Maternity leave for childminders

[poptot]

How much notice would you reasonabley expect to give as a childminder before starting mat leave and should there be set dates for returning to work. Also would you expect parents to apy a retainer while you were off?

I told the parents at 12 weeks, because I felt they had a right in knowing early as they had choices to make (I don't suppose everyone would want a pregnant CM).

I'm planning on working up until due date, but if I had to take maternity leave I'd sit down and talk to them at around 20 weeks.

I'm only having two weeks off, but if I have to have more it will be because of extenuating circumstances (eg caesarean) and they will be first to know... you set your own date for returning, just like you would as a normal employee.

You can't charge a retainer as this is holding a place open for them - you have no places as you aren't working!!!! You can sent statutory maternity pay though (the government one of around 103 a week)

sent = get (? :) )

I gave parents about 5 months notice (I waited till after 12 wk scan to check everything ok) and gave dates for finishing but told parents that date may change depending how I felt so they could tell whoever was watching their children that the date may be brought forward. One parent still left it till the day before I finished to look for alternative care.
I have given a date for starting back too. Parents arent paying me anything as Im not providing a service at moment. If your getting paid a retainer would you not be classed as still working so not entitled to maternity allowance.
Are you asking as a cm or a parent.

I am 22 weeks now and told my mindee's mum 2 weeks ago.Have 2 friends who can provide cover for the time i have off.I can claim the mat pay at 106 pounds per week and i plan to hopefully take 2/4 weeks before the baby arrives and the rest afterwards.i will only be able to have 1 mindee under 5 so i figure i may as well have the full 6 months off as the mat pay is about the same as what i would get for actually working.

My other mindees mum knew i was pg when she came to me,shes happy for me to have him till the end of June and see how things go,she may also want to come back.

I told the parents, of the little boy I was minding, shortly after my 12 week scan. I wanted to give them as much notice as possible, because I thought thats what I would want if I was the parent. Unfortunately they decided to look for alternitive care straight away. They decided on a nursery, there was a space there and then... They took it and I was left without a mindee at about 15 weeks. I then had the problem of who wants to start sending their child to a pregnant childminder!
The parents of said child were very happy with my care of their child, but felt they may not find someone to cover my maternity leave and therefore would rather move him imidiately to be safe.
Basically, just be aware that this can happen. I wish that I had waited until maybe 20 weeks, as they still would have had plenty of time.

I would expect one months notice (or whatever notice is in you contract to terminate the contract). Then, depending on how attached I was to you and how long you were planning to take off, I might want to come back when you return. But, I certainly wouldn't pay a retainer. But, say you were only going to take three months off, then I might arrange temporary care for those 3 months then come back to you.

I have tried to give my parents as much notice as possible although this is something that is impossible to plan for. I gave them notice at 20 weeks, i am now 28 weeks. I think the majority of them have found cover for the time i am off, nobody has found permanent care elsewhere, thank goodness. I look after 14 children over the space of a week, so i felt it only right that they had as much time as possible to find cover, as a lot of them would be asking the same childminders for cover.

I am taking just under 2 weeks off before the birth and 4 weeks after. so its not too long for them to manage with cover.
I am going to claim maternity allowance, apparently i have to send some forms off to the jobcentre for it.