About how you handle early/outside of contracted hours drop-offs?

I wrote in yesterday about a current DCF that asked about early drop-off today & promised to pick up early. I asked for a time but they said they were unable to give a specific time since they would be attending a funeral but promised that as soon as it was over they would pick up. DCB has been here for 7hrs already & I have not heard from DCP about pick up. I am beyond frustrated & have decided that this will be the last favor for this family. I have nothing left to give. I agreed to not charging them for the extended hours for today & now Im feeling even more taken advantage of since DCB is still here.

So how SHOULD I have handled this? I have already told DCP that from now on, I want any schedule changes to be submitted in writing at least 48hrs in advance, my reasoning being that I am tired of being put on the spot. But is there anything else? I want to write up a new policy & have DCP sign it. No more Mr. Nice Heart

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I would create a MINIMUM number of hours you will charge for and a MAXIMUM of hours of care you will allow.

When DCP's say they don't know what time they will pick up, automatically apply the MAXIMUM amount of time and charge for it. Once parents realize you will automatically use the MAX rate, they suddenly have schedules and pick up times figured out.
to the $.

The trick is ALWAYS default to what benefits YOU the most.

Make sense? If not, I can elaborate...

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-changes in drop off and pick up times outside of contracted hours are submitted in writing, with a minimum of 48 hours advance notice. They will be billed at X/hr, regardless of change in amount of time scheduled. (Mine is $5, but even if they pick up early, it's still a charge for early drop off)

I made a form for it, and have it by the door for parents. They MUST write in a one time change of both drop off and pick up times, I list the shortened version of the policy on the bottom of the form, and they are expected to submit payment for the additional hours at drop off.

ONE TIME SCHEDULE REQUEST FORM

Date of requested change: ___________
requested drop off time: ____________
requested pick up time: _____________


*schedule changes are handled on a case by case basis and are not guaranteed. Provider will approve or deny schedule request changes within 24 hours of requesting. Schedule changes are charged at the rate of $5 an hour or portion thereof, due at drop off. Schedule changes that exceed my closing time or 10 hour/day limit will not be accepted.

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I do contracted care. Say, 7:15-5:15 m-f.
If they need to drop at 6:15 one day, and give me notice more than 24 hours, and ask nicely, I charge them $10 per hour. If they do not give notice I charge $20 per hour.
If they pick up late I charge $15 for first 15 min block of time. Each additional minute is $1.
So if they dropped at 6:15 with no notice and picked up 20 min late I would charge $20 plus $15 plus $5.
With notice I would charge $10/$15/$5.

For the extra time.

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Oh, and once they contract for those hours- no taking back. My late pick up fees start at the new pick up time for that day- regardless of what their contract says. That slip of paper is like a drop in contract for that day.

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My policy, early in early out. If they want to come earlier then they need to pick up earlier.

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I do contracted hours... if you need before or after your scheduled times I require a minimum 24 hours advance notice & you pay my $6 hour overtime fee, provided it works with my current schedule regardless if it's 10 minutes or 50 (if I say no to the request you find another option as stated in my policies); no notice it's $10 per 10 minutes (or part of)... and yes I have charged parents over 120 in one day for pulling the 'I didn't know' card; I still have the same family, 2nd baby & they have never tried to drop early/pu late since that first time

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