Giving Notice

[Mum2be]

Hi

I am relatively new on here and to childminding. I have been registered for 6 months now and loving my career change.

I would really like some advice on giving notice, I look after a 22 month old boy, who's first language is not English as his parents are Romanian & Polish. He speaks partly Romanian and partly Polish but no English, and the parents (although they do speak English) do not practice any English within the home environment.

I took this boy on, when I first started for 2 hours daily (which is my min.), he had never been left before so things at first were very tough. Although he is now settled in just fine, he is still shy and doesn't ever want to involve himself in things that we do. The parents drop him off very late and pick him up very early (contract is from 1pm - 3pm) but it ends up being 1.30pm - 2.30pm most days so the poor boy doesnt get to do much when he is here, settle or make many friends.

I have tried learning key words in both Polish & Romanian but I feel I am not enhancing his development at all, he still doesnt speak a word or English, or actually play with anyone. I feel he would suit a larger setting for perhaps a longer period of time. There are other issues I have with his parents, like contracts, bank holidays, noise & disturbance to other children when dropping off & collecting. We never get to go out as his parents are unpredictable with collections (always early) and this affects us all.

As I have never given notice before, I really do not know on what grounds to give notice. He would benefit in a larger environment with more resources, and more one to one time. I do not want to come accross rude, or racial etc.

Has anyone got any advice or ideas?

Thanks

[missymood]

Not sure on that one but sure someone else might come along soon with an answer

[mushpea]

how about if you put in the letter that it is due to a change of circumstances and if they ask why you could say that you daily routine has changed and that the hours he comes are stopping you from going out to the parks etc or you could say that you have had an equiry for a full timer and you realise that his 2hours a day are stopping you from taking the child on or you could go with the change of circumstances thing and then tell the parent you fell he would benifit from a preschool enviroment and push forward the benifits of a preschool,,,

[Maza]

I wouldn't expect a child of 22 months to have picked up words in his 3rd language after spending such a short time with you! His parents would find it hard to get a nursery place for such a small amount of time and so I would imagine that childminders are their only option. I can see how those hours would be inconvenient for you, especially when their arrival time is so unpredictable. I think you should focus on that when speaking to them.

[onceinabluemoon]

Gosh!

Looking at it form another perspective, he has parents that speak two different languages so already has two languages to contend with, then comes to you for an hour (a day??) and has a 3rd. I'm not surprised that he cannot speak English yet...

It sounds as if you are more fed up with his parents dropping off and picking up etc. Have you actually spoken to them and told them they need to drop off and pick up at contracted times as this is preventing you from doing anything when their child is here?

If you are unhappy about other things have you discussed this with the parents? Do they fully understand or do they need an interpreter?

[alwaysright]

Hi

I am relatively new on here and to childminding. I have been registered for 6 months now and loving my career change.

I would really like some advice on giving notice, I look after a 22 month old boy, who's first language is not English as his parents are Romanian & Polish. He speaks partly Romanian and partly Polish but no English, and the parents (although they do speak English) do not practice any English within the home environment.

I took this boy on, when I first started for 2 hours daily (which is my min.), he had never been left before so things at first were very tough. Although he is now settled in just fine, he is still shy and doesn't ever want to involve himself in things that we do. The parents drop him off very late and pick him up very early (contract is from 1pm - 3pm) but it ends up being 1.30pm - 2.30pm most days so the poor boy doesnt get to do much when he is here, settle or make many friends.

I have tried learning key words in both Polish & Romanian but I feel I am not enhancing his development at all, he still doesnt speak a word or English, or actually play with anyone. I feel he would suit a larger setting for perhaps a longer period of time. There are other issues I have with his parents, like contracts, bank holidays, noise & disturbance to other children when dropping off & collecting. We never get to go out as his parents are unpredictable with collections (always early) and this affects us all.

As I have never given notice before, I really do not know on what grounds to give notice. He would benefit in a larger environment with more resources, and more one to one time. I do not want to come accross rude, or racial etc.

Has anyone got any advice or ideas?

Thanks

maybe the noise is a cultural thing :laughing: i have a polish child and her mother wakes the whole house when she comes in the morning as shes so loud!!
apart from that though, when children are learning another language apart from their own, they go through whats called a silent period, that means they start to listen and begin to understand but dont yet speak the second language, i went on a course to pick up a few tips and this is were they told us this, they also do advise that parents continue to speak to children in their own language, although i know this is confusing. i have had my little polish child about ten months and she has just turned two last week, we are at the stage were she understands almost everything i say but answers me in polish......obviously she is only two last week so i'm not expecting conversations. we are also trying to toilet train which is proving a bit difficult :( i have also tryed to learn a few key words
i would suggest to the parents that they stick to contracted hours as the hours they are collecting is causing to much disturbance, but to be honest i would go out anyway if i had something planned
i also had a few contract difficulties and i think but tryed to say she didnt understand when i explained-the change she wanted was to benefit her, ie didnt think she should pay for hols, etc, but i stood my ground explained things til she did understand and told her this was the contract you accepted at the start
i only have this child 4.5 hours per day so obviously its taken much loinger for her to progress than if she had been full time

[Mum2be]

Thanks for all of your comments.

I don't expect this boy to speak English yet, but he was British born, parents speak fluent English but choose to speak their home languages, so I guess it's just fustrating. I have asked them if they speak any English to him but they say that they hope that I teach him English, but for one hour a day I'm not likely to get anywhere?! Long term I know this will not benefit the child when they plan a British Education for the child, and the parents have no other interaction with English adults or children.

Their issue with contracts is that one parents works earlys and the other works lates, they leave him here while each other is travelling to & from work, so I guess I feel more of a babysitter and feel they don't understand what I might have to cover from an Ofsted's perspective in that time. The parents do not want to leave him here for any longer than needed. Also, I can see if from their point of view as they would have to go home for 10 mins before it was collection time.

I have discussed the other points with the parents and have come to an agreement, but I know they are not/ were not happy. For example they didn't like my policy on bank holidays, and expected me to work for normal rates, and for only half an hour (I don't mind any other kids on bank hols). Anyhow, I know by giving notice it would benefit the other children in my care, it's just how to word it. Primarily it would be a change of routine as there is 2 toddler groups I would be able to go to in the afternoons if I did not have to wait in for this childs arrival, so this is the route I will go down. I have just never had to do this, and I know it will upset the parents as they could not find a childminder that would take their child for the 2 hrs a day, and he has settled in well here, it's just sad.

Anyhow thanks for all of your advice.

[kindredspirits]

i wouldn't have expected a 22 month old to have picked up the language tbh by doing an hour a day. do the parents work during that time or is mum thinking of working in the future and wanting to get him settled somewhere??

if mindee is only being taken to your setting because his parents want him to learn some english and be socialising with other children perhaps you could suggest they do 1 full day, or 2 5 hour mornings rather than an hour or two every day??

i think if you have decided that for whatever reasons mindee and your setting just don't click it would be reasonable to say that you are unable to commit to being in every afternoon without the option to go to parks etc so you are giving notice on the grounds that the parents are unreliable with their drop off/collection times.