PDA

View Full Version : Advice needed for temp contract can I/should I??



Miss freckles
12-06-2013, 12:48 PM
As a new childminder I currently have two part timers I'm looking after but 3 weeks ago a parent who I know from school approached me about having her child for 4 days from sept after school for two hrs but before then doing the 4 days from now picking her up from nursery at 12 and bringing her back to school to drop off with mum at 3.
I said I was available and could do this and she said can we first do a one day trial/settling period, no problem she came, mum mentioned how happy she had came home.
A few days later mum says she doesn't know what's going on now with certain work arrangements so won't commit to anything but could I have her one day that week as I one off, I said ok, wrote up a temporary one day contract she signed it paid etc.
Now on Monday she approached me again can I have her Friday I said to let me go through what I have planned that day and get back to her, that night at 9pm I get a call from mum "can I have s tomorrow?" I immediately said no but could do Friday.
Now she is obviously using me as a babysitter as and when she wants me, and what I wanted to know was, is this aloud to keep doing the odd day here and there, is that our own choice as cm's? I'm actually getting annoyed at it, just because the child can be quite a handful and its not worth the Money £15. And because I'm not observing, and planning for her it's a bit of a free for all whenever she comes and she's never here long enough for me to lay down certain rules
I'm thinking of just saying I can't do it anymore!

lisbet
12-06-2013, 01:45 PM
Yes, you're allowed to do it, and can just draw up a contract that states 'ad hoc' hours.

But you don't have to either, and if this situation is annoying you could say no; or you could put provisios on it like needing 48hrs notice; or saying if the child has trouble settling and learning your house rules because it is such a short time that they come for, then you may need to agree a certain amount of hours each week.

It may grow into a nice, regular, economically worthwhile arrangement, and it may help build your reputation as a good and flexible childminder. On the other hand, like you say, it may continue to be disruptive and not worth it for you. At least with ad hoc you can easily stop!

Re obs and planning; if you ask for 48hrs notice then that will give you a chance to prepare something. I would personally just do obs if they happened to happen (if you see what I mean, lol!) and pass them onto the nursery who are her 'main' setting.

wendywu
12-06-2013, 01:54 PM
Tell her that you have a minimum hours policy , babysitting is a lot more per hour than childminding :panic:

sing-low
12-06-2013, 02:04 PM
You could also suggest to mum that you sign a long-term contract which states "ad hoc hours" on it. Then that gives you a way to put in writing your terms about how much notice you need, etc. This is what I am going to do with ad hoc hours from now on. I will tell parents that this makes life far easier for everybody if they need temporary care at short notice, for example in an emergency. Saves having to do paperwork over and over again. I'm hoping to build up a reputation as being flexible for temporary childcare and feel that it is worth my while, partly because I can say no if I don't want to do it.

Although it sounds like in your case that it is more trouble than it's worth.