To not know what I am supposed to do now - childminder

[HairsprayBabe]

My son is four and not of school age yet, he was supposed to start a new childminder today, three days a week until next September.

I got a vetted and recommended provider, I visited, I paid a £300 deposit, did all the paperwork to have her tell me last night that she has given up childminding and won't be taking him any more.

I am beyond baffled (on top of furious) that someone could just do this, all the nurseries and childminders are full in the area and I don't drive to be able to get him to another one.

I think she accidentally oversubscribed herself and hasn't quit at all - she lives walking distance and I am half tempted to stake out her house at drop off time to see WTAF is going on. Would this be unreasonable?

I am so stressed if I don't laugh I will cry.

Maybe she has failed Ofsted or another check.
Maybe she's got a job that pays better.

Unfortunately it can happen with childcare settings. When DDs nursery failed Ofsted we were told up pick up they were closed with immediate effect.

@sunbum yes signed a contract, nothing seemed weird or off when we went to visit in May, not sure how to persist with the deposit return when she wont return messages. We were originally talking over childcare.com then moved to email and I have her phone number and obviously address too.

If she's not returning your messages, you are well within your rights to knock on her door and tell her she needs to refund your deposit. Just keep very, very calm while doing so!

You have her home address so id be tempted to go there to talk to her about getting the deposit back. Not ok that she didn't return it and is now hiding.
Failing that, letter before action and threat of small claims court. I wouldn't hesitate.

Letter by registered post outlining the time frame within which you expect your deposit to be returned before you are compelled to take further action. She could twist you turning up there as intimidation

Contact Citizens Advice about getting your deposit back.

it almost sounds like she’s a fraud, as she should have transferred your deposit back immediately once she had informed you she was quitting childminding (unless of course she’s had a family emergency which may delay her responding).

People saying it's her prerogative to not provide childcare - yes, but with reasonable notice! She can't leave people in the lurch like this. I would be claiming for the deposit plus other costs as a result of her breach of contract (although perhaps difficult to actually get her to pay them in practice).

That's shit but for all you know, she's sick or divorcing etc.

Tbh this can happen with any childcare, I know of a nursery that closed with no notice - can't remember if it was debt or a bad care rating or building health and safety or something.

Don't waste energy being annoyed with her, you wouldn't want your kid to go there now if she did do a U-turn. Just focus on deposit and finding a different solution.

It is a nightmare for you and you will have to see if you can get on any waiting lists. As for your "joke" of stalking the house to see if she is still childminding, It may be the case that she might still have children but has decided to not take any more children on.

I know 3 of the childminders at our church playgroup that have decided not to take any more new children on since the 9 months funding has come in. They are still minding the children they have but are not taking any more on. There is also at least 2 others (I know for definite about 2) in our area that are also not taking the funded hours, they are just offering their spaces for before/ after school and school holidays care for school age children. One of my friends has had to put her 1 year old in a nursery as the child minder for her 5 year old isn't taking any more babies on.

Unfortunately this is the result of a badly thought out, rushed government policy that is now having a detrimental affect on parents.

That's absolutely shocking a day before he started! Something must have happened, that's not normal amongst childminders.

Does your contract not state a notice period? Our childminder closed just before DC was due to start, it was with the necessary notice so I couldn't complain. It was extremely stressful though trying to find an alternative as I was already back at work and all the good ones get booked up 6+ months ahead!

You will have to be flexible in your requirements, look for someone further away or with less than ideal hours and just work around it while you get yourself on the waiting list for someone else more suitable. Is there a local FB group for childminders in your area? Or contact one person and if they have no availability, ask if they know of anyone else who might have space and work your way along the chain until you find someone.

We ended up with a pretty terrible childminder as we were so desperate, didn't really like her when we did the interview but it was that or nothing. Toughed it out for about six months then changed to someone much better.

That's so frustrating. I would look at school nurseries for 30 hours places (it might not help as they are term time only and will involve picking up at 3.15 ish) but they might have a last minute place plus also day care type nurseries who will accept the 30 hour funding. I think they are more likely to have the last minute place you need as they have more places overall. You might get lucky and get your dc friends who end up going to his future school.

Have you also checked eligibility for tax free childcare etc to help with costs?

To give you no notice is really unreasonable of the child minder and is unbelievably stressful for both you and your child.