Packs, folders etc.

I had an initial meeting today and the parent has decided she wants her little one to join us! Yay! I am really excited as she will be my first mindee... however she is coming back next week to talk more. I am still pre reg but she has decided 100% she wants to wait and keep her daughter where she is until then. So my questions are what should i present her with... what do you put in your starter packs? A parents folder and whats in that? Anything else? tips are SO welcome! Also.... how do you manage fees? I will charge monthly in advance but i have never done an invoice before and have no clue as to how to!? Then is it just a case of me requesting their bank details for direct debit or do i give mine. Also... she has asked me to accept computer share vouchers. Can anyone advise on how that works with invoicing and paying. Sorry if I sounds silly i want to know in my mind for when we meet this week!!

Free fees policy and debt management guidance here - https://www.childcare.co.uk/free-childminder-paperwork.

Computershare vouchers - you need to sign up to receive them and parent sends them through their work - it's pretty straightforward.

Welcome to our world :clapping:

If you look back on the forum you will see many posts about early drop offs, late pick ups, parents hanging around too long at drop off or pick up. It is hard to address once bad habits have set in so it worth communicating your expectations on this before you start. So if your child is contracted from 8am, when do you expect the parent to arrive? Some parents make the honest mistake of thinking that they should leave the child with you from 8am and so turn up earlier in order to settle the child first. You need to discuss this - don't just write it in your pack and expect them to read it!

Also, at pick up - will you invite the parents in or do a drop off at the door? Most parents want to get home and are happy with a 'brief' chat at the door - eg "He's eaten really well but hasn't slept well" etc. They know that more detail will be in the diary (if you do one). However to some people 'brief chat' can mean twenty minutes and in the meantime their child will get out all the toys you have all tidied away or trample on your flower beds while the parent is oblivious and oblivious to the fact that they are 10 minutes late to pick up their child anyway and oblivious to the fact that your own child is trying to get your attention. It really is worth you going over your ground rules now. It's easier to accommodate things if you only have one mindee but as your business grows you might have to adapt your practice.

Come up with a meal time plan - exactly what foods does the little one like/not like. What will you do if the child refuses to eat?

Discuss notice periods for holidays and final notice period. Discuss what happens if the child is off sick or if you have to close due to sickness - what do they have to pay for? Discuss you exclusion policy for D and V.

Neighbours - parents MUST respect your neighbours and their property. So where are your parents allowed to park? If they have a very early drop off remind them that your neighbours might still be sleeping and so they need to take that into account.

Do you have a 'shoes off' policy? Again very difficult to address once they have been in a couple of times and left their shoes on.

Discuss what equipment children need to bring everyday. A friend of mine had a mindee turn up on a bike and she didn't nip it in the bud and so ended up storing it in her hallway every day - who has the space for that? She also ended up with scuff marks in her hallway because of it. I didn't mind my mindee coming on his bike occasionally as I have a lock up shed. We all have things that irk us but wouldn't bother anyone else and vice versa. Unfortunately, you only find out once you experience the problem first hand.

It's a lovely profession though. Enjoy!

I'm loving all the examples Maza has given. Like she has mentioned the 'dropping off and collection' can grate us if not done as expected from the start. When we start we want to create a good impression and chatting on the doorstep or hallway is lovely but doing that for 3/4 parents six months later is chaos. You could be finally closing your door half an hour later than you want. So nip it in the bud with the first mindee so that when you do have 3/4 more mindees the first parent's nose isn't pushed out as she now doesn't get her 'half hour nightly chat'. We all learn as we go. Remember you are in charge. I've walked parents to my door before, opened it and guided them out all whilst they are still chatting.