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Marie-louise
06-12-2011, 09:59 AM
Help and advice needed, ive minded a littleone for 6mths now and the last two months we,ve had biting issues, she,s bit the same littleone on 3 seperate occasions and others in between. I gave mum 4wks notice last week to change her day, as i couldnt risk anymore bites, i really didnt want to end the care arrangement, just seperate the one she bites the most, or scratches if she cant bite :(
This morning theres a private msg saying she,s not returning. It was only ever 8hrs a week, and tmoros fee has been paid via childcare voucher scheme, but theres been no mention of four weeks fees as in contract.
Should i put it down to experience or insist on 4weeks payment.
Never gave notice or been given it before, not sure what to do?
Thanks in advance for any replies,
marie-louise.

EmmaReed84
06-12-2011, 10:03 AM
Stick toyour guns and your contract. She is giving you notice and if your contract states you require 4 weeks then that is what you should get. Pursue the matter and explain that you are NOT wanting to end the arrangement, but try a new more benefical arrangement to suit everyone. She would expect you to giver her 4 weeks notice, why not the other way round?

rickysmiths
06-12-2011, 10:13 AM
I think it is very rude to give notice in this way. I would expect a letter as stated in my contracts.

I would write her a simple letter saying you are sorry that the suggested new hours are not ok for her also that she has decided not to us your services any more.

Confirm that according to the notice you gave her that the last day of care would have been......... and that fees are still due for the full four weeks notice so there is a balance of ...... still to pay and you would be happy to receive this as a voucher payment or cheque or payment into the bank or cash, whichever you prefer.

Say you have enjoyed looking after her lo and will let her have los LJ and a disc with all photos of lo you have taken.

Next time you sign a contract take a four weeks fees deposit and hold it until the end of the contract to cover the 4 weeks notice.

Helen79
06-12-2011, 10:28 AM
I think that if when you gave notice to change days but mum couldn't change days then i wouldn't expect to be paid the notice period.
If ds's nursery asked him to swap days because of biting I'd be pretty miffed about it (although I can understand why you have) and wouldn't expect to have to pay a notice period if they couldn't accommodate him anymore on the days that I needed childcare.

nipper
06-12-2011, 11:52 AM
Blimey, whatever happened to picking up a pen and writing a letter?
I 'lightheartedly' state in my initial meetings that termination has to be in writing (not text message) 4 weeks before care is due to cease.

rickysmiths
06-12-2011, 12:50 PM
I think that if when you gave notice to change days but mum couldn't change days then i wouldn't expect to be paid the notice period.
If ds's nursery asked him to swap days because of biting I'd be pretty miffed about it (although I can understand why you have) and wouldn't expect to have to pay a notice period if they couldn't accommodate him anymore on the days that I needed childcare.

I don't understand the logic of that. If the cm gave notice of 4 weeks for the change then yes the parent should pay that because care hasn't yet changed. If the parent chooses to leave earlier that is their choice, the place for care is still available to use so it should be paid for. If the parent chooses to leave at the end of the notice period because the new hours are not suitable that is their choice also.

Helen79
06-12-2011, 01:16 PM
I don't understand the logic of that. If the cm gave notice of 4 weeks for the change then yes the parent should pay that because care hasn't yet changed. If the parent chooses to leave earlier that is their choice, the place for care is still available to use so it should be paid for. If the parent chooses to leave at the end of the notice period because the new hours are not suitable that is their choice also.

I understand that but if the cm feels that she needs to change days to safeguard the other children then surely it should be immediate, not 4 weeks as in that time mindee could injure other children.
I think in this situation where the cm feels she can't have that combination of the children on the same day and the parent can't change days in 4 weeks I would just let the notice period go. I don't feel it's fair to expect the parent to be happy about swapping days and it all be on the cm's terms without the parent having a choice on swapping days and then expecting the parent to pay for 4 weeks notice when the parent may feel that the cm can't cope with all the children during the notice period.

