Ratio's - can I do this?

[cs01]

Hi

I have been approached by an ex mindee's parent to take child back on a temporary basis (tto). I am able to do this and said child will attend on Thursdays until the end of summer term on a temporary contract.

In the meantime, I have signed up 2 new families who will be starting in Sept. These 2 new families will mean I have 3 children under 5, 3 days a week (Mon-Wed).

The ex parent has asked if it will be possible for me to have her child back on a more permanent basis from Sept, on the same 3 days. I am thinking that I will not be able to do this as our contract will end in July and this will not therefore be classed as continuity of care. Am I right? Is there any way around this? If they were on a permanent contract for Thurs, and they then requested an increase in hours, would I be ok then to have the 4 children?

[Rick]

I believe the contract has to be continuous. They cannot cancel the contract and then come back later as it would technically be new business. But yes if they are with you on a permanent basis, even one day, then it would be continuity of care.

[muffins]

Why do you have to end the contract? Just do an amendment form and give them free holiday over the summer hols

[Tazmin68]

I would say yes you can. I had a child on a contract that was a sponsored placement with ss and contract ended as ss did not extend placement. I took on a new child and a week later had a call from ss wanting to continue with other child as typical they never re arrange to continue until contract ended. I did enquire with ofsted and they said risk assess and as child had already been with me and new child starting I could class it as continuity especially as a funded child and would have been a further 4 weeks if changed childcare provider as would have had to go to panel to be re assessed. It is a constant issue with sponsored placements as social services do not realise that childminders have lower ratios than nurseries and we are not going to just hang around while thy get funding organised after all we are trying to run a business.

[cs01]

Thanks for the replies. I guess all I need to do then is put the ex mindee onto a permanent contract, rather than a temporary one and let it run should we need it to.

[mummyMia]

Surely it wouldn't count as continuity of care even with a permanent contract because you have two new families starting in September? I always thought that for continuity of care you needed to have two existing children who have been attending at different times and now need to start attending at the same time, pushing you over your ratio. Or have I understood this all wrong?

[cs01]

Surely it wouldn't count as continuity of care even with a permanent contract because you have two new families starting in September? I always thought that for continuity of care you needed to have two existing children who have been attending at different times and now need to start attending at the same time, pushing you over your ratio. Or have I understood this all wrong?

I do have 3 new children starting but they will be coming Mon - Wed. The ex mindee will be attending on Thursdays only. The Thurs parent is asking if there is any possibility that she can change from Thurs to Mon-Wed and the other mindees will already have started. The continuity of care would be for the thurs child, not for the mon-wed children. The problem is she is asking me before the other children have started so this is why I wasn't sure if I would be ok to have 4.