Leaving childminder - what's the fairest way to do it?

[Dottydooda]

Hi - we have had a great childminder who has looked after DD1 since 12 months (now 3) and DD2 for 6 months 3 days a week.

We are relocating to a different area and I let our childminder know as soon as we found out at end of July that the children would be leaving her end Sept but if she found anyone to take their places, they can leave earlier.

The children don't go during school hols and she doesn't charge us for these.

She hasn't found anyone to take their places. Since my discussion with her end July, I'm now not working, I'll be at home and we really don't need her services in Sept at all.

Can I offer some kind of compromise in this situation - phased down weeks etc? What is the etiquette on this sort of thing? Our notice period is 1 month with her

Well by the time you give her formal notice now it will be nearly end of sept anyway, won't it?

I was about the say the same. Also, I'm not sure what the rules are over the holiday period and giving notice, I know there is something in the NCMA contracts about this but I can't remember what? So it's possible you'd have to give a notice period of 1 month from when they are back at school - can anyone confirm?

I do feel for you, it's a difficult situation but I also think you are lucky to have to only give 1 month's notice anyway as I (and many others I know) up this to 8 weeks when there is more than 1 full time child from the same family

If you have an NCMA contract then you are not permitted to give notice during a period of either yours or the childminders holiday. However, if you don't use her during the school holidays then I don't think that counts as a holiday period as you are not paying and she is not working (or ready to work).

If your notice period is a month and you give her notice today (21 August) then you will be obliged to pay fees as normal for September up until the 20th.