I was delighted to be asked to speak at Jacqueline Webb & Co’s Expert Witness Conference on Wednesday, 25th June, held at the elegant Belfry Hotel in Sutton Coldfield. The session on costing for childcare was a wonderful opportunity to engage with many committed expert witnesses and medico-legal professionals.
I covered 3 key areas around costing for childcare:
Defining Childcare Roles: I opened by distinguishing between the numerous childcare roles, including: SEN/D Nannies and Mannies, Specialist Nannies/Mannies, Family Support Workers, Parent Supports, and the different Night Care roles.
Factors Influencing Rates: I discussed our Recommended Wage Rates at Snap Care, and I addressed variables affecting rates—experience required, geographic location (including rural locations), complexity of care, and market demand—to illustrate why childcare costs can fluctuate.
Lastly, is the job being costed for Viable/Recruitable? The core question. When experts provide childcare costing, are they pricing a recruitable, real-job scenario rather than a theoretical estimate?
The conference featured several excellent speakers, including Daniel Laking, Dr Jan Smith and Gerard Martin, whose talks illustrated the weight and responsibility of expert witness work.
Thank you to all the team at Jacqueline Webb for inviting me to your thought-provoking conference—special thanks to Jenny Duffield and Shoshana Hobbs for their impeccable organisation and support on the day.