be working to just fund it that would be soul destroying. I wonder does the minder want to stop minding them and is using the cost as a reason for you to say no way?? lets know how it goes, don't have any kiddies yet myself but reading the posts on aam its terrifying that childminding is the cost of a mortgage!!


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## my2leftfeet

I would also agree that it is a fair offer.
Let us know how you get on.
And if anyone knows of anywhere that does school drop in Rathfarnham area ... please PM me!!!


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## HappyGillmor

We pay €350 per week for three children in our house, one a 4 month old. this invollves collecting from school etc. This is good value i think and i think any more than 400 is excessive.


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## De Boss

pc7 said:


> I wonder does the minder want to stop minding them and is using the cost as a reason for you to say no way??


 

Hi pc7. I dont believe this is the case, she minds a few other children aswell, and is always telling me my children are well behaved and no trouble. I have to say my children are generally quiet, even at home, (don't think they're angels - they sure have their moments like every child), so I don't believe she would lie about that.


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## Trish2006

How many other kids does she mind?  If she minds another 3 and gets €150 for each then she'd be pulling in €3600 per month.  Do you think she declares this income?  If she's not paying tax then this is a pretty income at €43k no tax, equiv of > €60k for someone who is paying tax.  Of course she may be completely above board but I think there seem to be plenty of childminders who work cash in hand, most earning below the threshold mind you.  Over maybe 6 kids if they're all going from €100 to €150 per week then that's a serious jump in her income!
I'd definitely still try to negotiate though...


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## Jaid79

My wife is planning on returning to work very soon. This will be part-time permenant 2 days a week. We have a child minder, who is a friend of the family, she has said she is happy to look after our son and only wants the going rate.

What is the going rate based on 8-5 working day 2 days a week. She will only be minding one child and we will supply all the nappys food etc. Bearing in mind our son is been looked after in her own house.

We offered her 40E per day but she wants 60E if we settled on 50E p day would that be a fair arrangement?

We really dont want this lady feeling used and want to give her the going rate.

It may be posable in a number of months time the my wife will be working full time. If we agree a high daly charge based on two days only this my make my wife working pointless. The main reason she is going back to work is to keep her hand in at what is qualified to do.


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## pc7

hi jaid79 as i say don't have kiddies so not sure but if its 9 hours work for 50 quid that's less than minimum wage €5.55 an hour (but with it being cash in hand etc maybe that is fair) but from reading previous posts in the thread seems a good deal for both sides.


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## Trish2006

From trawling through rollercoaster.ie on childminding I would consider €40 - €50 to be the norm.  Haven't come across too many cases of €60 per day.  I know it's only 2 days a week but even in a creche 7.30 - 6.15 I'm only paying €45 per day based on a 3 day week (in Dubli)n.  I think €60 is above the norm.  I know it's less than minimum wage but you're providing all the necessaries and it's in her own home so she can still go about her business, just with your child there too.  I mean it's not like she'll be minding at the expense of doing her housework, shopping, being able to take personal phone calls, meet a friend for coffee, etc.  or maybe she's incredibly conscientious and will devote 100% of her time to entertaining your child.


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## Jaid79

Trish2006 said:


> or maybe she's incredibly conscientious and will devote 100% of her time to entertaining your child.


 
He sleeps 40% of the time, he is a great little lad very very happy, I think we should have called him Sunny "A Very Proud dad speaking"


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## my2leftfeet

Jaid79 ... it's very difficult to get part-time childcare arrangements. I would say that EUR50 per day was fair


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## Jaid79

my2leftfeet said:


> Jaid79 ... it's very difficult to get part-time childcare arrangements. I would say that EUR50 per day was fair


 
We have it sorted now she settled for 50E and we are happy to give it to her. She is a really nice lady and I`m sure our son will get on well with her.


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## pc7

ah that's great glad its all sorted out


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## SarahMc

> It's paying a minder €200 per week 52 weeks for child who goes to school that kind of hurts ... but as I said ... we haven't been able to find another option.* I would gladly pay that to a creche as it is a proper business* but they won't do the school drop!


 
Eh, so is a Childminder!!  

National average is about 130 euro, counties surrounding Dublin, about 160 euro and Dublin 180 euro.  A 10% sibling discount would be normal.


Childmnders are self employed, and unless they come to your home, minumum wage does not apply.


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## Purple

SarahMc said:


> Eh, so is a Childminder!!
> 
> National average is about 130 euro, counties surrounding Dublin, about 160 euro and Dublin 180 euro.  A 10% sibling discount would be normal.
> 
> 
> Childmnders are self employed, and unless they come to your home, minumum wage does not apply.


