Hello, im currently working my through the CYPOP5 course. I was discussing about holidays today with my tutor. She advised that a childminder should give there holidays that you expect to take for the year at the start of the year. I understand that its good practise to give notice if a holiday but im struggling to get my head around a years notice! I thought perhaps 3 or 4 months notice would be suffient? Can any qualified childminders advise how much notice they give for time off?? Thank you

I tell parents my holidays in January for the whole year, but my contract states that I will give at least 4 weeks notice of holidays.

My dh works 3 weeks on 2 weeks off so I know when I would be off but if he had another job I couldn't be as organised.

You have to decide what you want to do and put it into your contracts.

My contracts state 4 weeks but l try to give as much as possible ie as soon as l book l let the parents know, also l always have the week between Christmas and New Year off so l tell them when they sign contracts and remind them after the summer.

I state four weeks on both our holidays but I do tell all my parents my holidays for the year by the end of Jan so they can plan to be off when I am as most seem to.

i only take 1 week at xmas and 2 in summer and I usually know my hols by march time but not before. 4 weeks notice is plenty. if you can let them know most of them that's fine but you don't have to.

I give my holiday dates out for the year at the end of Jan / Beg Feb. There are always extra odd days I need to take usually for DD's hospital appts so I give those out as and when I'm notified of them. My contracts do only state that I will give 4 weeks notice though.

xxxx

We tend to plan about 2 months in advance - my terms and conditions say I will give a month notice :D

My contract says 6 weeks notice but normally tell them 3/4 months in advance, when I normally book flights etc. Even this amount of time, some parents complain and say its not long enough!

My contracts state 4 weeks notice but I do give more than that. I do a quarterly newsletter and on the one that I did last month it listed my holiday dates up to an including June 14. I have just booked a weekend away for the end of October 14 and this will appear in the next one.