Could you help me with possibly signing contracts tomorrow

[Cazz]

I've got a lady coming round at 4pm tomorrow re: childcare for her 2 year old dd. I think she will probably want to go ahead as she's the best friend of the mum of 2 little ones I've minded since November (she recommended me).

The thing is she has applied for 2 jobs and is waiting to hear but she wants to get childcare sorted ready for when she starts work. Obviously she doesn't yet know what days or times she will be working so I was wondering if you can have a kind of open contract - i.e. not put in days and times at the moment. This way I can help out if she requires it when going for interviews. When she has got a job we can then put in the details. I'm happy to leave it open like this for her as I have plenty of vacancies at the moment but is the insurance valid if I do this?

Also, she knows that one of the jobs is afternoons Mon-Fri but I've already told her I 'm full for my under 5's on a Tuesday until September when my 4 year old (her best friends child!) starts full-time school. She said she was considering trying to put her little one into a local nursery one or two afternoons anyway so she could try and get her in on a Tuesday. If she didn't need me at all on the nursery day (ie not drop off or collect) but did want me in the school holidays should I still charge on the days she is at nursery (if so, how much) or do I take some sort of retainer for the school holidays? I'm unsure how this normally works.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

[miffy]

As far as I'm aware your insurance is valid but you could always check with your insurer just to be certain.

As you don't have a vacancy on a Tuesday then I don't think you can charge anything whilst the child is at nursery but if you're going to provide school holiday cover then you should charge for this unless you're on holiday or not available to work.

I don't think I'd fill out the full contract until you know what hours/days she will be working - you can write your own agreement about interview dates/pay etc as long as you both sign it. Do make sure you have all other paperwork completed though - permissions, health forms, emergency treatment etc.

Good luck

Miffy xx

[Cazz]

Thanks Miffy - sorry, I got a bit muddled when I was typing my thread!! :blush:

I was meaning that if her daughter goes to the nursery 2 afternoons (she said 1 or 2) so that I do have a space on one of the days would you charge anything then if she wanted to keep the space for school holidays? I realise I can't charge if I can't offer her a space - sorry!