Parent wants childcare from next June!

[Velleity]

I have a parent coming to visit me with their baby on Saturday morning who is very keen on using me as we are just a few houses apart on the same street, however who knows what spaces I would have available in June! I'm not really sure what to say to her. A retainer from now would cost her a fortune but I really couldn't just guarentee there would be a place. Her child will be a year old then and she wants three days a week. It would be nice as I would then be caring for two one year old girls. I'm not sure .. what's the best way to proceed? Thanks!

[rosebud]

I've had an enquiry for January 2013! I would do the visit but explain that you won't be able to confirm a place until around April as you would be turning work down in the meantime which you can't afford to do. Lots of things could change between now and then. If I have a place I am usually happy to hold it for a couple of months as long as the first months fees are paid as a non-refundable deposit but wouldn't hold a place for longer than that.

[Maza]

What if they decide to move house - would they be loyal to you? Just explain things the way they are as Rosebud said. Don't feel bad, you have to look after your own interests. She'll totally understand.

[pinky33]

We have held a space with just a deposit for a parent that signed in June to start feb, but only because we have one leaving then so it worked well. Otherwise we advise to call 8 weeks before care is needed to see if we have space and if we don't there is time for parent to shop around.

[xshellbellex]

I had this a few months ago

What I have done is said I will contact them about 3/4 months before they want me to start and sort contract then and intergrate child slowly. I explained about retainers and they were happy to pay if they needed to.

We agreed that if the space (under 1 child) was wanted by someone else then i would contact them and they have the choice of paying a retainer from then or giving the space up.

Parents were very understanding, we are all happy, i dont feel like i am ripping them off and they are being kept updated. And as others have said alot can change in that amount of time

[Fairy Tanya]

Hi, just had the same thing today (October) for her to be 1yr old in march, for care starting march. he lady asked for 2 and a half days a week, but when I added it up, works to nearly £1500 retainer fee, and then you don't know by then if she will then take the space up, which you would then loose the fee. When she rings back, i will tell her it would be advisable to leave until a month or so before care is needed. As, if she doesn't want the space after all that, us as childcarers would loose the retainer fee, and work we may have had, if we hadn't reserved the space.
It seems such a shame, with today's economy that we have to do this and save spaces for very future clients. but what can you do.
I personally would prefer to fill my spaces quickly, than wait on a whim of if and when, then get nothing if it doesn't happen.
Do think this is ok??
As I know at te moment there is no work out there and we are all having to try alot harder to find the parents who are getting work at the moment.

Tanya

[butterfly]

I've had this before several times. I proceeded by explaining the problem to the parent - I really wanted them so I said I was happy to accept a retainer of they definately wanted to hold the space - this was a lot (3 days per week at half price) but they definately didn't want to loose the space.

Another family didn't want to pay the retainer (understandably)so I suggested I kept in contact with them and let them know of anyone else wanting the same space. When this happened they then had to decide whether to pay the retainer or loose the space. They decided to pay the retainer.