Saving spaces

[chezzagriff]

I have had a parent asking i I would save them a space for next January! Its a full time place so would be great but its a year away. Its also for a baby and I can only have one under 5 due to having my own children. What would you do?

[shortstuff]

Is it a sibling? Or connected in some other way? Or just heard how good you are?

Not sure what i would do in your situation, good luck with your decision making

[chezzagriff]

No an only child not even born yet! lol I hope they heard Im good Im really not sure whether to tell them to contact me nearer the time. It means me not being able to offer long term childcare at the minute which could end up making me miss out but then the fact its a full time place makes me not want to turn them away.

[Goatgirl]

HI ,
I would tell them that to hold a place you need to be paid in full for it, and they probably don't want to ... but you're happy to give them first refusal if someone else wants the space in the meantime and they are welcome to contact you nearer the time. Take contact details etc.

I would never hold a space that long without full pay: did it once before for a few months and refused other enquiries, then parents' circumstances changed and they couldn't afford childcare. They were annoyed I kept their deposit and I was Very out of pocket for having turned down heaps of other work to accommodate their requirements in the meantime. Never again.

good luck, hope it works out for you

[sineadquinn]

I may be wrong but didnt think you we're really allowed to sign contacts and take payment before babies born not sure where I heard or read this think its something to do with Ncma contracts. However I know that doesn't stop you from actually holding the place for them however personally I would ask to be contacted nearer the time and if you have a space then that's great. You don't want to turn work down for a whole year when another full time space could come up in the meantime and like someone else said their circumstances could change anyway.

[mummyMia]

I have had a few of these types of enquiries and I have always told them to contact me closer to the time, but have never heard back from a single one. I have no idea if it because they found someone else or just decided not to go back to work. I know what you mean about not wanting to turn people away but a year is a massively long time and you will almost certainly get other enquiries in that time. Every single time that I have told a parent to contact me closer to the time I have always managed to fill the space before they would have needed me.

[jillplum]

Its far to far in the future to be saving a place. Heaven forbid anything could happen between now and next january. You may have given up childminding by then! I would ask them to contact you nearer the time then if you have a space you could start taking a retainer to keep it for them.

[chezzagriff]

After reading everyones posts and having a logical think its not worth it, like people have said circumstances could change and also a year is a long time to not earn on my main available space. Thanks everyone

[phoenix2010]

I cant believe how far ahead people plan childcare , anything can happen in a year

I will save a space for 4 weeks and thats it

and if they let you down , find someone they prefer , mum decides not to go back to work after all , or granny offers to have lo for free ??

too many what ifs !!!

[sunview_cm]

Your not suppose to sign up an unborn child, I'm sure I've read that somewhere! X

[Cottonsocks]

I've held a space for a year before now with no retainer & when I had another parent ring about vacancies I explained I did have one but only for a year. That suited the new parent fine. It was what they'd needed. Everyone happy ;-)

[FussyElmo]

I have held a place open for a year for an unborn baby and with no retainer/deposit. Still with me 6 years later

Only you know if it would suit

[MessybutHappy]

I might hold if it was a sibling of a family I knew and could work with, but I would also take work but tell the other person that it would be onky until a certain date. Other then that, probably not. It's too risky.

[LauraS]

I wouldn't, not for a year. I have just held a place for a child for 4-5 months (I forget) and could have filled it multiple times during those months... have been on tenterhooks hoping it will pan out, and that's with a hefty deposit.

Having said that, I have a parent who had asked for first refusal on a space I have coming available when one of my LOs starts school - and that enquiry was 12 months before and for an unborn baby. It's not a case of keeping it open though.