Terminating contract of a part-timer in favour of a full-timer?

[nipper]

Has anyone done this and how did you do it? Is it better to give them advanced warning or just write it all out in a letter. I remember when my son's childminder terminated our contract and I was working part-time after returning from maternity leave. I had no immediate family in the area and felt totally let down by her. She was planning to take on a full-timer in his place, which I can empathise with now I am a childminder myself, but boy was I steaming at the time.:angry:

[catminder]

I would not generally feel comfortable doing this, once I decide to take on a child/family I tend to commit to them. Would it be possible for you to get a variation (? continuity of care) so you can take on the full timer and also keep part-time mindee?
I hope it works out ok for everyone :thumbsup:

[nipper]

It was actually just a hypothetical question. I'm just preparing for something that could crop up, the way business is going at the moment.

[Tealady]

I personally wouldn't do it.

In my mind you fill the vacancies you have. If a more lucrative contract comes along by all means see if you can juggle other mindees but I wouldn't terminate. This type of thing is the nature of the beast I'm afraid and I think terminating on these grounds might get you the reputation for being unreliable.

Also if you have a good relationship with the family and the child you could be changing that for someone really difficult, which in my mind isn't worth all the money in the world.

Lastly you could terminate your current mindee, take on this new family, only for their circumstances to change and they they leave you all within a couple of months.

By all means if there are other grounds to terminate this current mindee then do so. But I'd be careful doing it purely for the reason in your post.

.... This is all just my opinion though :)

[Wendybird]

I have sort of done this. I didn't terminate the contract, but had to drop a day in favour of a contract that brings more than twice what the original mindee does. However, I offered her other places and know that her work is flexible as she is self-employed. She understood, and really couldn't complain as she is such an unreliable payer :rolleyes: I wouldn't mess her about again, but I may yet terminate that contract due to payment :censored:

[AliceK]

I personally wouldn't do it.

In my mind you fill the vacancies you have. If a more lucrative contract comes along by all means see if you can juggle other mindees but I wouldn't terminate. This type of thing is the nature of the beast I'm afraid and I think terminating on these grounds might get you the reputation for being unreliable.

Also if you have a good relationship with the family and the child you could be changing that for someone really difficult, which in my mind isn't worth all the money in the world.

Lastly you could terminate your current mindee, take on this new family, only for their circumstances to change and they they leave you all within a couple of months.

By all means if there are other grounds to terminate this current mindee then do so. But I'd be careful doing it purely for the reason in your post.

.... This is all just my opinion though :)

I agree with this. I have taken on part-timers and then had enquiries for more hours but I always consider this when taking mindees on and if I commit to them then I stick to that. Might be worth trying for a variation, I just got one for 4 under 5's.

xxxx

[cupcake22]

Unfortunatley I may have to do this next year. I have a full timer that is going down to part time. Financially I wont be able to manage as both my other part timers have dropped days (1 goes to nursery & the other ones mum is on maternity leave so only requires 2 days. I know its not very nice to have to do it but nice doesnt pay my mortgage. Therefore if another full timer comes along then i will take that. Sorry if I sound harsh.

Cupcake22

[kellib]

I might have this problem soon, it's all very well saying you commit to taking on the family etc but when I took this particular mindee on it was on a 30 hour a week contract then Mum cut it down to 12.5 hours, now it's down to 7.5 hours.

I've had enquiries for March next year that would bring in triple what the other mindee brings so I'm torn!

[samb]

I think it's different if you have one that is longer hours and they want to drop the hours and you can't afford to so take on someone with longer hours - I think they would understand that too. But like others when I take on part timers I do it so it fits with me and so I don't think I would terminate in favour of a full time contract. But then I would prefer part timers than relying heavily on a full timer.

[nipper]

My part-timer's mum doesn't work. I have him two mornings a week so she can do her housework. She keeps saying she'll find a job, but if a full timer came along...either that or if she wanted him to stay it might be the incentive she needed to go and work?

[cupcake22]

I might have this problem soon, it's all very well saying you commit to taking on the family etc but when I took this particular mindee on it was on a 30 hour a week contract then Mum cut it down to 12.5 hours, now it's down to 7.5 hours.

I've had enquiries for March next year that would bring in triple what the other mindee brings so I'm torn!

Dont be torn. You have to do whats best for you & your family because the parents do just that. When they have finished with you its bye bye & some of them dont give you another thought.

Cupcake22

[miffy]

I would only consider this if I needed the money or if I knew the part-timer was due to leave and my giving notice only brought that forward a bit or if the family were bad payers, messed me about etc etc.

Miffy xx

[mama2three]

Do you know what , of course you should consider how hard it will be for this family , consider the lo's needs and how the transition to another setting will be difficult for them , even consider your reputation.
But first and foremost consider your own family - Id hate to terminate one mindee for a 'better' contract - but if it meant the difference between struggling to pay the bills and feed my kids ..then my kids come first.

[WibbleWobble]

i did this.....:o

i had B who was a 3 day a week 10-2....and i was approached by the mum of newborn K whos siblings were my schoolies. I couldve got a variation but i felt 4 under 3 with one new born would be too much. K was for 55 hours a week.

I work closely with a local CM who wanted a EY child- she only had schoolies. and B and parents new her through me. We did a graduated handing over and he didnt notice- he loved his new CM. mum and dad were fine as i had given them the other CM as an option. If i hadnt been able then i wouldve been a different story.

and then 4 weeks later tax credits stopped paying and B had to leave his new CM......:laughing:


so i am glad i bit the bullet

mandy xxx

[The Juggler]

Do you know what , of course you should consider how hard it will be for this family , consider the lo's needs and how the transition to another setting will be difficult for them , even consider your reputation.
But first and foremost consider your own family - Id hate to terminate one mindee for a 'better' contract - but if it meant the difference between struggling to pay the bills and feed my kids ..then my kids come first.

i agree. if this was a working mum, i'd stick with it, but as you are not going to inconvenience anything but her free time, I think I'd tell her you need to take on a full time child to make ends meet. Maybe offer her the chance to go full time first so she can choose what she wants to do.:)