keeping a place open through maternity leave...

[kittyrainbow]

Hello one of my mindies mums has now gone onto maternity leave for six months. I have told mum that I would have to fill his place with another child and she would run the risk of losing her space, unless I could keep having him as normal whilst she is on leave. I have told her that way I can guarantee the childs place plus the new baby a space.
Is this the correct way to do things or is there anything else that I could have done differently. xx

[Mouse]

Hello one of my mindies mums has now gone onto maternity leave for six months. I have told mum that I would have to fill his place with another child and she would run the risk of losing her space, unless I could keep having him as normal whilst she is on leave. I have told her that way I can guarantee the childs place plus the new baby a space.
Is this the correct way to do things or is there anything else that I could have done differently. xx

I do the same except I will sometimes offer to keep the child on a reduced contract. If they normally come for 4 days I might offer to have them for 2 days a week during maternity leave. It depends if I am prepared to lose the money or if I can take on another temporary child.

[AliceK]

I do the same, all but 1 over the years has stayed with me during maternity, the 1 that didn't (and I fully understand that mum couldn't afford to) came back to me afterwards begging me to take original child plus new sibling on. I just couldn't do it, shame as they were a lovely family.

xx

[bunyip]

I'm entirely the wrong person to ask. Being a sucker, I keep places open for maternity mums in the hope they'll want 2 places, but well aware they may not return to work and therefore not want any places.

And there you all were, thinking the bunyip was a hard old git with no soft, squishy centre.

[loocyloo]

I have a LO who does half a day 'maternity leave' from 3 days ... and by the time LO and babe come back, will have been doing it for a year ... But it has worked as I filled spaces and others are leaving to go to school.

But i did say to mum that there was still a risk I might not be able to cover all the days she needed; Luckily it has worked out the way I hoped it would and mum has confirmed spaces required! ( although now told me she is trying to move areas with her job but is pretty sure the days will stay the same! )

[hectors house]

I let the parent cut down the number of days child attends I tell them that then if necessary I can play the "continuity of care" and "sibling baby" trump cards!

[loocyloo]

I let the parent cut down the number of days child attends I tell them that then if necessary I can play the "continuity of care" and "sibling baby" trump cards!

:-) same here

[kittyrainbow]

Thank You all. Mum has agreed to keep paying me full through the maternity leave. It does feel harsh though but I really need the cash and I really want to be able to offer them that space as the child is lovely. xx