Why You Still Charge When a Child Is Absent and How to Explain It

Running a family child care program means balancing what works best for children, families, and your business. One common challenge is deciding what to do when a child is absent. Should parents still pay? How do you explain this policy without it turning into a debate? In this post, we will walk through why many providers charge for absent days, how to communicate your policy clearly, and ways to avoid conflicts down the road. 

Parents may keep their child home for many reasons:

• The child is sick

• The family is on vacation

• The child is spending time with grandparents

• Other personal reasons

Sometimes, they will ask:

“Why do I have to pay for days my child is not here?”

The Simple Answer

If you have a written contract that clearly states when payment is required, you can respond:

“It is part of my policy.”

Your contract sets expectations from the start. If you have already explained the payment rules before enrollment, you do not need to go into long explanations or defend your decision each time.

A Short Script You Can Use

If you want to provide a professional and respectful explanation, you can say something like:

“Your payment ensures that I am ready and available to care for your child every day we have agreed on. If your child is absent, I cannot offer that space to another family for just one day, so the payment protects my income and keeps your child’s spot reserved. You are paying for the guarantee of care, whether or not it is used on a given day.”

Setting and Enforcing Your Policy

You have the right to decide how absences are handled. You may choose to offer a certain number of sick or vacation days without payment, or you may require payment for all contracted days. You may also decide whether to charge for your own vacation or holiday closures.

The key is to decide on your policy, communicate it clearly during enrollment, and answer any questions before the contract is signed. Once parents understand the policy, you can avoid many conflicts by consistently enforcing it.

What is your policy?