Feeling disheartened had a run of prospective parents who I can see are problematic!

[Booh]

Just feeling a little down heartened

One parent was a shift worker

The other has been through childminders like coffee

Ahhhhh

Why is it so ddiffficult to find a nice family

Have to say, I've always been dead lucky with mine over the last 5yrs - yes, the occasional late payer, but all really nice!The right families will come along - probably all at once!

just because someone is a shift worker doesn't mean they arent' nice!

Coldtits sorry I should have put more details they are a shift worker but have irregular hours and only want to pay when the child is here...and not a retainer to hold open a full time space for them. I even gave them a good discount on ffull time

only pay when child is there??? dont think so?? good luck to them with that search and attitude..

can you find out why the other parents went through cms so quickly?? if for payment issues dont touch with a barge pole....

poor you.. just keep on advertising and sure right p[arent will eventually turn up.. maybe you should consider where you are advertising... and pehaps widen the area?? just a thought

hi booh, i am a new cm and was finding it difficult to fill my spaces so i agreed to take one child on a pay as you use basis. i charge week to week and have taken one weeks money as a deposit. this works for us as work is slow at the moment and our contract has a one week termination period so it will be easily cancelled should something more permanent come along. would you consider this? i know that families who are new to cm don't realise about retention fees and ratios. do they know that by holding this space for their child, you cannot take on another child?

I agree with PositiveOutlook. I have one such family and I believe it is best for ALL parties, including myself, to take them on a weekly basis.

I would offer the shift worker the option to go for ad-hoc care/zero hours contract rather than a long-term contract. This way they only pay for the time booked, but until its booked and paid for the time slot is not reserved for their child. So you are free to take on someone else (and they are free to book someone else) but while you have the space available they can book it.

If you have a minimum hours contract instead of a zero hours contract then you must save the agreed number of hours for that child.

Having been to several childminders can be indicative of problems but it may also be simply bad luck. A friend of mine went through 3 childminders in a year ... not through any fault of her own but because they decided not to be childminders any more.

Booh, any update on your situation?