bigfuntime
17-10-2014, 02:23 PM
Hi,
Next week I'm having a lady and her little boy come to meet me. I'm unsure how long these meetings should usually take? And how in depth do they need to be?
I have a 'parent information pack' that I can show her, and I'll show her around my home and garden, play with the little boy if he's happy for me to! Is an hour sufficient/ too long?
I've not received my certificate from ofsted, so I am well aware I cannot start minding untill this arrives at my home, and I have subsequently arranged the insurances needed, but can I take a deposit? If the lady was happy and wanted to go ahead, I'd like to make the arrangement official, with a deposit but only if this allowed?
Thank you!
moggy
17-10-2014, 03:07 PM
You can't take a deposit without a contract and you can't make a contract without an Ofsted Reg No. (if you use Pacey contracts).
If you have been 'approved' by Ofsted Registration Visit and just waiting for certificate then it should come in a week or two. Parent visiting will need to go away and think about it anyway, may come back for second visit with partner, probably view other CMers etc. Then you make another appointment to do contracts and take deposit so it is not all going to happen in a day, your certificate may turn up in time. Chase Ofsted if not.
1 hour for first visit is fine, although if you get chatting and all going well can be longer. How in-depth depends on how ready the parent is to get into details- some times a parent is just looking to see what a CM is like and then also looking at nurseries etc. Make sure you ask if they have any questions, say they can get in touch later if they think of something to ask afterwards.
It is hard to sit and read acres of text on a first visit so give them something to take home or email it afterwards and concentrate on talking and interacting with child at the visit. Show a photo album of places you go, your resources and things you do- something visual and easy to flick through while chatting. Policies etc can be sent later for reading at home.
Remember you are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you- have they used childcare before? If so why did they leave? Get a feel for what the family is like- where they work, where they live, do you have similar outlooks on parenting/childcare? what are they looking for in a CMer? What activities do they do with their child, what do they enjoy? etc. If you get a good feeling from them then great. If not, you are free to say in a follow-up email 'sorry, the space is no longer available' or that you don't think you can meet their needs and end it there- you are entering into a longterm and very close relationship, it has to feel right or you could be regretting it down the line.
Ask about child's routine- naps, meals etc- think how that will fit with your day. If they insist on a nap in a cot a 3pm that is no good if you are doing a school run. If child needs to be rocked to sleep in arms with a bottle every nap how are you going to do that with other children? Ask if there are any special needs/health needs you should know about?
And always get the basics written down- child's age, days they want, hours they want, term-time or all-year, regular hours or shifts, start date. Ask if they are seeing other CMers- I encourage them to do so.
Good luck with it!