advice needed please

[sandy64]

hi i have a lo termtime only contracted and mum has just lost her job lo due to start her 6wks hols fri they pay half fee to keep place mum doesnt want to terminate contract as hopeing to get a job by sept thats when her wages stop from old job. Well mum has applied for another job and thinks she has it but where do i stand?? this lo is extemely hard work you may remember me saying about her foul language screaming hitting etc so as much as im coping with lo i so need the 6 weeks break to recharge my batteries from her how do i stand if she needs me in the next couple of weeks for example? does she need to give notice to change hours etc. any advice would be good please as imnow stressing out over this

[Andrea08]

im not sure hun but if you dont want to keep this LO on your books i would suggest giving 4 wks notice and just say its incase you can get work and you dont ant to hold the place xxx

[Penny1959]

If I have understood correctly - mum's new job is going to be all year?

If so she will have to give you appropriate notice to change hours (mine is 4 weeks) during which time you have to offer the service under the old contract which is to keep the place open. And mum will have to pay the half retainer.

Mum would be in her right to ask to use the retained place - but only at term time hours as in her contract and provided she paid the difference in retained fee and full fee.

Once she has given notice to change hours - you are in your rights to say sorry can not do new hours and not to enterinto a new contract.

Hope it gets sorted and you are happy with the outcome

Penny

[mushpea]

if the child is contracted term time only then you dont have to have her in the holidays, if mum wants to change her hours so you have her all year round then you have to decide if you want this child in the holidays as well or if you say to mum that you want to stick to term time only and help her find a holiday club and you could say that the holiday clubs are cheaper to help persuade mum.

[gigglinggoblin]

I think charging a retainer for hols might be where things gets difficult, I thought a retainer held the place open so if they wanted to use it they could. I would check with NCMA or MM where you stand about refusing to care for a child while taking money for the retainer

[sandy64]

thankyou for your replies i thought if she paid retainer it was difficult but i was so looking forward to the break il see what happens

[Goatgirl]

Hi ,
If she is only paying a retainer for the term time hours you have no obligation to offer her a full time place during the holidays. In these circumstances I would just say you don't have a full time space available for her.

It might be a good idea to have a word with Mum and explain what the retainer does cover, in case she's still paying at the moment so that you will care for the child if she needs a full time space before September.

Might be better to see if she does get a job and start afresh then...?

Hope it all works out for you whatever happens with Mum's job. Fingers crossed you can have a relaxing holiday

best wishes,
Wendy

[miffy]

If the contract has ended then it's up to you if you want to start a new all year round one with this child - it doesn't sound like you do so it's a perfect opportunity to say no if that's what you want

Miffy xx

[sandy64]

well funny how things happen mum just picked up lo and said shes got good news her job that she had at school which had been terminated has changed suddenly so she has her job back in school in sept so ive 6weeks to charge my batteries from the lo and im hopeing her behaviour may have improved then

[The Juggler]

i'm glad things worked out hon but just to put my opinion in, if you are charging her a retainer for the 6 weeks holiday then you are keeping that place for her so if she had asked you would have really been obliged to have her, I think.