Originally Posted by
Bluebell
I would say that book the 2 days and negotiate on the extra days! Say that you can do the 2 days but the extra days only if you have space available - so you can book out to other children and not keep the space for her - that is a risk she has to take unless she wants to pay for those days. If she has regular supply days then she may be willing to pay - if they are only occasional she probably won't!
If you have filled those spaces and she just wants an extra day once a month then I would think it would be reasonable to do it as continuity of care depending on all the other circumstances.
Also have you discussed if this parent will want term time only care? Losing 13 weeks a year income is a big hit on your income
It is really tricky - you want to accommodate parents and be flexible, for yourself you are willing to be flexible because you want to fill your spaces but you also need to make money in the long term.
I took on flexible parents and gave them the speel about willing to do and see how it goes but I wasn't really firm enough and it just went on and on for over a year where as really if I had said review in 6 months it would have been fairer to them and me to re-look and go back and say not working for me as in the end it didn't really work for me but I left it so long it was too late to change.
What I'm saying is if you want to give it a go and be flexible then explain your situation -maybe do the 2 days on a permanant contract but do the extra days on a short term - say 3 month contract that has a definite date to review.