Calling all Experts !!

[mummyemma]

Hello all,

I'm hoping that one of you Who knows way more than me can give me your opinion and advise please. I am newly registered and had my fist contact the other day from someone looking for a minder. I have to say it took me by surprise but assume they got my details from the council web site, the lady was looking for someone to do pick up from school 3.20-5. I asked her what days she was looking for and she said the full five, I explained I could not do the full five. We then ended up speaking on the phone and she told me it would be ok for me to just do the two I can do. All sounds ok as I type, however the conversation was her telling me I could have her child and that I could start next Tuesday !!. I said no that wouldn't be possible as I wasn't quite ready and would need to give a months notice anyway. She said that's fine start in October !!! Honestly I did not like the conversation one bit, I said surely you'd like to meet me and check out the house ? so she invited her self for that evening, I said no and that I would be in contact. I'm not keen at all to take the child on based on how the mother was on the phone, I get that she may be struggling to find someone but to tell them yes that's fine you have my child and start Tuesday is a bit much surely ? To add she was foreign may explain her abruptness but...... ! I have been wracking my brains since and am in the trap of feeling like I should for some reason be obliging. How do I turn this woman down ? I am actually going through a situation with the father of my own children whereby the school pick ups for them may change and that would mean I couldn't collect the minded child soooo could I say sorry I've thought about it and that's my reason ? is that fair enough or not ?

Thoughts appreciated

Emma

[Rick]

Just say you have changed your mind and wish them luck finding someone.

A confrontational situation can be hard but you will feel better once you do it.

[mummyemma]

Thanks Rick, as long as its ok to say no and not be wrong all's good

Emma

[moggy]

You are under no obligation to anyone! I turn people down all the time, they may want hours that are not quite what I want etc. Phone/email back and say sorry but your school run plans have changed and you can not take on the child. End of discussion. You have to go with gut instinct. At this time of year there are some very desperate parents looking for after-school care but that is no reason for us to jump to any request.

[loocyloo]

I had a prospective parent get very cross last week when i calmly explained that i didn't have space for her children, nor did i collect from their school. She kept saying school had said i would collect them! I said I'm sorry but i can't. At that point she put the phone down on me!

I did then ring the school concerned ... neither the head or secretary had passed my details on! But they noted that i would not be collecting the children!

[Ripeberry]

I had that kind of thing a few years back. A mum was very angry with me because I could not collect from her school (a ten mile round trip!!) and she said that I was rubbish and slammed down the phone! :mad:

[alex__17]

I had that with my first, she was barely interested in meeting me but agreed, her kids destroyed my house and she wanted to sign contracts there and then so I felt I couldn't turn down, biggest regret kids were wild, she never paid on time and was up to 2 hours late, I suspect the urgency was another minder had given notice. Thankfully she was off work sick, told me she couldn't pay, I gave immediate notice in a state of relief, she then changed her mind but I was able to say is filled the space with existing child up-ing days!
Never again, trust your gut!

[mummyemma]

Thank you all, I will indeed go with gut instinct. on a happier but slightly more nerve wracking note, I have had an enquiry from another lady to have her 7 month old boy so if the initial meeting goes well its on for my first :D

Emma

[mummyemma]

I forgot to ask, do you have to display the piece of paper Headed PARENTS along with you certificate ?!

Emma

[moggy]

I forgot to ask, do you have to display the piece of paper Headed PARENTS along with you certificate ?!

Emma

Here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/poster-for-parents-childcare
I have it in a clip frame next to my certificate on the wall.

[mummyemma]

Yeah that's the one, brill thank you for that.

Been sat here all day and now my bum is totally dead.

So many things to think about...... Just read you should wear gloves when changing nappies, had not thought about that. Do you all ?

When you are putting together your welcome/parents pack do you print out all your policies for them to sign or can you just have the policies for the to read and then sign like a front sheet !? and then do they keep them or do I.

sorry, right im off to get in the bath I ran at 8am :thumbsup:

Thanks emma

[Maza]

I email the policies to them. Saves on printing costs. I wear gloves only for soiled nappies, not wet ones. Type gloves into the search bar and you should find threads discussing this issue. Some wear them, some don't. x

[mummyemma]

Hi maza

Thanks for the reply, is the fact you've emailed the policies as good as signing ? or do you get them to email you back an acknowledgment ?

Thanks

emma

[alex__17]

I email them all then have a one page with all their titles and they have to sign next to each one to say they've read them all and agree to them all.
I offer to print them if they want but everyone says email is fine, that way I can email them before the contract signing meeting and they can read through them without feeling like I'm waiting for them to finish reading them all!