Help and advice needed please

[Probey9]

I had a telephone call last week from someone who was looking for part time child care. They came to see me on Friday and two hours later phoned and said they would like their son to start on Monday with me.

I invited the parents to come back to complete and sign the paperwork, they were not keen so I offered to come to them, they were still not keen. As I wanted the paperwork in place before they started I offered to drop the paperwork off so they could complete it over the weekend. I completed as much as I could and left the forms with them and said see you Monday.

Monday 8am came and went, I did the school run came back and gave them a quick ring. Had I got the week right? No answer, so I sent an email just asking if I had got it wrong etc and waited for a reply. I am so mad with myself for being soft and handing over all the paperwork without completing and signing and to top it all I put my registration number on there to.

So after waiting all day and talking to other childminders in the area getting myself even more worried. We started talking about people we have heard about where parents are claiming help for childminding costs even when they are no longer in their care. It seems that anyone claiming help with childcare has only got to give the childminders details including the registration number and they can have their money. No checks are done to confirm if that child is actually being cared for by that childminder.

Anyway going back to my other problem, so I then get a reply, in broken English, basically saying, sorry I was ill so my son stayed at home today with me, please be patient so I can recover, not sure if and when I can return to work as I have siatica!

Not sure how to answer this, my main concern is that I gave out paperwork with my registration number on. Yes I know I have been really silly and I will never get caught like this again but any help will be gratefully received.

[Pipsqueak]

don't berate yourself about it, we have all been there done that - its a lesson learnt.

I think in the first instance I would give them the benefit of the doubt and say you will pop round on xx day (or whenever would be convienent - seeing as parent is home with a sore back!!!) and complete paperwork with them - if they are reluctant, say you will pop round and collect paperwork until they are ready to sign it. I wouldn't hold your breathe though! give it a week, if they are fobbing you off tell them you have someone else interested in the space and seeing as you have not signed contracts (received paperwork back) then you have no alternative but to cancel contract seeing as its in settling in period/contract not finalised/offer the space to someone else (you are running a business) I think I would be tempted to say that you are under obligation to let tax credits know that your numbers is not valid in this instance ( ) and if they still don't come back to you then.......

give tax credits a call and say you have given your number to these people believing they were genuine - give their name and address if possible and say that you believe that they have no intention of signing with you and you believe its a fraudulent claim.

chalk it up to experience

[mushpea]

I have informed tax credits in the passed of a fradulant claim and they werent interested, told me to speek to a fraud department for which they couldnt find the phone number ,
the thing that bothers me is that the tax man will know how much money has been claimed on our ey number and therefore will assume we have the money and could question why we have not put this money through and then we have to prove that we didnt have the child.

[kindredspirits]

i wouldn't worry too much about your EY number - going back a few months ALL local childminders EY numbers were on the new direct.gov website - an oversight i am sure all someone had to do was call the corresponding number to get an address for visiting and tthey would have all the details.
hope you sort out the contract side of things soon.