should my childminder be charging me if she cannot take my ds due to her lack of disabled access?

[jenniferturkington]

My ds has just had an operation, leaving him with both of his legs in casts for the next 6 weeks. He usually goes to a childminder one day a week (my dd goes 2 days). We said we would not send him while he is in casts as her house has a lot of steps, and she doesn't have buggy space etc for him. We had assumed she wouldn't charge us for this period, however we have just received an invoice charging us in full for the days he will miss.
I'm not really sure what to do? We would send him if possible! What do childminders think? There is nothing in the contract about this.

I'm really sorry about your ds but I'd charge you too. People are aware of my set up when they sign with me and as much as I'd feel for you in this situation, I'm afraid I'd be thinking it's not my fault that your ds has had an operation :( I'd love to have enough money to say it didn't matter but I just can't afford a loss of income for something that is out of my control.

p.s. I'm sure this IS covered in your contract.........she surely has a sickness policy? I'm sure this would just come under the sickness policy but someone may come along saying I'm wrong?

sorry ds has had this op and will be in cats, but hopefully the op will be a sucess :)

your ds is still taking up a space that your cm wont be able to fill as only 6 weeks

you have decided not to send him, the cm hasnt refused to care for him

if on the other hand she has refused to care for him for these 6 weeks then she shouldnt charge

Problem is is that she has bills to pay, etc. If you don't pay her she's losing money. Her other alternative would have been to completely and permanently cancel your son and take another child on instead.

Yes, I know it is tricky, I see where you are coming from Looneytune. The problem I have is simply that I would send ds if the childminder was physically equipped to deal with him. What could she do if I said ok he's coming on Tuesday?

exactly my point blondes, what if I send him?

.

How old is he? You run the risk of saying OK he can come but he'll be stuck in one place/room all day.

It would depend on a few things tbh, it's hard for me to answer that without knowing the whole picture. I do make it clear to parents that we are out and about a LOT and that any children attending need to be well enough to cope with our usual routines. Obviously this is different which is why I'd need more details. For example, would the usual car seat still be ok? If not (a friend had child in spika cast and had to buy special car seat), could parent supply seat and would it fit in my car etc? Then there's the overall safety of ALL the children. I'd have to risk asses everything and see if I could manage safely carrying as normal with our routines.

Having said all this, I do cover this in my policies, this is in my Admissions Policy at the end:

'I am happy to take on children with special needs providing I feel I can provide them with the care they need. (for example, I will not be able to provide one to one care or look after a child in a wheelchair as my home is not suitable) If your child has additional needs, please discuss them with me first as I would not want to raise your expectations'.

tricky

obv as a nanny i would happily look after as i am there only for that child/family

as a cm,she must look after the other childrens needs as well

obv ds isnt ill as such, but the cm wouldnt be able to continue with her everyday routine with the other children (same as if she had an ill child) hence why cm send ill children gome where nannies still look after them

i think she is in her rights to say no as she cant give him 100% care

I'm actually pleased you mentioned this as I'm currently updating my policies so will add a bit that makes this sort of situation 100% clear :)

I don't know how old or heavy your ds is, or whether he will need significant extra care. If he is able to take part in all normal activities and his care would not place significant extra demands on his CM (for example lifting him in casts, toileting), I think you could reasonably expect her to take him. Otherwise, I'd expect her normal illness policies to apply, and I think most CMs would charge for non-attendance due to illness/medical reasons - as others have said, it's hardly her fault and she still has bills to pay. To put this in perspective, it seems you are only talking about six days, not six months.

Thanks for all the responses. The main issue is with walking i.e. ds cannot walk (well he actually is doing a bit around the house). Childminder doesn't drive, and she has to do a schoolrun where she walks for about 15 mins. She has two 2 yr olds in a double buggy, and my ds (3.8) walking, plus her dd who is 5 (who she is dropping at school). Obviously this is now impossible with 3 children needing buggy space.
In the house there is little extra care needed, as i said my ds is walking around, getting himself to the loo etc

Sorry but I think you're going to have to pay. It sounds like its your DS who is unable to walk on the school run like he normally can. Could she take your DS and you get someone else to do the school run and then the CM wouldn't have to leave the house and could have him.

so sorry to here about your DS
will he with has casts on fit in a normal buggy?

If so then surely CM could use a back pack carrier for a 2 year old so your son could sit in pushcahir... Or the 2 year olds might be able to walk, or take turns to walk?

depending how far school is away as nannyl said the two 2 yrs could swap and take in turns to walk

no way would i want a 2yr in back pack - would cripple me

if it is for one day a week, couldnt cm find a friend to take her dd to and from

problem is, is that your ds op has changed things and not the cm fault

yes ds can fit in a normal buggy. I'm still not sure about this, as people have pointed out it is only one day a week- maybe childminder could make other arrangments for the school run, definately the 2 year olds could walk a bit each. But the point is does she to to this?
Oh well, I guess I will just have to ask her if she can have him. If she says no, I'm not sure what to say really re costs. I know she has bills to pay, but so do I! I'm not able to go to work on that day a week if she can't have DS.

does she have to?

well (IMO) if she refuses to then you shouldnt have to pay

I would still charge you.

How old is ur ds?

Mayeb you could buy her or borrow her a double or tripple buggy to make thing easier.

I would still charge. It's no different from being off sick. I certainly wouldn't be able to care for an older child that couldn't walk - I have up to 7 other children at a time.

Could your DS stand on a buggy board? That might be a solution (cheaper than you staying at home for six weeks). But you would need to reassure her about his ability to get about - it may be that she assumes he is entirely bed bound (that would certainly be my assumption if someone was in two leg casts).

Hope he makes a full recovery incidentally :)

Buggy board sounds like a good idea.

I think she's probably within her rights to charge but she should really consider taking 50% only due to the unusual circumstances. It might be right but it does seem unfair.

I think you have to pay.
She has effectively taken on a child that can walk the school run. If he temp can't then that is you changing the terms of the contract not her.

Yes, you still have bills to pay but you are his mother. My DS does karate. He broke his wrist last year at the start of term just after I'd paid. I wasn't entitled to a refund as it seemed only fair that I still paid for the 6wks he couldn't go as there is a waiting list to join and it wasn't the instructor's fault so why should he lose out?

We also pay for school and get no refund for absence. A child could miss the entire half term through illness yet the parents must still pay fees that term for the same reason as karate and your CM.