Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Original poster

CM Club: How important is settling in?

31 replies

KatyMac · 24/11/2008 17:30

I think it's vital. I have never had an effective childcare contract with both parents and children without a good settling-in period.

How does everyone else feel?

Am I a wuss about this? Is it irrelevant?

If a parent ignores my advise about settling-in, should I take on a child? Should I ask the parent to sign a disclaimer stating it is against my better judgement?

Or should I refuse the child? (very uncomfortable about this)

I am starting to write a policy

So far I have
"I feel very strongly that an effective settling-in period is vital for the safety, happiness and health of your child. Changes, of any sort, can cause stress levels to rise in children and a new childcare setting is a prime example of a stress trigger.

Depending upon the age and stage of development of your child settling-in can be as little as a 10 minute meeting and up to a graduated pattern of leaving your baby which may take up to a couple of months. As long as you can fit in with my times available and are prepared to take my advice on the length of each session, these are free."

What else can I add?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Original poster
KatyMac · 24/11/2008 18:26

Are these reasonable age ranges to split children into for settling-in recommendations?

Under 6 m
6m to 24m
24m to 48m
48m to 8yrs
8yrs plus

OP posts:
aGalChangedHerName · 24/11/2008 18:17

Hmm i am knackered 99% of the time and i have 4 dc so any quiet times are precious. I hate having to squeeze mindees into my days off/hols to give long settling in times.

I am going to offer a set period of settling in and then charge for the rest i think. Too often it's used as free babysitting.

BoysAreLikeDogs · 24/11/2008 18:17

I have done straight-ins as well as settling-in. I prefer settling-in [understatement] but a lack of time to settle in would not put me off if the family were 'right' IYSWIM.

shoshe · 24/11/2008 18:13

Hi Katy Have answered in the staff room but will cut and paste it to here

Katy I have taken most of mine without a settling in period, a lot have moved over from Germany/Cyprus, arriving just days before Mum and Dad have to be at work, to be honest it has worked out fine, but them they have all come from other childcare, so are used to it.

Original poster
KatyMac · 24/11/2008 17:52

I would yes - long settling-in's are good imo

It is hard esp for 9-15m old - I think they are the hardest age to settle (I could be wrong)

It hard - I always say that settling in has to be on my terms & may need to be cancelled (as I don't want it to be used as a shopping trip etc)

If they can't fit in with my times available then I charge

OP posts:
aGalChangedHerName · 24/11/2008 17:45

I have a settling in policy much the smae as yours. The only thing i don't like is the free of charge bit which i am going to change. I started a new little mindee (19 months now) in August. I had done settling in visits since May. Started off with an hour here and there. Went up to half days fairly often then some full days. She cried and was upset for a lot of the visits until around halfway through then cried now and again.

When she actually started she cried a lot tbh as she suddenly realised that this was an everyday thing and was v stressful for us as a family. So i did months of visits for no money and worked my arse off and she cried when she started anyway

I'm not sure how many visits to offer free iyswim? How many visits do you offer KM? And would you do what i did over a period of months?