to want to be paid for childminding!!

[Mum2Luke]

mother has not been paid (or so she says) by Tax credits, rang them this morning to have some snotty git tell me its nothing to do with me yet I am the one who is out of pocket because I have not been paid!!

It is time childcare providers were paid directly by tax credits, she could be telling me anything but I cannot prove that. She owes me £78 for last week too.

Its not fair this, am doing a job and getting nothing for it, how do they expect us to entertain and feed the kids full-time in the holidays without any money?

Has anyone else had this problem?

Maybe put it into your contracts that if you are not paid at the end of each week for what is owed up to that point, you will not be minding the children the following week.

personally, as a client of a fab cm, I dont care if she is rubbish at running her business , as long as she is fab at looking after my children, which she is, and I know many, many more cms are. I think you learnt a lesson the hard way. Maybe give the childminders association a ring and they can advise over contracts.

"I actually feel a bit sorry for Luke too."

Is that not a bit over the top

Bringing the OP's son into it is lower than low and totally unecessary

I often come on here when Im pissed off about something and have a massive rant. Im often (I realise later) completely wrong and unreasonable. Being in a bad mood or being angry over something does not make anyone a bad mother. I would be seriously insulted if someone told me they felt sorry for my children because I was letting off a bit of steam about something trivial on an internet forum. Im shit at a lot of things but Im a very good mother. Im sure the op is too.

horrible to say that about Luke, a really low blow

I would terminate contract, the business relationship has broken down, readvertise and move on.

OP it matters not a jot if she asked you to call!!! Quite clearly DP act covers this, how many questions do you have to answer before HMEC will even consider talking to you about your own situation FFS!

I'm sorry, but I don't think payment in advance is unreasonable, any nursery & most CM do operate this way. You provide a service but you're not a public service provider IYSWIM? you're also not a charity. Peoe need to learn to budget & deal with their own situations. If I'd not received a benefit or other payment, it's unlikely that the lecky would stay on past one lot of missed payments & I certainly don't think EDF would ring HMRC for me.

You have the choice to be a doormat uberflexible & deal with it or less flexible, more professional & risk losing her clearly excellent custom.

still can't BELIEVE you phoned HMRC!

Mum2luke . I think you have to chalk this one up to experience and just make it clear that if there is no money there is no childcare.

How ridiculous mentioning op's son and suggesting she's not suitable to mind. She rang the office get over it.

Nasty to bring OP's kid into it.

But seriously OP, to make it all so personal is very unprofessional. It doesn't matter what tax credits your clients get, or what they buy their children for their birthdays. They pay you, or you don't work. Be professional.

She's spinning a yarn. calling your bluff by asking you to call, knowing full well they would n't speak to you even if you did call. Not TC's fault , she should have asked when she would be paid and then communicated it to you before signing the contract and you starting to look after her dc. TCs often don't cover full costs anyway so she should be able to part pay at least. Did she get any upfront payments or overlap of IS ?

I wonder if she picked up on the fact the OP thinks she's telling lies, and out of exasperation said "Well you phone them then"?

exactly Worra. Mum2Luke would you likewise have phoned her employer for details of her salary and pay dates ?

Sounds about right worra.

Wow you've got a roasting on here OP. My sympathies. It must be extremely frustrating to be in your position especially if you feel the parent is lying to you. You seem to have the situation in hand though so try and relax a bit. It'll either get sorted or you'll have a vacancy.

Lorcana - I am not mad, you do not know me at all so do not judge me in that way please. I am actually very calm, OFSTED remarked on this on my last inspection when one of the children I was minding 3 years ago started fighting with his brother.

I am providing a service, I do not take credit cards or let parents pay 'on tick' as it were as I have to pay for food, toys, insurance etc. If a parent wants me to take and pick her children up from school they have to pay at the beginning of the week. Why should I wait for my wage? Its not my problem how they get it, parents should think about this when they want any sort of childcare.

So far I have had good parents but this person (her lad is in my son's class at school) practically begged me to have the children as I was thinking of going out to work now that my son is getting nearer to senior school age and will not need me to take him to school any longer.

I have just had a quiet meeting - she told me she phoned TCs to ask when they were paying and we have worked something out, just hope it comes about.

Like all good businesses you should run a float so you are not so up against it for basics to provide your service - I would not use a childcare provider where she could not even provide the basics ..... sorry but no. You sound disorganised too - so perhaps working for someone else will work out better for you .

You are quite possibly the most unprofessional childminder I've come across...you sound absolutely awful

And yes, I've been paid late...I'm a nanny so I also rely on others to be paid before I get paid...but there are other ways to deal with it

YANBU to want to be paid and to tell parent no more minding until you are paid.

YABU to ring TC.

OP ignore ignore, its half term and sends some a bit mad.

Get a grip folks. Tssk.

I hadn't actually read that bit about my son but thanks to all who stood up for me. Yes, its very frustrating in my position, I know her and am trying to be strict but it is hard. Trouble is, where I live there are few parents even in work and too many childminders and nurseries in the area so everyone is competing for the same parents as it were.

I have tried everything advertising-wise believe me but nothing had come so far, couldn't afford to turn down work either. Was even thinking of jacking it all in and trying to find work to fit in with taking and picking up my son, having no relatives on the doorstep but having gone into it, couldn't afford to pay a childminder (bit ironic I know) as we don't get tax credits any longer.

I was bit pissed off and quite upset really with the people who put me on the rack - it was she who asked me to phone HMRC!!!! I realise now yes but I did not set out to be 'unprofessional'. She must have known that would happen and I told her that. I still think she is trying to keep money back for her son's birthday and for this weekend away but what can I do? I can only demand she pays till am blue in the face!

Poor woman - stop harassing her - her son's birthday is none of your business.

Mikenosugar - keep your nasty opinions to yourself. You do not know me, I have always had good reports for your information. The parents I have minded for have always recommended me. Can't be that bad can I?

You deserved some of the roasting op. You came across as ill-tempered and refused (it seemed) to understand that this woman's tax credits are her business not yours (even though her not receiving them has an impact on you).

But some of the responses here are way OTT.