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View Full Version : Saving a place for 1 year!



Tink
22-03-2012, 07:42 AM
I have a parent who is pregnant with her 2nd child due in June. She said she might be wanting a place for baby (x) in a years time when she returns to work, my question is do I charge her to keep the place open as I cannot guarantee I will have one as I am currently full and if yes what should I charge her?

muffins
22-03-2012, 07:49 AM
he chances are that as its a sibling of a current child Ofsted would grant you a variation for 4 in EY so would dont really need to keep a space open:thumbsup:

rickysmiths
22-03-2012, 07:54 AM
No I am tough now. If a parent goes on maternity leave and reduces the days, I have one going in May and won't pay a retainer for the cut days then they have to take pot luck when they want to come back.

I am not a charity and usually the retainer is not unaffordable with the maternity pay they get now so the choice is theirs. I have had parents loose both places and I have had those who have paid a retainer and got a place back and one for the baby and stayed with me for years.

I just wish the government would save money and help businesses by cutting Maternity back to six months.

Tink
22-03-2012, 08:25 AM
I will be loosing mindee for a year anyway whilst she goes on maternity leave, but got two coming back in August so not too long away.

QualityCare
22-03-2012, 09:28 AM
I have a parent on maternity leave she left in October and her 2yr old left as well, in November she decided she didn't want to take pot luck that l would have a space for baby in Sept for baby so started paying a retainer of 1/2 her normal weekly fees she isn't well paid but tax credits pay most of it as she can still claim. From January sibling started back with me for one day a week as she was bored at home she will start nursery in Sept and l will have the baby and collect sibling from nursery and have her for 1hr before mum collects both she works mornings only at the same school as the nursery so will take X but she finishes an hour later than she comes out.

Mouse
22-03-2012, 09:43 AM
I have a parent who is pregnant with her 2nd child due in June. She said she might be wanting a place for baby (x) in a years time when she returns to work, my question is do I charge her to keep the place open as I cannot guarantee I will have one as I am currently full and if yes what should I charge her?

You can't charge until after the baby is born, so couldn't start charging yet even if parents want to pay you!

I give my pregnant parents a choice. Either keep the existing child coming to me through the maternity leave, in which case I will apply for a variation to take the baby on when the time comes. Or, take the existing child away and run the risk of there being no space available for either when maternity leave is over. As it would in effect be 2 new starters I wouldn't be able to apply for a variation and the chance of me having 2 free spaces at any time is very slim.

I do agree to reduce the number of hours the exisitng child needs to keep coming. With one mum I said I was happy to reduce her child from 2 days a week to just one. This would have secured his space & one for the baby. SHe decided she couldn't afford it, so took mindee away. When her maternity leave was finishing she contacted me about having them both & was very surprised when I said I didn't have space for either!

Another mum kept her child coming for 2 days a week while she was on maternity leave for 10mnths. When she went back to work I got a variation to have the baby.

miffy
22-03-2012, 05:51 PM
Good advice from Mouse - I wouldn't agree to keep a place open for a year for nothing.

Miffy xx

funemnx
22-03-2012, 06:51 PM
I think it's better for the child if they keep coming at least a couple of days during maternity leave, so much else is going on for them with a new baby arriving that having something stay the same is important!

Tatjana
23-03-2012, 06:12 PM
No I am tough now. If a parent goes on maternity leave and reduces the days, I have one going in May and won't pay a retainer for the cut days then they have to take pot luck when they want to come back.

I am not a charity and usually the retainer is not unaffordable with the maternity pay they get now so the choice is theirs. I have had parents loose both places and I have had those who have paid a retainer and got a place back and one for the baby and stayed with me for years.

I just wish the government would save money and help businesses by cutting Maternity back to six months.

I for one am happy it's been extended to 9 months, a wonderful time to have enjoyed with my baby.:)