I'm a childminder and I've gotten an email from one of the mums in DS class saying she'd like me to have her DD five days a week before and after school during term time and all day in the holidays.
She is in the same class as DS at school (5yo), including the same phonics and numeracy groups, and I don't think it's fair on him as it doesn't give him that separation between home and school when he's with the same child from 7am to 6pm every day and all day in the holidays too. I also think it can potentially create awkward situations and makes business matters difficult. I have tried this set up before, briefly, late last year when I minded a child in the same pre-school class as DD. I had to give notice due to piss-taking from the mum, she was doing things like asking me to have her DD on a certain day (not her usual day) and then faking confusion when I billed her because she thought it was a "play date with a school friend". My home and ny family were gossiped about, my fees and my policies were openly discussed. It all felt a bit too close to home IYSWIM and taught me to keep as much of a divide between work, friends, and home as possible (or as possible as it is when working from home caring for children!).
I emailed her back to say that, while I appreciated her interest in my services, I don't feel I'd be the bet childminder for her DD due to her being in the same class as DS and the conflict of interest this would create. I gave her contact details of some other local childminders with whom I have a good working relationship and who have vacancies and directed her to the local council who offer a free vacancy matching service.
She has emailed me back tonight to say that I am discriminating against her DD because she's got additional needs (this was not mentioned until now, I didn't know she had additional needs or what the additional are) and that she's going to complain to the council and to Ofsted! She thinks I've been gossiping with her previous childminder and have taken details of incidents that occurred there completely out of context. I haven't spoken to her previous minder, I don't even know who she was with previously and haven't asked around. I'm certainly not discriminating against anyone.
Was I BU to turn down this child?