Giving notice to CM

[Rollergirl1]

I am currently trying to negotiate a Flexible working request with my work which will enable me to work within school hours. This will mean that I won't need childcare anymore. I don't really want to say anything to my CM just yet as there's a chance that it won't come off. However if it does happen then ideally I would like for it to start following the easter holidays. I am hoping that I will know one way or another within the next 3 weeks. My contract states that I need to give a months notice. I'd like to give her as much notice as possible but if it came down to just being a month do you think she would think that is reasonable or do you think she might be a bit hacked off? She looks after my 2 children for 3 days a week so it is a significant amount of money that she will lose.

Tell her as soon as possible of your plans. Tell her that you will keep her informed on how it goes. That way she is mentally ready and when you are certain give her the months notice. she then has a chance to advertise and get someone else to fill the places. Even if your not certain she can put feelers out. She must understand that things change. We are all trying to save on the pennies.

We had a simular situation where the dad had lost his job. She had to give her months notice straight away. As it happened though he got a new job and they were only off a week in the end.

Do you normally send you child over the easter holidays, I only mention it as if you have a term time contract or holday time booked then you can't use that time as notice.
As for giving notice and removing your children thats to be expected as a childminder we expect children to move on, thats the service we offer. She may lose some money but can then advertise the space.Its really not your problem, what you can do is write a reference and tell your friends that she has a space, word of mouth is often the best way to fill it.

I think the contract is an all year round one, but I haven't seen it actually stated anywhere within the contract. The children usually go during the school holidays and if they don't she charges me a retainer. So I am assuming that the easter holidays will count within the notice period?

I do want to give her as much notice as possible. The only thing that is stopping me is I'm not really sure how she will react. She is new to childminding and we will be the first family to give notice. I heard from another Mum that she was a bit funny with her when her work wanted her to change her days and therefore she neeeded to change the days that her child was with the CM. She warned her in advance that she might need to change her days and then the CM was hassling the Mum for a decision as she had another child lined up for the day that she would have a free space, despite the Mum not actually giving formal notice of change of days. It all worked out okay in the end though.

I guess what I don't want to happen is for me to give her an informal heads-up and for her to start shopping around and perhaps find a family that is financially better for her and her then give notice to me. And then my flexible working thing not come off and me be stuck with no childcare.

Contracts usually say that the notice period excludes holiday weeks, so if you are not using the space at easter, only paying a retainer to hold it, I think you may find this counts as a holiday week. I think that's a detail though. I would ask myself how would I want to be treated if our situations were reversed - and in this case losing two mindees at short notice is almost certain to be a heavy blow. I would tell her now so she can prepare for the financial consequences, rather than possibly committing to expenses she may not then be able to meet.

Sorry I haven't made it clear, the children will be going to her for the usual 3 days during the 2 week easter holidays but I am hoping that that will be their last week. So will this count within the notice period?

I do really want to do right by her. So with all the opinions above I think I will mention to her this week what I am hoping. I just don't want it to affect our relationship at all if it doesn't actually happen, which is very possible.

OP you are only obliged to give 4 weeks paid notice to the CM. If I was in your shoes I would wait until I had formal word back from work regarding your flexible working pattern (preferably in writing) before I gave the CM notice.

As you say, the minute you show your hand of cards so to speak, the CM is likely to panic and advertise like mad to fill two spaces, potentially leaving you in the lurch if you don't get the flexible working approved.

I am a cm btw, remember she is running a business. There is nothing wrong with giving just 4 weeks notice if it comes to it.

Hi there, to update this thread. I have had my flexible working request agreed today so I need to give notice to my CM. I am hoping to have the agreement in writing by the end of this week so that I can formally give notice by next Monday.

The children go to her on Tues, Wed and Thurs. I want the childrens last day with the CM to be Thursday 12th April (the 2nd thurs of the school holidays). So if I give notice on Monday 12th March would that class as 5 weeks notice? Or would she count it as 4, 1 week from 12th March = 19th March, 26th March = 2 weeks, 2nd April = 3 weeks, 9th April = 4 weeks?

Also as someone mentioned up thread, the Easter holidays fall within this period but the children will be going to her for the full 3 days for those 2 weeks. So will this count within the notice period? I assumed that it would only be if I wasn't wanting childcare during that time that it couldn't be counted?

TIA