Advice for a young mum

[claire'scherubs]

Hi all hope you can all help as this is a bit of a tricky, as do not like 'stabbing' other people in the profession but......

I've just took on tonight a mum and son in a desperate situation due to their other childminder letting her down again!!!!

She has been with her since March only signed contract in June, because Ofsted told her her paperwork was rubbish.

However since then she is continually letting the mum down!!!! Sometimes not even with 24 hours notice. Now we all have emergencies BUT dentist appointments and holidays surely can be given more notice than this????

The mum got a text at 5.30 tonight saying she couldn't have LO due to a bad back?!. The mum is a young single mum really trying to do the right thing and I am now really worried for her that she is going to get stung for 4 weeks notice, which in normal circumstances I would understand, however has the CM breached the contract in one way or the other. I know it was a NCMA contract

Advice please, I really want to help, and prove to the Mum that we are a bunch of professionals that work really hard

[LisaMcNally09]

Unfortunately it doesnt sound like the CM has breached anything that would be in a contract. My advice would be that the parent gives notice as she should and just accepts that she will have 4 weeks notice.

If the childminder isnt working due to illness then the mum wont have to pay her anyway and can afford to pay you.

I would also be wary of getting involved in tit for tat. Of course listen to what mum has to say but dont have an opinion of the other CM. The parent could be saying something untrue.....we never really know and I'd hate to think you get dragged into the middle!! Its best to stay proffessional:D

[sarah707]

Like Lisa says I wouldn't want to be caught in the middle either!

I'd stay as much out of it as possible and let the mum fight the battle if she chooses.

Meanwhile prove we're not all like the other one by being really professional and not letting her down.

I hope it goes well for you :D

[angeldelight]

I would keep out of it to be honest

Help if you are needed and thats it

There are always two sides to a story anyway

Angel xx

[Heaven Scent]

I'd agree with the others there are probably two sides just help out if you can and but don't be taken for a mug - that mum could take herself off at a moments notice and leave you up to your neck in it!!!

Good Luck

[The Juggler]

I would advise mum to find a new childminder but then expect to pay notice. If childminder is off sick at the moment then she presumably won't be paying her so her bad back might continue for the duration of her notice period anyhow.

Can you help her find someone new?

[Mouse]

Like everyone else has said, don't get too involved in it. Help where you can & point the mum in the right direction, but it really is between her & the other cm.

Perhaps suggest she phone NCMA herslef to see what they say about the 4 weeks notice period. I would imagine she'll have to pay it, but it might be that she could negotiate with the cm to pay less than the full 4 weeks.

Support her where you can, but let her do the sorting out herself.