when do you refuse to take an ill child?

[mozarella]

Hi

I am struggling a bit in speaking up to parents,

what happened last week, i usually look after two sibling, i only had one last week as the other one was ill and at the grandma, she brought me the 2 years old. He seemed fine but started developping a cough, i told the mum in the evening

The day after she brought him in and told me his cough was worst and he hadnt eaten breakfast but that we was ok and if i could offer him something to eat, which is fine by me. I checked the dairy we use to communicate and put a note of not taking him out !! Now i think it is not fair, i have my son as well and basically I had to cancel activities planned for the day and had to stay in. Am i right to think that a parent cant really expect a childminder to keep their child in because they thibk they are not well enough, surely if it is the case then he shouldnt have come, it is not fair on other children

Then the LO didnt want any lunch and was getting worst, he slept most afternoon on sofa and i called the mum to tell her and that he had 39 temperature and if she could come and collect him asap ! she turned up at usual time 6.30 pm !!!

I only have them two days a week but as a concequence I got ill and my son too , bearing in mind i am pregnant too

I am so crossed but i am always scared to speak up

Do you think I am right to be annoyed or is it just part of the job abd it happens all the time?

Moz

[Merry-Minder]

I dont like having to raise issues with parents either, so to avoid the problem in the first place I always try to make myself very clear about things ie: instead of what you said about coming ASAP I would have said you need to COME NOW!, and if she hadnt turned up I would call again to say YOU MUST come and pick X up now.
There is nothing wrong with refusing to take a child if you think you are going to be unable to give the other children in your care enough attention, as all your time is taken with the sick child - in fact that is my bench mark on deciding whether to keep a child in my care or not.

I hope that makes sense. xxx

[Adiamond]

This really annoys me too I have a little girl who is regularly ill with coughs, colds, horrible horrible nappies!!!!! I tell mum constantly but she says I will keep my eye on here then she brings her the next day saying she is fine but she soon shows that she isn't!!!!!!
I have now got the cold she has had. It makes me sooo angry that they send their children out when they are obviously poorly and should be at home.
I am finding that this job is very stressful at the minute with one thing and another mainly parents grrrr!!!!!!!

x x x

[Twinkles]

I don't expect parents to keep the children off with normal coughs and colds.

However , neither do I expect them to be sent to me if the parents feel they cannot cope with a normal day here.
It's just not fair to expect to keep the other children ( and yes parents we do have other children to look after ) indoors all day.

If I felt a child was poorly enough to contact the parents to collect them then I expect just that to happen and I would phone and phone again untill they came.

[Squiby]

I learn't my lesson a long time ago, if I think they are to ill to come i exclude them, point blank say sorry they cant come tomorrow. I used to have a parent that when called to collect child would rock up at usual time and it really ****** em off tbh. I now say they have an hour to arrive or I will be calling the other people i have numbers for in the event of an emergency.

[Blaze]

As above really - normal colds & coughs are fine - as long as they are not heavy/hacking & the child must be well enough to participate in our normal daily activities. Also if they are too ill for pre-school elc, then they are too ill to attend here also. If I call a parent to collect an ill child I expect them to be here in around an hour tops - if not I will contact emergency contacts to collect instead. Think we have all learnt over the years to get strict - otherwise we get taken advantage off, get ill, loose money or our families suffer because they get ill or other mindees get ill & other parents are not best pleased! Nip it in the bud is my advise.

[FussyElmo]

However , neither do I expect them to be sent to me if the parents feel they cannot cope with a normal day here.
It's just not fair to expect to keep the other children ( and yes parents we do have other children to look after ) indoors all day.

I agee with this - if a child cant go about the normal day and then I ask the parents not to send them

[mozarella]

thanks, i thought too that if a child cannot follow a normal day then he shouldnt come, i had to cancel musical class i booked for my lo and him and i was sad to cancel it and also not fair on my lo to be in all day ( 8 am till 7 pm) long day to be in care when you are not well

Like you i dint mind normal colds but not when the child is too unwell and my son seem to be ill all the time since i started this job

[Blackhorse]

Hi Mozarella,

I agree with the above..I find it hard to refuse a child if they are unwell but my parents are good if they think child is not well enough they will keep them home...or if the child is a bit unwell but not very they will send to me but tell me to phone them asap should child get worse to collect.

about your son being sick all the time..I think that is normal if it is the first time he is in constant contact with other LOs...like going to nursery...it takes them some time to get their immune system up and going to cope with all the bugs and things other LOs have,....that is at least what I heard...and it makes sense to me..

What also bothers me if parents send a sick child is that it is not just you and your kids that get sick but potentially other mindees to which in turn is not fair either I guess.

[mozarella]

yes, she is lucky i dont have any other mindees, went to gp today and my son got a viral cold exactly same symtoms as the LO, and he is not geting any better, i am feeling worst too , so it sounds like i will be shut for the rest of the week !

Moz