How much do I charge?

[Butterfly1123]

Hi there,
I've been offered to watch my friends baby full time when she goes back to work. Her daughter will be 1 yr. I am a Mom of a 7 yr old, & I live in the south end of Ottawa. What is the going rate? I have no idea what to charge.
Thanking you in advance for your help.

[Play and Learn]

In the daycarebear website, search your postal code, and you'll find rates.

Also, just a word of advice, make up a manual and a contract so that she doesn't try to 'walk' over you as a provider. If you need help on this, please send me a PM.

[Unsiyyah]

Greetings to all, I hope that I can open my home care by Aug 2012 at the latest. I've done some research, I am passionate, not a mom (yet) but I've been tutoring/teaching young children overseas as well as local community centers and my local Junior school for years.
I have a long way to go but I'm dedicated and on my way. I'm glad to join. I wanted to know how often things change....it feels like things are always changing but at the same time I thought one would care for a child from infancy to school age---so how common is that vs constantly changing clients/situations.

[playfelt]

You don't say what province you are in so that makes a difference as children start school at different ages in different areas.

One of the things that causes the turnover for us is that most children start care at a year old and if mom has a second baby and goes on maternity leave they may remove the older child totally or want them to move to just a couple days a week. That means that you may only have a child for a year before the maternity leave starts. Then if the family returns after the maternity leave it is only a year until the older child starts school. So yes we do a lot of transitioning new children, spend a lot of time in the infant/toddler catagory for programming. As well many children leave home care and move to a daycare centre/ montessori or a similar nursery school program by age 3-4.

I would totally prepare your setup to deal with the really little ones and then home to keep them as long as you can.

[Unsiyyah]

Thanks, I'm in Ontario. Also can I be license yet not start work right away?

[playfelt]

We don't have a license system in Ontario. Only daycare centres are licensed and there are some agencies that are licensed and will contract with providers for services but it is the agency that is licensed not the caregiver. Most caregivers work independently. You are allowed to care for 5 children aged 0 - 10 years old and your own children do not count in that number of 5. Other than that there aren't really any rules just best practices you pick up from talking to other caregivers.

[Cadillac]

You are allowed to care for 5 children aged 0 - 10 years old and your own children do not count in that number of 5.

Really? I thought it was 5 children including your own. can you direct me where I could get this info? It would save me quite a bit of money as I bring in an assistant for when I have more than five children.

[playfelt]

If you are with an agency then your own children under 6 count in the numbers as well as there are age restrictions. When you are private it is five children plus your own and can be any age mix you feel comfortable with.

Just type Ontario Day Nurseries Act in a search. There is a very small section for homecare. You can also go to our association website and I am pretty sure there is the information on the website http://www.ccprn.com

[jec]

Also, just a word of advice, make up a manual and a contract so that she doesn't try to 'walk' over you as a provider. If you need help on this, please send me a PM.

be careful when taking on friends and family ~ make sure you have something put together so there is no misunderstandings between you that could end up ruining your relationship

[sunnydays]

Actually, bringing in an issistant for when you are over your number limit is not a solution as you would still be running illegally. The 5 kids plus your own rule is per "premise", so even if you have 5 caregivers in one home and 6 daycare kids, that would be illegal. As Playfelt said, if you are not with an agency, you can have 5 daycare kids plus your own kids at any one time. This is why you also cannot have another daycare provider come over with her daycare kids for a playdate unless your total number of daycare kids between you is 5 or less.

Really? I thought it was 5 children including your own. can you direct me where I could get this info? It would save me quite a bit of money as I bring in an assistant for when I have more than five children.