Scaling creche charges - normal or not?

10-10-20

Is it common for creche charges to scale as the child moves from room to room? Ours don't, or if they do, they haven't notified us yet. I will have to ask in the creche but I just wanted to know if it's normal to do this.

For example -
0 to 1 years old are cared for at a ratio of 1:3.
1 to 2 years old are cared for at a ratio of 1:5.
3 to 4 at a ratio of 1:8.

Therefore, a room which is filled with twenty-four 3 to 4 year olds and three minders generates a lot more profit than a room filled with nine 0 to 1 year olds with three minders.

Would I not be right in then proposing that by maintaining the hourly charge at the same level for the babies and the older kids means that the older kids rate is excessive and is potentially being used to offset the rates for the younger?

Maybe that's business, but... it's a recession! Opinions?

Wise Old Elf

AFAIK, the ratio for babies and 1-2 year olds is a mimimum set by the HSE for registered creches.
I thought it was 1:3 for babies (under 1) and 1:6 after that, but I never looked it up.
I see your point on the profitability, but I suppose no one is minding someone else's kids for the good of their health!

Moonbeam

There are clauses in some of the contracts relating to deposits and taking babies out of the creche.
The creche we used didn't use a sliding scale of fees but charged the same for all rooms.

hoodwinked

ours are charging the same for all but after school,

i guess their wages bill is the same, every year so its probably fairer to cover that cost equally over everyone then start charging one price for one and another price for another, depending on staff/child ratio.

aniascor

Ours scales - under 18 months is about 10% more expensive than over 18 months. But other than that, it doesn't change. I always assumed that it meant that the baby room was somewhat subsidised by the older rooms, because even with 3 children per carer, I couldn't see how they'd have anything left over after insurance and running costs, together with wages. Doesn't bother me, but of course, we used the baby room for the first few months, so I was happy to spread the cost to later years.

beazee

We were charged ca. €195 pw for <1 yo. Then €175. And as soon as he turned 3 - €145. For a couple of weeks only.
They have now switched to a single fee for every child no matter the age @ €165 pw (would have save me ca. €1720)

ash23

My child is a lot older now but I used to pay €1000 per month for 0 to 12 months, then €850 for 12-24 months, €525 for 24 months to afterschool age and €325 for afterschool care.