View Full Version : Scary enquiry so suddenly space taken
KateA
20-10-2014, 01:53 PM
I had a enquiry today from a lady wanting a space for her 2 nearly 3 year old daughter to start ASAP five days a week, she then went on to say her daughter is with a childminder at the moment and has been with 10 since 6 months old!!! to say I was put off is the under statement of the year loads of alarm bells ringing. The reason none of them meet her needs!
clareelizabeth1
20-10-2014, 02:23 PM
Well done for running. 10 childminders though poor child. She mustn't know which way is up.
KateA
20-10-2014, 03:37 PM
Yep poor girl I came to conclusion she is uncontrollable or mum is a nightmare to work with .
The poor child. It's rather worrying. I wouldn't have taken her on either but I really feel for the child, even if she is challenging. It sounds like the mum needs some support because that just isn't 'normal'.
Simona
20-10-2014, 04:34 PM
Not sure if any other CM does this but I like to get feedback from the previous provider about any child who switches setting or is cared by 2 ....one way of establishing what happened and how the child was progressing?
mrsb79
20-10-2014, 05:38 PM
That's a good point Simona, however when I've rung other childminders who are not local to me to source availability for parents I can't help there's always a frostiness to start until they realise they could fill a space. There is one minder who had a little one that mum removed and placed with me and one of mine ended up going to her after I had my little girl I tried to pass on crucial information but she wasn't interested. I do ask the parents if I can see past learning journeys and I have asked parents in the past if I can contact their previous childcare provider and only one parent has been happy with that which is a shame because surely we all want to support the child the best we can x
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Dragonfly
20-10-2014, 06:59 PM
I would of asked parent why the child had been to so many childminders.That is an awful lot to have been to.
Koala
21-10-2014, 06:20 AM
It would be interesting to get the reasons for the child leaving from the previous 10 childminders - I bet the reasons would be different to what mum says!
10!! in 2 years? how would that work? she must give notice :laughing: during the months she has started :laughing: and of course pay for the notice period? OR NOT!
VeggieSausage
21-10-2014, 08:21 AM
mmmm you did right, I would have alarm bells ringing too.
I ran away from an enquiry, they came to visit me and the mum was a child psychologist......the line of conversation went - what would you do if she missed mummy....I said, give a cuddle, distract with toys etc.....answer from mum was 'I don't think distraction is a valid way of dealing with an upset child as it does not explore or acknowledge their feelings, I would expect you to sit a talk about mummy regularly through the day etc etc'......well I ran for the hills.....
Simona
21-10-2014, 08:29 AM
That's a good point Simona, however when I've rung other childminders who are not local to me to source availability for parents I can't help there's always a frostiness to start until they realise they could fill a space. There is one minder who had a little one that mum removed and placed with me and one of mine ended up going to her after I had my little girl I tried to pass on crucial information but she wasn't interested. I do ask the parents if I can see past learning journeys and I have asked parents in the past if I can contact their previous childcare provider and only one parent has been happy with that which is a shame because surely we all want to support the child the best we can x
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If a parent/CM relationship was not ideal I can see that parents maybe reluctant to give the previous CM name
BUT
when a child leaves a setting the parents should be given the LJ to forward to the next provider who would then be able to assess the progress and move forward
That, we know, is good practice but not necessarily followed by all
I do not know the details and we can only wonder if this poor child has had 10 LJs...if so where are they?
The info sharing amongst provider is a thorny issue...some are excellent ...others are not but we wonder if we all read the same DfE and Ofsted guidance?
rickysmiths
21-10-2014, 11:28 PM
If the child has had 10 providers it doesn't sound as if there would have been time for an LJ!
I don't start one until the 4 weeks settling in has been done and I have had information from the parents and have made my initial obs and starting points.
Simona
22-10-2014, 07:26 AM
If the child has had 10 providers it doesn't sound as if there would have been time for an LJ!
I don't start one until the 4 weeks settling in has been done and I have had information from the parents and have made my initial obs and starting points.
What you say is true RS...but even the smallest amount of information can be passed on to the next provider....as in this case there may not have been enough time for a full blown LJ????...LJs by the way are not required...what is required is 'info sharing' in any format we choose...that is my interpretation
We don't know what happened here but no information is not the excuse...aren't we been told that Ofsted expects planning immediately and starting points should be gathered immediately?
I also read that no matter the length of time a child is with us we need to observe and assess?
I don't agree with the former but the latter is not that difficult to achieve in my view....and any cm would still be able to gather info in a short space of time and pass it on.
mum67
22-10-2014, 02:03 PM
mmmm you did right, I would have alarm bells ringing too.
I ran away from an enquiry, they came to visit me and the mum was a child psychologist......the line of conversation went - what would you do if she missed mummy....I said, give a cuddle, distract with toys etc.....answer from mum was 'I don't think distraction is a valid way of dealing with an upset child as it does not explore or acknowledge their feelings, I would expect you to sit a talk about mummy regularly through the day etc etc'......well I ran for the hills.....
:laughing::laughing: that poor child her whole childhood will be spent on analysing and reflection.
KateA
22-10-2014, 04:35 PM
Not sure if any other CM does this but I like to get feedback from the previous provider about any child who switches setting or is cared by 2 ....one way of establishing what happened and how the child was progressing?
hi,i like this idea, enquiry came via email this time rather than phone so was easy to turn down to be honest I dont think I would have thought to ask why when put on the split when people phone you x