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gremlin
28-08-2013, 06:14 AM
Hi

I have just restarted minding after a years break and taken on a family who do different days over two weeks ( 2 days one wk and 3 the next) .

They started with me this week and I invoiced as you do with payment expected in advance as explained when doing the contracts and the girls were dropped off with no payment given. I spoke to the parent and they said they can't give me the payment until tax credits are sorted and they will only give me what they get and can't make up the shortfall til they get paid the end of sept.

Then to top it of the parent said oh and she was sick last night too!!!! ( after a full day in my setting!)

How should I address this as am struggling for money and need to pay bills like everyone else. I had a funny feeling about these too! I said to myself I was going to bf strict this time too!

X

sarah707
28-08-2013, 06:37 AM
I no longer work without being paid.

It is parents who pay you - not tax credits - and they should have thought about this before agreeing to your contract.

They have already broken the terms of your contract by not paying you.

It depends on what your agreement with them says. Personally mine says I can withdraw care until payment - including my deposit against payment problems in the future - has been received.

I understand you might not want to lose the work BUT you might lose it anyway and be owed money! Then how would you feel?

Have you seen the sample fees policy / terms and conditions / contract in Childcare.co.uk? You can get a pdf copy if you are a free member / a word copy if you are a gold member. You might find it useful.

Hugs xx

littlebears1009
28-08-2013, 06:52 AM
They must have known they wouldnt be able to pay you when signing and should have said then. Maybe you could have come to an agreement. But to know and not say until their kids actually start is unfair. Maybe say that this is what you signed and you never mentioned being unable to pay and give them a week to pay you before withdrawing care? Because if they cant pay this month upfront and using wage at end of month to pay you, how are they going to pay next months upfront, youll just fall into a pattern of being paid in arrears.

Samijanec
28-08-2013, 07:07 AM
I won't work without payment, my parents are told from sign up, no payment, no care!

Mummits
28-08-2013, 09:23 AM
Have you actually accepted the little one today after being told she was sick in the night? If so, I would have the parents pick up as soon as humanly possible, and say that you were so preoccupied with thinking about their failure to pay that you overlooked your sickness policy which means the child cannot be cared for for 48 hours after the last bout of sickness or diarrhoea. This is a basic welfare requirement - to keep your setting as free as possible from contagious illness. When they picked up, I would say we obviously need to talk further about payment, but once the sick child has been sorted.

As for the non-payment, they are already in breach of your terms, and the way they are laying down the law about what they will and won't pay and when rings alarm bells for me. If they were a lovely family who were in financial straits but bending over backwards to offer what they could, I MIGHT be willing to negotiate some sort of staggered payment to begin with, but with someone telling me what they will and won't do, I would stick firmly to my contract terms and tell them they need to sort out the money before childcare can begin (and also that the clock is running and that they will need to pay from now in any case). I know it is so hard to think on your feet and be firm when people let you down, but that is what they have done. It is not unreasonable for you to say you have now had a chance to think about their "suggestions" and that they do not work for you.

Samijanec
28-08-2013, 10:38 AM
Have you actually accepted the little one today after being told she was sick in the night? If so, I would have the parents pick up as soon as humanly possible, and say that you were so preoccupied with thinking about their failure to pay that you overlooked your sickness policy which means the child cannot be cared for for 48 hours after the last bout of sickness or diarrhoea. This is a basic welfare requirement - to keep your setting as free as possible from contagious illness. When they picked up, I would say we obviously need to talk further about payment, but once the sick child has been sorted.

As for the non-payment, they are already in breach of your terms, and the way they are laying down the law about what they will and won't pay and when rings alarm bells for me. If they were a lovely family who were in financial straits but bending over backwards to offer what they could, I MIGHT be willing to negotiate some sort of staggered payment to begin with, but with someone telling me what they will and won't do, I would stick firmly to my contract terms and tell them they need to sort out the money before childcare can begin (and also that the clock is running and that they will need to pay from now in any case). I know it is so hard to think on your feet and be firm when people let you down, but that is what they have done. It is not unreasonable for you to say you have now had a chance to think about their "suggestions" and that they do not work for you.

Well said, get on the phone to them. If they are starting like this the god help you in a few months....