littlecheeks
06-12-2011, 02:34 PM
I understand that but if the cm feels that she needs to change days to safeguard the other children then surely it should be immediate, not 4 weeks as in that time mindee could injure other children.
I think in this situation where the cm feels she can't have that combination of the children on the same day and the parent can't change days in 4 weeks I would just let the notice period go. I don't feel it's fair to expect the parent to be happy about swapping days and it all be on the cm's terms without the parent having a choice on swapping days and then expecting the parent to pay for 4 weeks notice when the parent may feel that the cm can't cope with all the children during the notice period.

i think i agree with this too. if you have had to chage days and mum says shes not coming back i feel it would be unfiar to expect payment for 4 weeks of a day the mum doesnt want? i would just write it off hun x

littlecheeks
06-12-2011, 02:38 PM
i think i agree with this too. if you have had to chage days and mum says shes not coming back i feel it would be unfiar to expect payment for 4 weeks of a day the mum doesnt want? i would just write it off hun x

sorry just read this again, if your offering 4 weeks of her original day but she wants to leave now, then yes you should get paid. x

It's a small world
06-12-2011, 08:51 PM
This is why Im not friends with parents on fb until child leaves. Surely her message in fb cant be taken as an official termination letter? Maybe Im wrong. I would personnally send a letter or call saying you need it in writing and upto you to ask about money. But looks like you may not get money but could always put in letter that as per contract 4 weeks notice required with payment...

Cinderbella
06-12-2011, 10:47 PM
I personally would ask for it in writing an email or a letter and I would write the money off , its one of those situations where you could argue both points. If you charged what are the chances of her paying?? And if she doesn't pay what are you going to do about it?? I had someone leave owing me over £500 , I then had to pay £140.00 to take her to court and another £50. to enforce it and Im still waiting for payment lol so your not going to go down that route... therefore I would write it off and try and leave on the best terms you can .... sorry to ramble ... hope this helps xx

Marie-louise
08-12-2011, 10:42 AM
Thanks for your replies, Im going to put it down to experience and not ask for the 4wks as I see how it must of been for her to receive my notice to change day. I honestly thought I was doing the right thing in seperating the littleones while the biter was going through this stage of development. I was prepared to have the child on the same day for the four weeks notice period and continue to watch very carefully to prevent any more incidents, but was not prepared to continue this after the four weeks, as the one who,s been bitten the most deserves to come to my house to play and have fun, in a relaxed atmosphere, not with me on edge trying to keep them seperate. Especially as this resulted in others being bitten! I guess we all learn from experience, but I will be taking a months deposit from future contracts.
Thanks again.

Helen79
08-12-2011, 11:07 AM
I honestly thought I was doing the right thing in seperating the littleones while the biter was going through this stage of development.

I think that this approach is great as long as it's been discussed with parents first and parents have agreed to change days.

Goatgirl
08-12-2011, 11:46 AM
Thanks for your replies, Im going to put it down to experience and not ask for the 4wks as I see how it must of been for her to receive my notice to change day. I honestly thought I was doing the right thing in seperating the littleones while the biter was going through this stage of development. I was prepared to have the child on the same day for the four weeks notice period and continue to watch very carefully to prevent any more incidents, but was not prepared to continue this after the four weeks, as the one who,s been bitten the most deserves to come to my house to play and have fun, in a relaxed atmosphere, not with me on edge trying to keep them seperate. Especially as this resulted in others being bitten! I guess we all learn from experience, but I will be taking a months deposit from future contracts.
Thanks again.

Hi :),
So sorry this has happened. I think you have done everything right and there is no harm at all in asking Mum to change days to limit the damage her child 's stage is causing other children.

You could have just ended the contract but you tried to find an alternative way forward that took ALL children's needs into consideration. Its not nice to spend all day stressed out because a particular child is very likely to be injured :(

If Mum doesn't want to change, fair enough, she needn't, but the 4 weeks of care offered for the same day would still be payable.

I'd write a letter as suggested above, accepting notice from the date of the facebook message, but say that as a gesture of goodwill you will accept the end date of the contract to coincide with the final day you would have cared for LO on the original day. Then I'd state how much is outstanding and when it is due and finish with how much you have enjoyed your time with LO and working with the family, wishing them well in the future :).

You never know, she may pay up :clapping: but if not, you know you have behaved professionally and did all you could to end things amicably :thumbsup:

Good luck and best wishes,
Wendy :)