What dyou do about enquiries like these?

[mumofone]

Mums heard of me word of mouth. Wanted to come and meet me but wasn't working. I asked her to get back in touch when she knew hours and days she needed. She left it 2 weeks before asking to come and visit again, said she "should know hours and days by the end of the month" but still doesn't.
I'm a bit annoyed because I feel she didn't listen, I'm not sure yet if I can help her if she can't tell me what she needs but is this just the nature of the business and enquiries and you have to go with it?

[loocyloo]

I invite parents such as this to come and visit ... You might get on or you might think 'no way'.
Go through policies etc.
Then you explain to mum that you can't guarantee a space but if she lets you know asap what hours/days she needs, then hopefully you will be able to accomodate her.
And fingers crossed!

[Mouse]

I wouldn't necessarily write them off as not listening to you. You get two types of parents making enquiries before they know their work hours.

One lot will definitely want childcare as they're going back to work, but don't know the exact days yet. They're keen to get childcare sorted as they know it's important and will let you as soon as they know exactly what hours they need. They appreciate you seeing them even if they can't tell you which days they want. They won't mess you around because they know they're lucky to have found you and are desperate to secure a place with you.

Then you get the second lot who think they might go back to work at sometime and think they might want childcare at some point. They're not really bothered if they mess you around or keep you hanging on because they assume you'll be there for them whenever they decide to get back in touch. They'll come and visit without a second thought about whether or not they're wasting your time.

Unfortunately you often don't know which sort they are until you speak to them in person.

[hectors house]

I would still let this parent come for a visit, even if she doesn't know what hours/days she wants yet, even if when she does she doesn't choose you as it's all experience for you of getting to know what parents want, you thinking about what you can offer and getting used to strangers observing you in your house is great practice for your first graded inspection.

[AliceK]

If she is going back to work in the next couple of months even if she doesn't know her days yet I will still see her but make it clear at the meeting that I can't guarantee any spaces until I know exactly what she needs.
I would meet with her, see what you think of her (and the child), let her see what she thinks of you and what you offer and then leave her to come back to you if she wants to once she knows what she wants.

xxx

[mumofone]

Thanks guys, this is really helpful. I will go ahead and meet her :-)

[alex__17]

I would also meet, if she really likes you she may be able to sway work to let her do the days you have space, and you'll either get a good or bad feeling about whether you'd want to work with her.

[Maza]

Maybe she is just trying to get organised and is panicking about leaving it all until she knows what hours she needs. She might have a few people to see and wants to shortlist the strong contenders. Also, she might want to see what hours you can offer her before she agrees to something with her employer. It is frustrating though when you just want to get sorted.

[bunyip]

Mums heard of me word of mouth. Wanted to come and meet me but wasn't working. I asked her to get back in touch when she knew hours and days she needed. She left it 2 weeks before asking to come and visit again, said she "should know hours and days by the end of the month" but still doesn't.
I'm a bit annoyed because I feel she didn't listen, I'm not sure yet if I can help her if she can't tell me what she needs but is this just the nature of the business and enquiries and you have to go with it?

Yes, it's the nature of the business.

Do you have to go with it? No, not necessarily, but nor would I write it off as a mum "not listening".

Perhaps more important to realise it's human nature. Mum may be nervous if she's never had to find care for her little precious mite before, or had a bad experience previously. A lot of parents want a sort of one-sided commitment: they secure an offer of your service without committing anything themselves. Again, this is human nature, if a little selfish and based on a false "customer is always right" approach to the childcare business.

You kinda go with it, but the trick is to decide for yourself how far you go with it.

As previous members have said, there's rarely any harm in meeting them if there's a genuine likelihood of securing a client and being in a position to offer them a place. OTOH, I've had a lot of times when we decided it simply was not worth booking appointments until parents knew their hours. All our clients are part-time and the whole pattern is rarel settled for long, with some people regularly changing their work patterns. Hence we have gone through periods of seeing 2 or 3 families a week who loved us and wanted a place but, when they finally confirmed their times, we could not fit them in and the whole thing was disappointing for them and a complete waste of time for us.

So do whatever fits your situation. :thumbsup:

[blue bear]

Il let Them come and have a visit, I don't part with any paper work at this point (I've heard of people pretending to be parents but then set up as childminders themselves with remarkably similar policies etc)
I don't promise a place and make it clear until contracts signed with hours and days required along with deposit no place is guaranteed.
I've had these sorts of visits turn into the best parents as hey are generally organised and have taken the time to read polices, contract etc.