Most childminders are not registered and work in the black economy and like Liam Lawlor and CJH they are tax evaders 
so in that context it is correct to say the crèches are proper businesses.


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## sarasara

hey all...i am just wondering what you think would be an accecptable fee for minding one 8 year old three days a week...full day as school hols are on...bearing in mind that the childminder drops her three year old at creche for a half day on these three days so she will have to return home to mind the 8 year old. (8:30am to 5:30pm) ...and stuck inside all day due to our lovley weather! lol


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## my2leftfeet

Quote:

It's paying a minder €200 per week 52 weeks for child who goes to school that kind of hurts ... but as I said ... we haven't been able to find another option.* I would gladly pay that to a creche as it is a proper business* but they won't do the school drop!

Quote "Eh, so is a Childminder!!" SarahMc

My childminder gets €200 per week cash - 52 weeks per year.  She is "closed"  when she goes on holidays.  The money I pay to the creche is fully declared and they don't close down for holidays.


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## Klesser

Purple,
Do you know that for a fact?  And if so could you post a link to where you got the information please?


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## RainyDay

Purple said:


> Most childminders are not registered and work in the black economy and like Liam Lawlor and CJH they are tax evaders
> so in that context it is correct to say the crèches are proper businesses.



Isn't there a specific allowance (€10k?) for child-minding income that is tax-free?


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## Eeyore

Yes. In fact its been increased to €15k.


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## Scottish_mum

I too was wondering what to charge a childminder.She will only be working part time about 34 hours per fortnight does any one know what i should charge??


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## Purple

RainyDay said:


> Isn't there a specific allowance (€10k?) for child-minding income that is tax-free?



But they still have to be registered and the ones that mind a few kids make more than €15k


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## SarahMc

> My childminder gets €200 per week cash - 52 weeks per year. She is "closed" when she goes on holidays. The money I pay to the creche is fully declared and they don't close down for holidays.


 
Many creches, especially small scale ones, do close for at least two weeks of the year.  You also pay a creche in cash.  Just because you pay in cash does not been the money is not declared.  How on earth do you know your childminder is not declaring the money, or are you assuming?


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## my2leftfeet

Quote: 

"Many creches, especially small scale ones, do close for at least two weeks of the year"
The one we are using doesn't

"You also pay a creche in cash"
We pay by monthly direct debit

"How on earth do you know your childminder is not declaring the money" 
She told me.


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## nelly

Am i missing something here - "closing for 2 weeks in the year" - surely this has no bearing on the quality given?

I don't get why a "proper business" would be a better choice either, I would prefer if someone was minding my child and not seeing it as a business which most childminders do not (I thought anyway) , as they find themselves home because they working full time does not suit them etc. 
TBQH I wouldn't begrudge a childminder the cash - if they pay tax on it its their business but since I paid tax on it I suppose I reckon what harm.

I know i am in for such a land if i ever go down that road....


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## Mel

I pay my childminder in cash, and I also know that she doesn't declare this (she minds several kids, various arrangements, part time, after school etc) or the money she earns from keeping foreign students as she has also told me, and given me her various 'reasons' why she won't.


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## my2leftfeet

I signed up to the arrangement with childminder knowing the money was not being declared. It's none of my business.  She minds 4 or 5 children ... some full time, some part time.  Probably clears between about €700 per week. She does a job that I would not want to do.

My preference would be to have my school going child as an after-schooler in the creche where the baby is - because it is open all year round and there is the back-up of a business where if one minder is sick someone has to cover. Also there would be the added convenience of one drop off/collection for both.

Have just worked out that we are paying considerably more per hour [pro rata] for the school going child than the baby!


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## my2leftfeet

I signed up to the arrangement with childminder knowing the money was not being declared. It's none of my business.  She minds 4 or 5 children ... some full time, some part time.  Probably clears between about €700 per week. She does a job that I would not want to do.

My preference would be to have my school going child as an after-schooler in the creche where the baby is - because it is open all year round and there is the back-up of a business where if one minder is sick someone has to cover. Also there would be the added convenience of one drop off/collection for both.

Have just worked out that we are paying considerably more per hour [pro rata] for the school going child than the baby!


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## Mel

my2leftfeet said:


> She does a job that I would not want to do.
> 
> ....
> 
> Have just worked out that we are paying considerably more per hour [pro rata] for the school going child than the baby!


 
I agree on both counts; I couldn't imagine doing that job and keeping my sanity. I (and others I know) also expected the cost of childcare to decrease once they started school, but this isn't the case.


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