Letter of Termination

[tan1959]

I have cared for a child since child was 10 months, child is now 34 months old. Gradually mindee's behaviour became more of a challenge in the last year and a half. Have discussed strategies with parents etc but they appear to be in complete denial stressing that behaviour is boisterous and showing off. I totally disagree with them and although I have spoken to our Local Early Years team (who when we are at the Children's Centre playgroups, can also see the type of unwanted behaviour mindee displays) the parent still feels any support or intervention ie. perhaps obtaining funding to get some 1-1 in my setting for 15 hrs pw, is not necessary and does not want her child labelled which is far from what I am trying to do, so have not been able to get parents on board.

I have come to a very difficult decision and have asked for mindee to attend at reduced hours this week (as a cooling off period) so as not to come into contact with 2 other children who have refused to come because of mindee, ie they cry and will not come through the door without being picked up and placed inside my house!

This has become a terrible situation whereby 3 of the children in my care have been so affected in a (emotionally especially) negative way by mindee's behaviour, that I feel contact should not take place between them.

Can anybody please help me with a letter of termination? I will give four weeks notice as agreed in our Contract but the hours mindee can attend are 'reduced' hours only so as to prevent contact with the other children. So do I need to list the behaviours in the letter? Parents are aware of all behaviours.

I have of course implemented many strategies to try and help the child overcome these behaviours without fail.

Can anybody please help with letter.

<Note from admin - while we understand the stress you are under we have removed information about the child's behaviours as this is an open forum and we feel the details might be identifying>

Many thanks in advance.

[bunyip]

You do not have to give a reason for termination of a contract on the normal notice period. It would be different if you were giving immediate notice, but you are not: you are respecting the contracted notice period. As such, it is a business decision, not a moral judgement, and so you should never feel the need to justify it.

[bunyip]

I should've mentioned, there's a sample contract termination document and other guidance in the free downloads section of this website.

Contract Termination (http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/freeresources/Free%20downloads/contracttermination.html)

[Tazmin68]

Again as previous minder has said as long as you are giving 4 weeks notice you do not have to give a reason to end contract so do not worry. You need to consider other children which you are. I had to end a contract fortunately it was during the 4 weeks settling in period I still gave then two weeks notice but I needed to do it as child was physically abusive violent and swearing at me and my own child who was 3 at the time started to copy.

[tan1959]

Thanks Moderator and Bunyip.

Tazmin68, similar situation with my mindee but many other behaviours for me to consider sadly. I am hoping parents will allow me to help settle mindee into a new setting so it can be gradual, I have arranged for mindee to have 1-1 with me for two days pw during notice period so I can help with this but I very much doubt that they will be receptive to my suggestion. Very sad to think I have had a part in mindee's life all this time for me then to have to give notice.

[tan1959]

Something has just occurred to me; as I am changing the hours that the mindee usually attends to less hours with immediate effect and during our notice period, do I need to give a reason for that in the letter? obviously parents know why mindee cannot have contact with 2 of the other mindees. Thanks

[bunyip]

Something has just occurred to me; as I am changing the hours that the mindee usually attends to less hours with immediate effect and during our notice period, do I need to give a reason for that in the letter? obviously parents know why mindee cannot have contact with 2 of the other mindees. Thanks

Hmmm...? Good point.

As a general rule, any significant changes to a contract should happen after the due notice period has been given (i.e. 4 weeks in most cases.) The exception is that you can make a change with no/less notice if both parties agree to it. I'm not aware that you ever need to give a reason. BUT giving a reason might, in some cases, help to gain parent's consent for an immediate change (or it can backfire and P them off completely, depending on circumstances.) AND some CMs I know of have cornered themselves with their own policies by stating they will give reasons for everything little thing they do.

I would always be cautious about giving reasons for things parents might not want to hear. This is because:-

1. I know you wouldn't say this, but anything the parent might interpret as "I don't want your child cos he's a brat" or "I just can't cope" will go down badly and may be used in gossip against you.
2. It's possible the parents might find a way of twisting things so you get accused of discrimination of some sort. If the unacceptable behaviour later gets diagnosed as some sort of 'disorder' or 'learning difficulty' then they could be banging on your door with a copy of the Equality Act faster than you can say "scapegoat." (After all, there's no such thing as "naughtiness" any longer - it's all 'disorders' and 'syndromes'.)

I think your next step should be a call to the legal team at your insurer or professional representative body, just for advice.:thumbsup:

[Tazmin68]

I was luck all mine happened during the 4 week settling in period and I just explained that I would not accept my child learning from child's behaviour and copying and explained that I would provide childcare fir the four weeks while hey found alternative care.