Message from childminder

[discombobulaty]

Aibu to think this is shit.

''Due to a change of circumstances I am no longer going to be working Friday pm. This unfortunately means that I need to give notice. Therefore My last day with xx will be 5th January.

Thank you''

So for context my child started with childminder 3 weeks ago, one afternoon a week, all seems to be going well, he's reluctant to go in but I get updates pretty quickly to say he's settled fine. CM newly registered and doesn't seem particularly busy.

AIBU to be fed up with this?

Because you don't just have one child.

My cm charges £4.50 pH per child. She has 3x full time 8am-6pm all week (£675 per week) plus she does 5 days "wrap around" for another 4 children same rate, 3-6pm (£270 per week).

She doesn't charge for the 4x weeks she takes off, so that's about 45k pa. Obvs a significant amount of that is then eaten up with food, activities, toys, fuel for the car, insurances and first aid etc, utilities for having them in the house all day etc.

But it's not peanuts.

It’s shit the fact you only started there 3 weeks ago
strongly suspect this was in the pipeline when you started and she knew you needed Friday afternoons

if you’d been there ages and she did this it would be fair enough

Where does the OP say she pays less when she drops off late? She doesn't.

It’s a bit suspicious I think - she’s free to operate as she chooses of course but you’d think she would have offered a different slot instead.
I say she has someone who wants more hours and you are getting dropped. To be honest around here none of them would take such few hours as you block a space that makes more £.

She should have told you in person, the texting is shit (the notice itself is ok).

So I replied and said I was disappointed, she's said she won't expect any further payment if I decide to take my son out from now. The reason for the change is her college night has changed ( didn't know she was at college) so needs to finish at 3 on Fridays!

I think you will find that neither childminders nor nurseries are going to be particularly happy having a child one afternoon a week - it is hardly worth the admin cost that come with it, and you might find that they give you notice because they have a full time child instead.
but if your child was the only one that afternoon I can see that it would not be worth her time.

Sorry posted too soon. She's also offered me a Monday pm which doesn't work for me

So, a situation outside of her control means she needs to move the slot. Take it or leave it. I don't know why you are so annoyed about this.

Nobody is going to put them through the hell of settling a new child in for £18 a week if they have no intention of carrying it on.

That's a perfectly reasonable reason on her part. Fair and understandable.

Annoying for you, of course.

Do you think she's hoping you'll take your son out early so she's freed up?

I get it's annoying as your son has just started and you may have looked at several cm and now have to find another one

If only your son it's really not worth it for her for £18

But she has given you notice as I'm sure per the contract so that's life

Yes, because they can look after several children at the same time and they all pay it. Can bring in good money if you have a few.
I think it's understandable that 6 weeks into it, she's making adjustments to her work life balance and having only one other child to look after isn't worth it financially, and wants that time with her own child

I would value direct and clear communication of that nature. Also without more facts, you don't know for what reason they can no longer continue, it could be something that's very upsetting for them even. Dealing with your disappointment is the real issue maybe?

@SecondUsername4me I know what you mean on ratios but I still didn't realise how little it is for responsibility for a child.

OP six weeks notice is good.

When my childminder quit, I got a phone call! So yeah, pretty rubbish IMO! The least she could have done is a telephone conversation!

Sadly the government want to pay even less for these crazy free hours scheme they have. Childminders and nurseries are trying to shout loudly that they will not survive but nobody is listening.

That's not how childminders work. They charge between £5-8 per hour per child, usually having more than 1 child at a time.

To be fair where I live I’d be in a world of shit if my childcare fell through as it’s so hard to come by. Would be far more than a few week (over Christmas) to remedy.

You can't expect someone to run their life around someone who pays them less than 20 quid a week

If you only needed half a day a week I'm sure you'd work something out. It's not like the child was there 50 hours a week and she's been dropped.

Sounds like she's dealt with you very fairly and professionally.

She's new to the role so still working out what suits her and her family.

You can't expect her to arrange her life around your £18 a week.

And she has offered you a different day.

When you only want one afternoon you are no one's big customer and you will find you have a lot less choice.

Most settings won't take a toddler for so little time as its hard to settle a child who comes so infrequently, its hard work looking after a child that age who isn't verg familiar and comfortable with you.

Probably because it’s only 3 hours a week, think she would have if full time. I once had a childminder for once a month and just one day simply told no she can’t do (date had already confirmed with her and was working) and when tried to arrange my next work date I needed she just ghosted me. The other childminders have always either spoken to me or messaged me if changing their availability. Have always stayed on good terms with them and often go back in the future when our needs match again

Not really. Unreliable would be not turning up or giving no notice.

This. Its annoying but you have plenty of notice.