Just want to check I am right

[Tealady]

LO left me to go to another CM as I can't offer wrap around for their new setting come September.

All on good terms. Said I was happy to do Holiday & Sick cover for other CM.

Mum wants to book in a week 2 weeks at the end of August. I am already booked for my new twins (full week when they normally do 3 hours). Mum not pleased as her new CM has advised her I could have her son under continuity of care (As we have had a relationship in the past). However the contract was fully terminated and I haven't had her son for nearly a month, so to my mind, although the child did come here it is classed as New Business as they have completely left and want to come back, for a couple of weeks.

I am right aren't I?

[Mouse]

As a rule I would say you couldn't do it as it's not an existing child needing more hours etc.

But, going back to when Ofsted granted variations, they gave me one for continuity of care for holiday cover for a lo who went to another cm. I had always had a space to have her for holidays, but then took on another child, so told the cm & the mum that I wouldn't be able to have the child any more. The cm then had a family crisis & needed time off. Mum didn't have time to settle her child with yet another cm, so asked if I could have her. I phoned Oftsed who granted me a variation over the phone. I had only wanted it for 3 weeks while the other cm was off, but they said I might as well have it as a permanent variation in case I ever needed to have her again. This mindee had never been contracted to me, other than for holiday cover, but they granted it on the grounds that it was continuity of care.

[FussyElmo]

The other cm is being a bit wrong here. Just because you have had this child before she shouldn't be telling the parent you can do the holiday cover as continuity of care. It wont be her who has to face the consequences if something was to go wrong and Ofsted were involved. (Im not saying for one minute it will)

Who knows what Ofsted will class as being left long enough to class as continuity of care as I don't think the answer is set in stone.

[hectors house]

Last year the week before I went on holiday a parent realised that the dad had booked off the wrong week off work - I managed to find another childminder at very short notice and the child went there last May, again in the summer, in January when I went ski-ing - this childminder has now filled her spaces but has said she is still happy to have this child as surely it is still continuity of care. I always write a note of the last proper day attended - but leave the contract open as often get a phone call for occasional holiday cover.

[Koala]

I think the real question here is - Do you want to do it??

It's not for parents or other childminders to tell you what you can or can't do, just because ratio's allow it doesn't mean to say you must do it. Never mind mum not being happy, I wouldn't be happy if after saying no being challenged and being told ofsted will allow it, If I say NO! I mean No!

Start as you mean to go on, ok you say you are happy to cover but this is when it is convenient on BOTH parts!! :thumbsup:

[madredann]

There are a few variables here first of all how old will the twins be if young and new starters I would personally want to give them all my time but I guess if all children are of an age where they have a little independance and I felt sure I could care from them all adequately I would consider doing HOWEVER I would hate someone else saying what I can and cant do and putting me in an awkward position so for that reason I probably would not do it I think she is suggesting this because for her (the other childminder)its the easy answer x

[madredann]

I would be careful not to jepordise your new business though:rolleyes:

[Tealady]

New Twins have just turned 4, DS is 3.5, ex-mindee is nearly 3. They all know each other from Pre-school and childrens centre and I'm more than happy to do it and parents would be happy with it too.

Just don't want to be over-minding.

( and no, I'm not to happy about other minder poking her nose in. I'm not her biggest fan anyway)

[blue bear]

I'm confused, did this child leave you never to return or has changed their requirements to ad hoc (as and when needed if you can fit them in)
If they have left never to return then the contract has finished and no longer in your care so you cannot have him as continuity of care.
If they changed their requirements to ad hoc, then surely they have not left as such and would count as continuity of care? Then again I am not ofsted and really they could read this situation anyway they feel.

[Tealady]

Blue Bear, you are right. They left with no adhoc agreement in place just a verbal conversation between me and Mum.

Mum then tried to back track and wanted to send mindee here for a 3hr session, which I tried to accommodate, especially as it would help give flexibility for any adhoc bookings. We then agreed he would come for a whole day, but the new minder told Mum she would prefer him to come on a Friday for three hours so the whole day was cancelled.

I thought I was right and even if you could loosely say it's continuity of care, I'm not going to chance being wrong.

Thanks All