Childminder wants to close at 1pm for the rest of the week

[SweatySpider321]

Woke to a text from my childminder, announcing due to the weather we need to try to collect our children at 1pm for the rest of the week -530pm is the usual finish time. I’m not even a week into a new job and my husband has no leave left (mainly due to covering her annual leave). It’s not in our contract and it’s funded hours we use with her

She’s not closing the facility though. She’s asking OP to pick up earlier if she can. It looks better for her if OP picks her children up rather than ‘I can’t cope with a 26 degree day so I’m closing’.

But it's not even that hot where OP is. Its going to be 26 where she is tomorrow!!

What do you mean by 'looks better for her'? That implies she's not advising early collection or the kiddies sakes, but for her own. Which is an unfair assumption.

YANBU, but she does kind of have you over a barrel if there's long waiting lists for other kinds of childcare.

What would you do if she said that she felt you were unreasonable and she was ending your contract (or doesn't renew when it comes to it?)

You have my sympathy.

I've read some of the thread but not all. I'd have to assume the childminder is only watching older children who don't nap? (because if there are younger children who do nap, I'd imagine that a lot of private homes will be hotter than the regulated 20°c for sleep spaces?). I'd say the biggest difference between what happens at the childminders and at home is the fact that if anything happens within the childminders house, they are liable and if they cannot show they were following guidance (like only allowing children to sleep in a space under 20°c) and risk assessing carefully, it could cause them a world of trouble. If a child gets ill at home, the parents are responsible but likely will not get into trouble with the authorities (unless they've been doing something daft like forcing their kids to run laps of the garden - and even then probably not!). The home and CM environment might be exactly the same temperature but only one is offcially regulated.

What it boils down to I suppose, is that some people are absolutely fine with pushing their luck, not necessarily following guidance to the letter or worrying about best practice... Others are more risk averse. It would probably be best to leave the current childminder. I suppose you just have to choose the provider that more closely aligns with your way of doing things. Obviously, if a provider breaks the law then report, but if not, then voting with your feet is the best bet. There are people who have commented who wouldn't have a problem with this so it's just personal preference.

I think it’s a fair assumption personally.

She already has history of lying to OP, of pretending a child in her care was unwell when they weren’t.

No red weather warning for them. No schools closed. No eg water problems.

So I’m happy with my assumption.

Regarding the maximum 20 degrees for sleeping - isn’t it a recommendation only?

👍🏻

TBH, this is out of order. Lots of my friends are Cms. I was one. Appreciate the weather will be challenging but she cannot insist you pick your child up. If she has requested others do so ‘if they are able’, and they are willing, then her work load is reduced and she should manage. Unless she has a clause in your contract over this, it’s unreasonable. What next? It’s too cold, too wet? Childcare is being carried out in hot climates all over the world - unless she is sick as a result of some individual health issue that has been aggravated by the heat, she needs to carry on.

As the weather in UK summers may be an ongoing issue, I’d be tempted to find another setting and then write to Ofsted.

32 is not exceptionable and would be concerned if this was the norm going forward. You are going to be pulled out of work on more than just tomorrow if this is how they run their childcare.

It's going to be 38-40C where we are tomorrow and a lot of schools are shutting around here (with limited space available for primary school age children to go in if there's no childcare at home but this has to be prebooked).

If childcare facilities shut because temperatures got up to 32 in summer, they would be closed more than they are open in June/July/August.

Hopefully you've got a decent contract and can use that. If the temp is only 32 and no local schools shut that's ridiculous.

It is super hot maybe she doesn’t want to be running after small children in the heat! I told our nanny her choice if she wanted to stay or go home. She is late 50’s and toddler can be a bit of a handful! I am home anyway so no need to be here if she would rather tend to her dogs and be home! (Enjoying the sunshine) she sent me a pic of her relaxing in her garden!

Of course she doesn't want to be running after small children in this heat, but that's her job! I'm sure nurses and policeman and bus drivers and carers and cleaners and everyone else also don't want to be at work, but they have to....because that's their job!

can you imagine if everyone downed tools because of the heat. police nurses. she's being ridiculous

To me it sounds like she's doing the right thing as she doesn't want to be responsible for the health of other peoples' kids during the heatwave. Given how many people on other threads yesterday were bemoaning about having to go to work during a Red Heat Heath Warning it seems like double standards

Can I ask have you read OPs posts? Have you read what the temperature was today, and what it’s predicted to be tomorrow? Have you seen where she’s written which colour warning her area has? If you haven’t read OPs posts I suggest you do, or you can ask me and I’ll copy and paste the relevant bits here if you want.

Who does?

She’s taking the piss

push back

nurseries dont close: they have wet play, paddling pools, cold drinks; watch tv

it reached 36 here but our primary school remained open for those who needed it

Start looking for a nursery. You will get a more reliable service

If the OP had been called by a care home to come and pick up her Grandma because the carers didn't want to be responsible for the health of other people's elderly relatives during the heatwave, would you think that was ok?

Or a nurse from the hospital calling because she doesn't want to be responsible for someone else's sick relative during a heatwave?

Mine too. Not sure how my DS will be any cooler anywhere else but there you go! She's closing at 1pm and is only refunding 25% of the day, absolutely joke really. Mind you, she's a bit of a snowflake in general and closes at the drop of a hat so I'm not surprised. Roll on September when he starts full time school

@GreyRockChic She's closing at 1pm and is only refunding 25% of the day, absolutely joke really

What the actual fuck? These people are giving childminders a bad reputation. Put it in an online review after you’ve left.

Excellent point! They are being paid to provide a service and that's what they should bloody well do.

Bet she will still claim the funded hours though!! Mine does and it boils my piss

Bet she will still claim the funded hours though!! Mine does and it boils my piss