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View Full Version : Swine Flu! What to do?



Pudding Girl
22-06-2009, 06:07 PM
what do you think of the issues raised here...

http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childminders_nannies_au_pairs_etc/777555-Closed-for-health-reasons-who-should-pay


WWYD?

Blaze
22-06-2009, 06:23 PM
Hi,
I'm a registered CM & I attended training on this subject last year...we were advised to have a policy which stated that should we have to close full fees are payable (all my parents sign to say that they have read, agree to & have received copies of all my policies & I have this added to my NCMA contracts)...NCMA also recommend this as they have a no loss of earnings stance.
HTH

Pudding Girl
22-06-2009, 09:06 PM
I wonder before the swine flu scaremongering, if anyone had even thought of things such as this, it's shocked me readiong on there that most insurers wouldn't pay out on loss of earnings for a situation like this :panic:

I have it written into my pandemic policy/guidance that full fees would be payable, but nothing on contract to state that. Should we all be redoing our contracts then?

Blackhorse
22-06-2009, 09:15 PM
that is very hard.
I think this is one of the risk of being self employed.
on the other hand maybe a compromise of paying 50/50...if parents don't mind.
it also depends how long you are closed for ...if you have to be closed for 1 week say and the parent can't take time off work and they need to find alternate childcare then should they be forced to pay twice? that's not fair either...
As a parent I think I would not be happy to pay unless it was just a day or so.
but it is not the childminders fault either..

actually I believe this should (even though it's not I think) be covered by insurance...as it is not fair on the parent to pay for something they don't get and it is not fair on the childminder to loose out for something he/she didn't do.

Playmate
22-06-2009, 09:18 PM
Until today I have let the whole swine flu thing wash over me, believeing that all these things normally get hyped and then die down as quick as they started. I still don't think this sort of flu is any worse than normal flu, as dozens die every year we just don't hear it in the media. However today one of our local high schools has been closed down for at least a week as one person has been confirmed with having swine flu. It really made me think about the income side of things if we had to close, particularly as hubby and I work together, so thats our entire income! worrying :panic:

Playmate
22-06-2009, 09:24 PM
that is very hard.
I think this is one of the risk of being self employed.
on the other hand maybe a compromise of paying 50/50...if parents don't mind.
it also depends how long you are closed for ...if you have to be closed for 1 week say and the parent can't take time off work and they need to find alternate childcare then should they be forced to pay twice? that's not fair either...
As a parent I think I would not be happy to pay unless it was just a day or so.
but it is not the childminders fault either..

actually I believe this should (even though it's not I think) be covered by insurance...as it is not fair on the parent to pay for something they don't get and it is not fair on the childminder to loose out for something he/she didn't do.

If you were closed down due to someone having swine flu, the other children would in effect be in quarantine (probably haven't spelt that right!) and therefore should not be attending any other setting or provider.

Pudding Girl
23-06-2009, 08:58 AM
Yes thats what I would have thought Sally, I am amazed though that our insurances don't apparently cover this, I have emailed SCMA to ask their advice. Maybe it's possible to take out seperate insurance for this kind of thing? I dunno...

mandy moo
23-06-2009, 09:07 AM
Might be having a senior moment here, but if it was a localised out break why did the CM have to close if it was'nt in her setting?
Also say that was to happen in our viilage does that mean the school has to close and all the other child care settings? pre school, CMs etc?

FizzysFriends
23-06-2009, 09:53 AM
Might be having a senior moment here, but if it was a localised out break why did the CM have to close if it was'nt in her setting?
Also say that was to happen in our viilage does that mean the school has to close and all the other child care settings? pre school, CMs etc?

You should only have to close if you have a case in your setting. If you have come in contact with it you should be offered Tamiflu.

Monkey1
23-06-2009, 11:26 AM
I am stating that in my newsletters later that if i have to close due to swine flu then fees are still payable. I am going to be really strict with coughs/colds etc

Pudding Girl
23-06-2009, 12:12 PM
Response from SCMA:


Public Liability Insurance would not cover a loss of earnings, as this insurance is designed specifically to cover the childminder if any claim is made against the childminder due to injury or damage involving a minded child while they are childminder’s responsibility.

It is sensible to draw up plans anyway for what happens if there is an outbreak of swine flu in a childminding setting and that may include clarifying the contract. This situation should be treated the same as with any infection – the childminder may need to close if they are unable to provide a service or the childminder may need to exclude a child who is unwell. It does provide a good opportunity to revisit the issues around illness with your parents including how payment will be dealt with.



It would be very unlikely that a childminder would be forced to close down as they are a self employed business not a public institution like a school.



SCMA will be issuing further information on how childminders should deal with swine flu when this is available.



I hope this answers your query.



Many thanks

Bananabrain
23-06-2009, 12:29 PM
Until today I have let the whole swine flu thing wash over me, believeing that all these things normally get hyped and then die down as quick as they started. I still don't think this sort of flu is any worse than normal flu, as dozens die every year we just don't hear it in the media. However today one of our local high schools has been closed down for at least a week as one person has been confirmed with having swine flu. It really made me think about the income side of things if we had to close, particularly as hubby and I work together, so thats our entire income! worrying :panic:

Hi Sally, think I'm quite near you in Herts.
I was the same, I always think the powers that be blow these things out of all proportion. Until this morning I wasn't too concerned.

I was talking to my son on the way to school about the whole quarantine thing because we saw another minder with her daughter {who goes to the school that is closed}

I'm assuming that minder is going to childminding group tomorrow. That means that her daughter has been in contact with children at the closed school, then the mindees,then my mindees..............and so it goes on

I've read the blurb and advice to childminders but it's not really very clear. I don't really see how closing the schools is going to make a difference. And how do we know how long to close for? Who makes the decision? Or have I missed something?

Suddenly dawned on me that I might lose money too. Not happy.

LittleStars
23-06-2009, 02:04 PM
I have a mindee with me today...who's sister is at a local school with confirmed cases of swine flu (sister was off school with cold and bad stomach last week :eek: ) So guessing we have all been exposed already...the school isn't closed they have said

"The Health Protection Agency has provided advice to the school. As there have been a
significant number of children in the school with flu-like illness, it is likely that transmission of
the virus has already occurred in the school and the community, therefore there would be no
added benefit from closing the school."

:eek: :eek:

Wasn't sure what to do...didn't really feel I could refuse the LO as sibling is still at school with the swine flu...but at the same time would prefer we didn't all catch it!