Paxo123
07-04-2011, 04:35 PM
Please forgive me if this is in the wrong forum
I am the husband of a childminder and a question has come up.
A couple of months ago, my wife completed the relevant contracts etc and agreed to look after a child - start date a month later. The week before the start date, the mother found that her hours had been drastically reduced and it was not worth her working so she didn't take the job. Naturally she did not need my wife's services. She had given my wife a post dated cheque for the 1st month's fees. The date on the cheque was the start date on the contract. She asked my wife to destroy her cheque, which she did.
My wife checked with the NCMA who advised her that as the contract was not in force until the start date then she could not do anything about it.
Question 1 - Is this correct and if so how do other childminders deal or prevent this situation?
On a different tack but similar situation. Another mother has just approached my wife and been signed up etc. She had completed a contract with another childminder but since completing the contract had seen some things she did not like and decided not to use this original childminder. Again this was before the contact started (in fact in this case, the childminder had left the start date blank!). Now my wife who sees this other childminder at the school is being accused of poaching and threatening to report her to the NCMA.
Question2 - How do you deal with situations like this?
Many thanks for any replies and advice
I am the husband of a childminder and a question has come up.
A couple of months ago, my wife completed the relevant contracts etc and agreed to look after a child - start date a month later. The week before the start date, the mother found that her hours had been drastically reduced and it was not worth her working so she didn't take the job. Naturally she did not need my wife's services. She had given my wife a post dated cheque for the 1st month's fees. The date on the cheque was the start date on the contract. She asked my wife to destroy her cheque, which she did.
My wife checked with the NCMA who advised her that as the contract was not in force until the start date then she could not do anything about it.
Question 1 - Is this correct and if so how do other childminders deal or prevent this situation?
On a different tack but similar situation. Another mother has just approached my wife and been signed up etc. She had completed a contract with another childminder but since completing the contract had seen some things she did not like and decided not to use this original childminder. Again this was before the contact started (in fact in this case, the childminder had left the start date blank!). Now my wife who sees this other childminder at the school is being accused of poaching and threatening to report her to the NCMA.
Question2 - How do you deal with situations like this?
Many thanks for any replies and advice