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Original poster

Think I've made a mistake - is it too late to back out now I've signed the contract?

32 replies

PanicPressiePants · 02/01/2007 16:48

To cut a long story short I've had problems finding a childminder in my area with vacancies for the days I need.

Went to see a cm who I know a friend of mine used to have a while back, the friend has been away over christmas so I have been unable to speak to her about it.

Anyway went to visit today, and she seemed nice, but I wasn't totally 100% happy (mainly 2 reasons, she doesn't have a cot for ds to nap in - it will be the sofa bed, and she has a huge dog)

Anyway, because I'm in a fix I agreed and signed the contract, thinking she must be ok because my friend used her until her children went to secondary school. Anyway, friend has just been round, and said she removed her children as she wasn't happy with the care they received, always in front of the tv, were bored, no planned activities, the dog was allowed to mix with the children etc etc.

Now I'm in a right state, in tears because the contrasct I've signed states I need to give 6 weeks notice, and even if I did pull out, I've noone to take ds at such short notice.

What do I do?

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S88AHG · 03/01/2007 10:22

Do you have a travel cot? I would either lend her mine or buy one, you can get them for about £40 in Argos, and then at least you know your dc is sleeping in own bed, I think it would have been quite ok to have said about the dog with the events of the weekend. I have a dog and he just sleeps all the time the mindees dont really bother with him but he is older. Ofsted didnt tell me I had to seperate him but I said he goes out at meal times and if he is annoying the mindees. You may find that everything is ok, and maybe this woman has changed her ways since your friend used her, she may have had to to keep her registration, best of luck

StrawberrySnowflakes · 03/01/2007 08:40

i dont think she intends to dot hat at all..thats a lot of extra work when your meant to be with the little ones.
Shes changing her 'story' to many times saying one thing to you and another to your dp..check out her ofsted report!, se what they say she is required to do?

LoveMyGirls · 02/01/2007 21:07

why cant she provide a travel cot? id insist, how much of a faff is it going to be having to change sheets all the time, how long is she going to keep that up for?

I have 2 babies and they sleep at the same time, i put them in the same room but dd in her cot and mindee in travel cot, its easier that changing/washing bedding all the time.

shosha · 02/01/2007 20:54

Message withdrawn

LIZS · 02/01/2007 20:48

Where's her lo going to be when your ds wants a nap ? how old is he/she ? What if they both need the cot at the same time ?!

Original poster
PanicPressiePants · 02/01/2007 20:48

Yes have done the cis list. I have got some numbers further a field but with the traffic in the mornings etc etc it's difficult to get ds to cm and then drive all the way back across town as I only work 2 mins away from where I live! I need to be at work before 8.

OP posts:
uwila · 02/01/2007 20:46

I think you should ask her to put in an opt out clause whaere in the first two months you can pull out with one week's notice (and so can she). Then, I would say four weeks notice after that, but it may be a bit latte to make that point.

shosha · 02/01/2007 20:45

Message withdrawn

StrawberrySnowflakes · 02/01/2007 20:43

i suppose youve tried cis and the like?
ask around ask school or check out yellow pages..local playgroups etc(youve prob done all the above)..such a shame youre having no luck.

Original poster
PanicPressiePants · 02/01/2007 20:39

I'm in swindon, wilts. Finding it hard to find any cm in the immediate area whose hours start before 8am, and is available for the days needed.

OP posts:
StrawberrySnowflakes · 02/01/2007 20:35

have you started using her yet??..if not and you are in anyway not sure, ring her and say youve chaged your mind, not nice for her but you have your reasons and being a cm and a mother i would fully understand!..good luck..were are you?

cyrilsquirrel · 02/01/2007 20:30

If she's as bad as your friend says, is it worth the risk?

Original poster
PanicPressiePants · 02/01/2007 20:26

Dp has returned and after discussing the dog, which she says won't mix with the children, and the cot, which she says she will put him in her lo's cot with fresh bedding, we've decided to give her ago.

She does seem nice like I said before, and I suspose I should make up my own mind.

At least It will buy me some time to look for someone else if it doesn't work out.

OP posts:
uwila · 02/01/2007 19:50

6 weeks notice? Jeez, I wouldn't agree to that. What if I got laid off (when i would only get four weeks notice). Not on im my opinion. Perhaps she has a history of people leaving on short notice?

Where do you live? Are childminders scarce?

smeeinit · 02/01/2007 19:25

oh you poor thing,what an awful situation to be in.
did you get anything resolved?

zoeuk1 · 02/01/2007 18:51

ok. mines a cocker spaniel, so not a large dog really. he doesnt really bother with all the children as he's so used to them being here. he'll get really excited when they first arrive, then after a couple of minutes, he leaves them alone and just wanders around getting on with his own thing!

shosha · 02/01/2007 18:29

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zoeuk1 · 02/01/2007 18:27

the thing with that is, if ofsted susspected that the dog was a threat at all, they wouldnt have given the childminder her registration would they? my dog isnt all over the mindees, but he does wander around. sometimes they'll give him a bit of a fuss, but then i'll tell them to leave him alone for a while. also, the children should never be left alone with the dog and no adult.

mysonsmummy · 02/01/2007 18:22

could you not say with what happened to that young girls at the weekend dh is adamant the children will not be near her dogs.

zoeuk1 · 02/01/2007 18:21

i didnt think a dog has to be kept seperate from the children. i have a dog, and the ofsted inspecter didnt tell me this. the dog was wandering around and the inspector didnt mention that. when you're in a home setting with a dog, its not normal for a family dog to be kept away from all children is it?

shosha · 02/01/2007 18:14

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shosha · 02/01/2007 18:12

Message withdrawn

S88AHG · 02/01/2007 18:08

Where do you live someone here might be able to help you out, its worth a try and you should be able to get out of the contract, I always tell people in the first 4 weeks contract can be terminated by either side without notice, but NCMA contract does have a cooling off period as mentioned, if you signed a form in triplicate it is NCMA, good luck

Original poster
PanicPressiePants · 02/01/2007 18:05

He's 16 months. Not sure about the contract as dp has taken it with him.

OP posts:
shosha · 02/01/2007 18:03

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