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Minstrel
16-03-2011, 01:01 PM
Is anyone a member of emergency.childcare.co.uk? How do you find it? I've had a quick look and I'm not sure about it. You HAVE to take any booking that is made for you? What if it isn't suitable/practical??

Also payment is in arrears? Does that work ok?

Thanks for any help anyone can give me. I'm really desperate for work now so have to be open to anything! - I may be back with more Q's later! :D

Alibali
16-03-2011, 01:03 PM
Sorry, cant help but would be interestred to know.

Polly2
16-03-2011, 01:03 PM
I am on there but in nearly 4 years I have never had a phonecall from them! Maybe it depends on your area though.

susi513
16-03-2011, 01:16 PM
I've been registered for about the same as Polly, and never had a booking. I have emailed many times with various queries ... you can't put a vacancy down unless you have a full day and you have to decide which age group to put your vacancy down as. If they accept a booking for a child whose needs conflict with another child in your care, or need wheelchair access or training you don't have, or a school run you can't make then you're stuffed. There is nowhere to add any terms & conditions of your own service.

So I have lots of morning spaces for the school run but can't list them as I'm full after school. If I put that I have space for an under five but not under one I might miss out on someone who wants space for an under one. If I put it down as a space for an under one I miss out on someone who wants care for a 2 year old.

They told me they're not "flexible" enough for my needs. I thought they might improve when NCMA started to recommend them, but it seems to me that the system is better suited to nurseries.

It seems unfair that the parent pays up front (I assume) but we have to wait to be paid but I guess its just easier for EC to pay everybody once a month rather than individual transactions each time. As I've never had a booking, its not been a problem!

flowerpots
16-03-2011, 01:17 PM
yes ive been a member for almost a year and ive never had a phonecall either and you get alot of e-mails asking you to update your spaces :rolleyes:

aly
16-03-2011, 01:18 PM
I'm on there, only had 1 phonecall but i couldnt do it as it was for 3 children.

the thing with my rotas is that i can have a child 1 day up to say 3 oclock but you have to show for the whole day etc which i cant...but i can show odd days im available.

i do get emails to say paretns have reg'd in my area, and when i spoke to someone they had just taken on a bit contract for parents via british gas thats why i was getting all these calls......

Payments are in arrears as they only book you for that day etc so you cant very well as for in advance unless it is an advance booking etc....

susi513
16-03-2011, 01:26 PM
aly, so they rang and asked you if you could take 3? They gave me to understand that if they take a booking you just get notified that they are coming ... not that they will check any details or ask at all?

If they will phone you to verify everything thats much better ... I was wondering what would happen if they took a booking and I was off sick or something!

Minstrel
16-03-2011, 01:31 PM
Interesting that you can only advertise a vacancy if you have the whole day free.....I thought the idea of childminders was that we are flexible. I have seen tables of peoples vacancies and 'to' and 'from' times so i assumed you could change them to suit.

I see what you mean about the numbers problem too. And you can't bit 1 in each section or you might end up with a booking for two children making you over numbers.

By the looks of it parents pay by card for the booking plus a £50 registration fee. Maybe this is putting parents off, hence the lack of calls?

With regards to being paid in arrears/advance....when i am doing one off work i usually ask for cash upon dropping off. I can see why they do it as they want to take their 'cut' but i don't like it.

Another problem is that you have to be an NCMA member which i am currently not so that would be an expensive outlay of money should i not get any work from it.

lorimac
16-03-2011, 01:35 PM
I am registered with emergency childcare, I have had lots of bookings but all from the same family, they used me for care for their son when they visited Scotland.... Worked well for me, they email every month for me to update any available spaces and work round them. the only downside is they take 10 % and a £2.50 booking fee so you have to up your rate to cover these costs, and the payment takes about 2 months to come through. The child has now moved here with his family and I look after him part time... I'm still registered but not had any other placements.

Minstrel
16-03-2011, 01:37 PM
Also I see that parents can cancel with no charge up to 2 days before the care is needed. Less than 48 hours and they still have to pay.

I assume we wouldn't get paid then?? Bit off since you might have turned down other work for this booking!

Minstrel
16-03-2011, 01:41 PM
lorimac- I think they charge 20% commission now but it says tel us your usual cost and we will add the commission on to your fee.

lorimac
16-03-2011, 01:54 PM
I'll need go into my details on this site and up my rate. When I first joined I just put my usual rate and they took the 10% from that.... was really disappointed when I finally got paid... not likely to get any work from them now as I only have a Friday space available now anyway...
Think everyone should join it though,,,, any extra work when your quiet is good..

aly
16-03-2011, 01:55 PM
aly, so they rang and asked you if you could take 3? They gave me to understand that if they take a booking you just get notified that they are coming ... not that they will check any details or ask at all?

If they will phone you to verify everything thats much better ... I was wondering what would happen if they took a booking and I was off sick or something!

I think they only rang as the parent had rung them and they needed space for the next day, otherwise i think like you said it would have been a normal email booking etc.

karen m
16-03-2011, 01:56 PM
I have been registered on this site for 5 years like others had email saying people in the area had registered but that's all

bexcee
16-03-2011, 11:04 PM
I have been registered on the site for a year and only ever had one contact. I have to updated my spaces every week by e-mail.
The booking I had (which incidentally I had to cancel due to a stomach bug) was for two days work that week. They phoned on the monday and asked if I would do it, I agreed and they gave the mum my phone number and she rang and told me about her baby.
It was all a bit strange as she didn't want to meet me first, the baby was six months old and it was for 10 hour days. No settling in sessions!!
As I said I didn't do it in the end as I got ill and have heard nothing since :cool: