First parent coming is this ok?

**chezzagriff** · 18-02-2013, 01:54 PM

I have my first parent coming tomorrow and I am trying to make sure that everything is in place to show her. I have all my policies and procedures in a file and a checklist to sign to say that she has read them all. Does she need to read and sign the ones that wont apply to her too? For example, her little one is 4 so the nappy changing policy wont. Also he goes to school nursery and will only be with me 2 afternooons so do I need to do observations? In my parent pack I have: About me, daily routine, sample menu and a copy of my complaints and safeguarding policies and a copy of the contract. Is this enough?
Thanks everyone

**Minstrel** · 18-02-2013, 01:56 PM

Is this just a viewing/meeting or are they coming to sign up?

**JoRo163** · 18-02-2013, 02:09 PM

Do you have a portfolio?

At the initial meeting I would keep it as informal as possible. Just a coffee & a chat. All the paperwork can come later, when they've made a decision. Most families will view several minders before making their decision.

Good luck!

**chezzagriff** · 18-02-2013, 02:20 PM

Its a meeting to sign up to start on Monday. Although for future reference when its just a viewing would you not go through any policies or give them a parent pack? What do I put in my portfolio apart from certificates? I dont have references yet as this will be my first parent.
Thanks

**AliceK** · 18-02-2013, 02:38 PM

I have in mine an "All about me" document (that's about me not a child), sample menu, sample routine of our day, house rules, all my certificates including PL, car etc. Cards, thank you's etc from past and present mindees, and in the back I have all my P&P's. I don't expect parents to particularly read them in there tbh. When they sign contracts I give them an electronic copy and they sign a form to say they have received them.

xxx

**chezzagriff** · 18-02-2013, 04:36 PM

Do you not ask them to read them and sign that they have read them before signing the contract? Do you give them a parent pack or can you just put all about me, sample menus etc in a portfolio and they look at it in yours and just give them a copy of the contract and complaints and safeguarding policies?

**chezzagriff** · 18-02-2013, 05:40 PM

One more question.... Where do I write the days and sessions the child is going to be attending? On the contract or on the enrolment form?

**AliceK** · 18-02-2013, 05:47 PM

Originally Posted by chezzagriff

Do you not ask them to read them and sign that they have read them before signing the contract? Do you give them a parent pack or can you just put all about me, sample menus etc in a portfolio and they look at it in yours and just give them a copy of the contract and complaints and safeguarding policies?

I personally do not have Parent Packs as such. Parents receive a copy of the signed contract, signed A4 sheet spelling out in simple terms payment terms eg Childs Holiday - Full Fee, Childs Sickness Full Fee etc. I know all this is in the contract but spelling it out on a seperate sheet tends to focus the mind for the parent. Once they are signing contracts they get a copy of my P&P's (all of them) I prefer to send them electronically but I have been known to print them off. They then sign a form to say they have received them and the form lists them. I don't put that they have read them. I don't care whether they read them just that they have received a copy of them. What they do with them is their business

xxx

**chezzagriff** · 18-02-2013, 06:37 PM

Ok I think I have everything ready then, thanks everyone. I am going to send a copy through email unless the parent asks for them on paper (which I hope she doesnt!too much printing ha ha) how do you convert word documents into a pdf file?

**lynncjt** · 19-02-2013, 07:43 AM

Originally Posted by chezzagriff

Ok I think I have everything ready then, thanks everyone. I am going to send a copy through email unless the parent asks for them on paper (which I hope she doesnt!too much printing ha ha) how do you convert word documents into a pdf file?

It depends which version of Word you have, if it's fairly new version you can 'save as' and change 'save as type' to PDF, if you don't have that option then you can install a program like 'primopdf' which install as a printer. So you print your document to Primopdf and it saves it as a PDF file.