Variation ??

[Heaven Scent]

A friend of mine who has been minding for 25 years applied for the following variation -

She has had a 3 yr old girl T for about 2 years now and she was supposed to have left at half term.

Friend took on a little boy to start the week after next to replace her.

Mum got back to her to say that she now needs her until Jan so minder has managed to swop one of her days and has but not the other so applied for a variation for almost 6 weeks (6 days in all) - and that is only if another child Th's dad who has been out of work for a while now manages to hold onto a temp job hes had for the past 6 or so weeks. She looked after Th's 11 year old brother D since shortly after he was born and took Th on when he was about 9mths old - he will be 2 in Jan.

Anyway little girl T never met her biological dad, then knew P as her Dad but mum and him have parted and now she is with another bloke who has been out of work until the last week or so but now is working away - this is taking it toll on poor T who thinks that he has left them like the man P who she calls her daddy.

Anyhow my friend applied for a variation to keep poor T on until Christmas as well as taking on the new boy as planned - bearing in mind that TH may leave at any time. in Addition to these she has J who has recently increased his days.

Anyway, she had a call from the office of the mignty "O" today to say they couldn't grant the variation as it would be illegal. She felt that this was so unjust and had a bit of a rant at the bearer of the bad news and went over the situation again so he got someone else to speak to her - this time a lady who said exactly the same thing and when she asked the woman who she suggested she give up and what to say she said they weren't asking her to choose or to give any of them up but they couldn't grant the variation as it would be illegal - then another man came on the phone and again he said the same thing. They say its not continuity of care??? - I would have thought it was. Then they told her she could appeal - what would be the point of that when 3 people have already said it would be illegal.

Is this normal - what do others think!!! On what grounds have others been granted variations?

[FizzysFriends]

the days she needed the variation how many children would she have?

[hello kitty]

Had the new child started with her?

If not, then it's not continuity of care for all the children, it would be for T but not the new child.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I would depend on a few reasons. Does the variation take the minder over 6 under 8? That is illegal and she would need an assistant.

[Heaven Scent]

On the day she needs the variation she would need 4 under 5, 1 under 8 and 2 over 8 (these 2 would be for an hour max). she would still be within her under 8's numbers.

[Heaven Scent]

Had the new child started with her?

If not, then it's not continuity of care for all the children, it would be for T but not the new child.

No, but they had signed contracts she has not applied for variation for new child but for T. because in effect she left and wants to come back iyswim. She only has 1 child aged between 5 & 8 for 3 days plus she has 2 11yr olds 3 days also not the same 3 days. Until now she has only worked Mon - Wed full days and Thurs after school with 2 sisters.

I'd just love to know on what grounds others have had variations.

[Daftbat]

I have been granted avariation in the past because an existing parent had to change her hours. There were no new contracts involved and i had cared for all the children concerned for a long time.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I think whomever looked at the variation saw it as 7 under 8 and would say to her go back to Ofsted and talk about it again

I cannot understand why she couldn't have it.

[Heaven Scent]

Thanks Debbie - I told her to do an attendance grid which I did in rough for her but she got our network co-ordinator involved and I didn't get to see the finished application before it went out!!!

I think you need to put it Black and white very large simple print - a bit like Peter and Jane books.

I told her to get her daughter to type it up for her - she works at the childrens centre it wouldn't have taken her long in her lunch break.