Anyone been excused Jury service due to childminding?

The letter popped through the door today - jury service for end January.

I have no objection to doing Jury Service - and in fact if was still in old LA job I would have loved to be given the opportunity.

However- I am struggling to see how the parents of the children will managed to arrange cover - especially as no idea how long for, worried about the impact on the children especially if goes on more than a few days - and worried tht if a very long tral that really the children would be better off not refurning to my care - due to their needs particullarly their attachment and continuity of care needs.

So have any of you been called for Jury service - did you just do it? did you ask to be excluded and if so were you successful?


Penny :)

yes - twice and once because I was breast feeding:D

i just explained that it would cause a lot of problems for several families in trying to source childcare etc...

This is something I worry about...I wouldnt be able to do it. I have no car in the week and no childcare for my own children. Then the loss of earnings and all the parents I would be letting down for wht could be a lengthy case.

I know you get compensation for wages and travel but it would be so inconvenient. I'd be interested in knowing this too.

A CM friend of ours has recently done it, she was told she could be excused but she would be called agian, so couldn't see the point. She only had one mindee and got a another CM to cover. However in your situation Penny, things are a little different :D

When you are called to jury service, you will receive a summons to attend for jury service. If, as a childminder, you want to be excused jury service, you should explain why in section 3 question C of the summons reply. A jury officer at the Jury Central Summoning Bureau will make a decision as to whether or not you can be excused based on the details given. If a juror is refused excusal they have the right of appeal against this.

Although no guarantees can be made that you will be excused jury duty, many childminders have already been excused jury service.

When you make your case for being excused service, explain exactly what childminding is and tell the authorities how many children you are providing day care for.

Explain how difficult it will be to help parents find alternative childcare.

Explain your concern for the disruption of your minded children’s care and, not knowing how long your jury service will be for, how difficult it will be to resettle your minded children on their return to you. Stress the importance of continuity of care.

You may also want to consider approaching your parents, telling them what has happened, and asking them to give you a letter of support, which you can send to the Bureau. Ask parents to explain how your jury service would adversely affect them personally.

Keep copies of any letters you may receive from parents and send the originals, together with your reply to the summons by special delivery.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Pipsqueak

yes - twice and once because I was breast feeding:D

i just explained that it would cause a lot of problems for several families in trying to source childcare etc...

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Thanks Pipsqueak

I have read that you need to explain about childminding and get parents to write letters - but no idea if anyone had been successful.

So good to know it is possible - especially as none of my parents have straight forward care needs apart from the twins - but then again 2 full time places?

The one has to be collected at 6:30am, another (as you know) does very ,long days sometimes 15 or 16 hrs- includes earlys, lates, overnight, weekend.

Oh and the other two might be ok normally as have grandparents who provide care when I am on holiday - but can't at the moment due to their ill health.

And I must not forget Dominic - although my grandson - he needs a lot of support - and will already be coping (in Jan) with new baby, new school - afgter 6 months of not being in school - so a different childminder would cause difficulties - that is if anyone would be willing to care for him.

Penny :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dave

When you are called to jury service, you will receive a summons to attend for jury service. If, as a childminder, you want to be excused jury service, you should explain why in section 3 question C of the summons reply. A jury officer at the Jury Central Summoning Bureau will make a decision as to whether or not you can be excused based on the details given. If a juror is refused excusal they have the right of appeal against this.

Although no guarantees can be made that you will be excused jury duty, many childminders have already been excused jury service.

When you make your case for being excused service, explain exactly what childminding is and tell the authorities how many children you are providing day care for.

Explain how difficult it will be to help parents find alternative childcare.

Explain your concern for the disruption of your minded children’s care and, not knowing how long your jury service will be for, how difficult it will be to resettle your minded children on their return to you. Stress the importance of continuity of care.

You may also want to consider approaching your parents, telling them what has happened, and asking them to give you a letter of support, which you can send to the Bureau. Ask parents to explain how your jury service would adversely affect them personally.

Keep copies of any letters you may receive from parents and send the originals, together with your reply to the summons by special delivery.

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Thanks Dave for your comprehensive response - most useful

Penny :)

And also explain that you are self employed and will be losing x amount of money and cannot afford to live without this income (check what the maximum daily allowance paid is thesedays). I did jury service and at the time the maximum they paid out was £55 a day, I actually lost money doing it and if I was totally responsible for bringing in all our household income I would have got into debt over it.

I was called for jury service, due to start at the beginning of January.

I just filled in the form and attached another sheet, explaining how difficult it would be and how disruptive for the children in my care and awkward for the parents.

I didn't attach any letters from parents (I was keeping them as a reserve, in case I needed to appeal their decision!)

I got a letter in return, saying that I had been excused, so no need for me to appeal and use the parents letters - this time!

I have been excused twice now and dh who could do it hasn't been called in the 30 years I have known him!

I was excused - it would have been a nightmare for me to get there as I don't drive and I had 4 families to sort one of whom was an new starter baby who had just settled in. Then there were my own children to think of.

DH did it when he was called - he had it deferred once as he is a farmer and it was harvesting time in the summer - he was recalled the following Jan.

I've only been called once and was excused because we were living in Germany at the time (hubby was HM Forces):D

Jacqui

Thank you everyone for your replies

I shall be asking to be excused.


Penny :)

I was called for jury service many years ago at Crown court in London.

It was a dreadful time for my employer as she had a new baby and was trying to run a business but they refused to excuse me.

I sat in a jury room for 3 weeks. I wasn't called for a jury in all that time. It was a total waste of time and money :(

I wish I'd been given the opportunity to serve properly I think it would have been very interesting.

However now it would be a total nightmare. I hope you get excused Penny :D

i was given an exemption totally for as long as *****mind. In 20 years I worked in an office I was never called. they wanted me in september in a year I had 2 new babies starting (both from first time parents). I explained how this would affect the mums, babies, me and costs and they gave me a complete excusal from service until such time as I'm back in employment (not self employed). :thumbsup:

My sister was called up when her four children were all very young - sister lives about 100 miles away from family members. She rang and asked what her chances would be and was told it all depended on how many of the others who were called asked to be excused - obviously people who had health reasons for not attending/awaiting operations etc were before her in the que! My sister got excused - not easy to find someone to look after four children

Cx