Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.
Childcare
FeelingOld · 03/02/2006 19:18
Contracts should be signed by childminder and by parents, 1 copy should be given to parents, 1 copy kept with childs confidential records and there is another copy which I keep in a separate locked file.
If you and the childminder haven't signed the contract then she or you do not have a leg to stand on if for example she turned round to you today and said 'sorry wont be able to look after your child after today you will have to find someone else' or if you disagree over payments/holidays etc.
Contracts should also be reviewed at regular intervals (mine are done yearly) or if you change your hours etc.
I was under the impression that ofsted took a dim view of minders who do not have contracts with parents.
HellyBelly · 03/02/2006 19:23
Have you asked to see it and she's said no? I would have thought she'd have to let you see a copy if you ask? My dh is trying to take former employer to court and has recently asked for a copy of the personnel file to be sent home - they HAVE to do this by law if he asks! Maybe this is different but I don't see why.
brambles · 03/02/2006 20:40
thank you for you replies.
my 1st son has been there for 3 .5 yrs i remember having a contract vaguely my other son has been there for 1 yr and we didnt sign a contract she keeps saying i have both of them for my boys there is no way i have them i signed nothing for my 2nd son husband has nothing either
she was a bit red faced when i asked her for it she said she is fed up of me asking as she has given them to me which is not true, i said today give me the originals and i will pop down and photo copy them she got a bit aggreesive and said no she will have to write new one out and frame them for me
ThePrisoner · 03/02/2006 21:30
A contract isn't valid if you haven't signed one.
Even if you have possibly forgotten that you had a copies of the contracts, there is no reason for childminder to be so off about it!! She can show you her copies of them - except that it really sounds to me as if the contracts don't exist in the first place. All she needs to do is to write a new one anyway, it's not exactly rocket science.
If she is on Childcarelink site, then she is registered.
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