Exclusion for sickness

[kp0781]

My 11 mo has been sick three times this afternoon and minded children have gone home. Parents had assumed I would be having their kids tmw but I said it 48 hrs and they asked what my back up plan is. So what do you all do. Do you have emergency cover in place? Presumably that person has to have vacancies on the day? Can you go over numbers in a short period for emergencies? Ie if my lo was dick could another childminder take the children while parents got back from work?
If my lo is ok tmw can I work or is that a total no no if she has been sick? Thanks

[kp0781]

Can anyone help please? Thanks

[sarah707]

The exclusion period for sickness and diarrhoea is as you rightly say 48 hours from last bout - so you should close until Monday.

I always try and help parents out - I tend to know which local minders are busy and who has vacancies - but as this is a planned closure they wouldn't be able to go over their numbers.

I hope your lo is feeling better soon xx

[sunview_cm]

I've never been asked for a back up plan and don't have one! There isn't really a lot of other childminders in my area anyway, so couldn't do that.

If I need to close I can only apologise.

The problem with opening within the 48hr period is if they do catch it and have to be off would you charge them? Guess you'd have to really make all that clear to parents if they chose to send in their child. Plus will they confuse the fact that you open after 24hrs or whatever but insist on them being off for 48hr when their child is sick.

X

[kp0781]

Thanks Sarah. Can I take children if the parents want me to and my lo seems ok? I've told them the guidelines and they have a copy of my policies but aren't keen to take a day off work :-( I personally don't have an issue with it as it is their risk but not sure whether I should. Doesn't feel like best practise

[FussyElmo]

You really shouldn't have the children regardless of what the parents want.

If you say yes they can come they may think its perfectly acceptable to send their lo's when they are ill.

Just bite the bullet and close and let your lo recover :thumbsup:

[MessybutHappy]

This won't help you today but I've had parents ask this same question, I now make it clear during first meetings that its the one drawback of choosing a child minder over a nursery - if I have to close, I have to close. But I also make it clear that I expect all parent to follow the rules just I will, as if they send in a sick child, they may infect me or my other mindee's - and they wouldn't want that to happen to them... would they!!

I too am aware of other childminders around who may or may not be able to help, but I would leave it up to the parent and minder to meet and make any arrangements.

Hope your daughter recovers soon!

[kp0781]

Thanks everyone. This family has been with me for 2 yrs but I'm not sure I've had to close under these circumstances. They both have relatively new jobs. Trouble is they are my only family. 2 children full time minus funded hours so I need to be flexible where possible!!

[kp0781]

Hhhmmm think its my turn :-(