When they visit the home

[mandysmonkeys]

I had the second set of parents visit my home yesterday. They wanted to sign contracts there and then.

How does everyone else go about these visits? Both times its taken over 1 1/2 hours to go through everything and I can see the people getting tired, I get tired, they get bored and I had a headache 0nce they had left.

First I show them the portfolio with all the certificates, crb's saftey checks etc in them. I talk about my experience, my ofsted registration restrictions and that I am due to start the dhc in March. Also show the play areas and garden.

Then they see the service statment and i explan my routines and how it effects their child. After that I say you can take a copy of the service stament to refer to at home.
We also discuss money as parents seem to ask about extra hours at this point lol.

I hand the policy folder and say I currently haven't got this print up (its 40 pages) but I can email it to you. Both sets were happy to flick through it and say yes they would like me to email it.

I made a form to write down the hours days and a quote with my details on it for them to take home but both sets say they are happy and want to sign up there and then. They have already been here for over half an hour.

Then the paper work bits start I apologise it takes so long. I fill in my sections of the contract while they do the child record bit. Then I feel I have to talk them through the whole contarct so they understand it all. Then I hand over all the permission forms and feel I need to explain them but say you can take those hom and fill them in, a letter i give them explains the EYFS I give the sleeping baby questionaire and then we sign and I keep saying doi you have any questions etc, and then we arrange first session / settling in session.

See how long the post I have a headache just typing it. lol Does it work this way for all of you lovely ladies or I am too detailed.

[sarah707]

What you have written sounds like my parent visits... yes they do seem to be getting longer.

I remember the first child I ever took on (she's 15 now so I'm not breaking any confidentiality). She arrived early one morning complete with very flustered mother (her childcare had let her down), a bag with nappies and a couple of bottles... we agreed to do the paperwork later and off she went to work. It was only about an hour later I realised I didn't have a work phone number for her! :laughing:

I am sure things have changed for the better :D

[huggableshelly]

mine seem to last over an hour too.

I had a mum come with 6 month old twins, she was lovely the babies were wonderful. she arrived at 10am and left at 2:55pm I almost pushed her out of my home as needed to get to school.

All was fine I was going to have them 2 days a wk for 4 hours at a time as she worked from home but still needed time to herself blah blah.

We agreed on a settling in session then she called, Her hubby had just been promoted and was going to be earning enough so she could give up work.


WONDERFUL she really was a mum who wanted to be with her children, shame for me though but I'll never allow an interview to last that long again no matter how nice the parents and children maybe.

[claires]

I had a lady visit recently, who stayed just under 2 hours:panic:
she didn't even take the hint when my little boy who was nearly 2 said "You go home now!":blush:
And she never signed contracts!
Claire xx

[SimplyLucy]

My last 3 sets of parents were here for under 30 minutes. Interview, paperwork, dates all sorted.

Well actually the interview bit didn't really happen with any of them, they just wanted to sign up.

The first one was another childminder who had given up.
The second a word of mouth.
The third we exchanged a couple of emails, she read my OFSTED report and was so happy she wanted me, she cam this morning and we went straight into the paperwork!

All 3 times I've placed all my folders out, certificates, scrap book, policies and they haven't even glanced at them.

All parents get a copy of my policies to take away and keep (good ole binding machines!)

[singlewiththree]

Mine are more relaxed informal chats really about 30mins-45 mins long. I normally offer them a drink which they always refuse. Then while they are still standing I show them around the minding areas, explain about toys/routines/safety etc and then finish in the lounge where we sit down, they ask me questions, I also ask questions about the child and their routines. I give them a copy of my policies to take home with them and say that everything we have talked about is in the booklet. They then usually chat about life and then leave with the idea of looking through the booklet and then contacting me when they know what they want to do.

I obviously need to get a bit more formal. :)

[RedDragon]

Yes, mine usually last about 1.5 hours - and I am usually drained after them.

I can usually tell when a parent is not interested when they say "We have a couple more to see" otherwise it's "I would like to sign now" which is very nice.

I've got 1 parent who won't take no for an answer and is insisting on coming lol it's for a baby and I'm full but could fit the baby in - she said she likes the sound of me lol. On the other side of the coin had a set of parents who came the other week - dad walked out half way through - :eek: I can assure everyone it was him who had the problem, not me.

[rickysmiths]

What I do to lighten things a bit is to do the contract while they read and sign the permissions and consent forms. I have a plastic covered loose leaf folder in which I have already put:

a copy of all policies
copy of complaints procedure
copy of reg cert
copy of pub liability insurance cert
copy of latest ofsted report
copy of my planned holidays for the year
next of kin form )
parental responsibiliy form )these three they take home and fill in and return
child info form )

I then add their copy of the contract and a copy of the consent form

They take the file home fill in the three forms and it gives them time to read and inwardly digest the contract.

I always give them the settling in period as a kind of cooling off to tweek and adjust anything to do with the paperwork. It normaally stays the same but it does take the pressure off.