do any other cms have problems with parents not paying on time?

[Mum2Luke]

Have been looking after this parents' children since 6th Feb, she has only paid me £170 and owes me £245.50 . She was supposed to pay tonight but has said tax credits haven't paid her, I think she is lying through her teeth but I cannot prove it. I bet she'll be laughing at me right now.

I have now told her if the money isn't paid by Friday am there will be no minding on the following Monday, I have bills to pay, I am not doing this job, taking and picking her kids up from school and feeding them for nothing! She promised me faithfully this would not happen again, I was prepared to give her one more chance but she seems to be doing it again.

I am gonna get very tough with her tomorrow!

You don't need to be concerned about her tax credits. You just need to get paid. I would go ahead with withdrawing care until you are paid.

Document everything ( just incase) whilst its fresh in your mind. Just jot it in your diary with figures etc. be firm and suspend care until you are paid. You are completely correct, families MUST understand that this is a JOB and you must be paid on time. Surely they would kick off at work if they weren't paid!!! Grrrr it annoys me!!

Good luck

Absolutely agree, if she doesn't pay you in full by the time she collects her child on Friday then suspend care immediately. Have a letter waiting to give to her stating the latest you will accept payment before you will terminate the contract and seek legal advice.

Parents who pay late and blame tax credits get up my nose. Tax credits are not a childminders concern, tax credits are to assist with the cost of childcare not to pay the childminder. I had a parent cancel a contract with me before the child started with me because tax credits wouldn't cover the full cost of the child's care.

?

You know what? If she wanted to go to a shop for a carton of milk and told them she would pay them when her tax credits came through, she would leave the shop without the milk! Her tax credits are her concern, not yours. And I say this as a working parent who uses a nursery.

Totally agree about tax credits not being your problem. I had good advice to take a sizeable deposit up front and have a late fees policy too. I would not be working for an unrelaible promise of future payment. I would say get this one sorted then put in place some much stricter policies to avoid this happening again.

I would check your contract before withdrawing care as you may not be entitled to do this.