Should Childminders inform parents about their sickness and when they return to Work?

[jagcv4]

Hi

I am in an unusual situation with my childminder. She called sick as she was suffering from serious illness, continuously for a few days and then she failed to inform as to when she would be returning to work. So we held our son back until she informed us that she is fit and can provide a risk free environment. Now the childminder is threatening to sue us with payments for all those days. Aren't childminders obligated to advice us about their sickness and when they are fit to take back children under their care? Please advice me with your opinions and any standard documentation will help.

Thanks

Jag

Why do you assume she deliberately withheld food though.

And your comments about "teaching CMs a lesson" was what made me think you had it in for all of them.

'to look after the child'

nice

Do you not feed your child at home? I find it hard to believe he would lose weight dramatically enough for a GP to be concerned from having a sparse lunch.
And this was picked up by your GP?? What, he said "your child is losing weight, in my experience it'll be the CM starving him"
Sorry but you're talking bollox

Don't take this the wrong way, but you're not British, are you?

" I have also noticed that CM's deliberately withhold child's meals during the day to make further savings and produce false reports saying they have eaten well. "

Again, more than one childminder implicated here, in fact it sounds suspiciously like a generalisation

exactly moogy. First thought would be a illness, followed by food refusa maybe. You'd talk to the CM. You wouldn't leap from "child losing weight" = "childcare not feeding child"

In fact if a child was losing weight and you suspected neglect over all else, surely the neglect would be by the parents?

be careful you don't end up being sued for slander
you really can't go around making those sorts of accusations
especially when somebody's business is at stake

it is the case of teaching CM's a lesson to not take parents for granted!! Our kids are everything for us in this world, every penny we spend for child care is to be accounted for. They just can't cheat us. I have also noticed that CM's deliberately withhold child's meals during the day to make further savings and produce false reports saying they have eaten well. This results in child falling weak and loosing weight and health.

If that isn't tarring all CMs with the same brush I don't know what is...

And if you and your GP noticed your DS was losing weight, why didn't you remove him from the CM's care?

How many meals a day was your so. Having at CMs that the alleged witholding of such caused weight loss?

How do you know that this Cm was "with-holding" food? Is your ds old enough to have told you this himself and, if so, how reliable is a small child's word?

OP I'd offer you a biscuit but you know being a childminder I need to withhold it so I can make as much profit as possible.

Shocked at your accusations levelled at all childminders.

We are not greedy most of us work hard in a demanding job that takes over our whole life and family. And earn close to the minimum wage or less after expenses.

Changed my mind here you go my first ever ...

Hi Moggy

I am British!

We only gave our child an evening meal! The rest of the day's meals we expected the CM to provide but apparently she provided false info saying he ate lots of food. Also, as per my original thread there was an issue with her sickness and not informing parents. Anyways its all over and done with!!! My opinions are there because of this CM and it isn't going to change. In future if I have to ever hire a CM I will be very careful and will ensure my child's health is safe guarded.

"apparently she provided false info" I ask again: how do you KNOW this?

You didn't give your child breakfast?

Honestly as a CM I have found that children can be very picky when it comes to eating my food.

You have got to think that there are so many different varieties of each food e.g bread/ butter/ sausages etc children are used to what they eat at home and some turn their nose up a different variety of something or a different way of cooking a dish like spag Bol.

I looked after two brothers whose father fed them junk and they would not eat veggies or eat the pasta I cooked loaded with veg.

I ended up throwing most of their meals away and in the end just provided stuff I knew they'd eat.

And I made the decision to only provide a light tea when I realised how much stuff I threw away each day.

Some children might not eat because it is a strange setting. My eldest did not eat a snack at his school nursery the entire time he was there. Goodness knows why as he loves fruit. Might have had a funny tasting apple on the first day and would try again.

One of my mindees has not been eating a lot due to the weather and I have discussed this with her grown up on collection so that they know. I do hope her parents do t think I'm trying to save money!

If you were so concerned you should have sent a pack up or a meal ti warm up for your child. Personally I'd have flagged it up and had a discussion about the situation.

However, I also know as a CM these issues sometimes only surface when parents are made to pay what they owe and then they grasp at straws and criticise the service that they were more than happy to pay for before.

Moggy

The HPA guidelines clearly state that there are certain illnesses that need to be informed to parents. Open your mind and be sensible and FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES! For diarrhoea yes, you should be honest and clear or else you are putting the child in DANGER! If your gynaecological problems prove that it harms children then you are obligated to inform parents! If it doesn't then you have to keep it to yourself and call in sick. It will however be good to inform parents about the nature of illness and not the ones that are in the list outlined by HPA.

But she did?
But you seemed to want a certificate to say she was fit to retrn to work or something?
EVERYONE on this thread is saying you are making no sense. Take a step back. Think.

Clam

The loss of weight showed this, this was confirmed by GP!

No weight loss does not automatically mean you are being starved by a childminder. It really doesn't.
The GP may have confirmed weight loss. I find it vry very difficult to imagine that they confirmed it was down to the CM withholding food.

Explain to me in very simple terms how weight loss =- food withheld by childminder.

I am losing weight. My childminder is definitely not withholding my food.

Actually you know what.

Withhold food from the bridge dweller.

Stealthpolarbear

If the CM does not provide notification of fit to work, how well are you convinced that he/she is fit to work and provide a safe environment for the child? Nurseries in general provide a notification after outbreak and return to work

Well people have asked about the exact events below but you've not answered.

So she contacted you on day 1 to say I'm sick?
Then what?

Stealth

She said that she had diarrhoea and couldn't work. This continued for couple of days then there was no communication. We held our child back for a day on Monday hoping to get a clearance. we sought clearance about her fit to work instead of giving clearance she cancels the contract and asks money.

We certainly DO NOT have to inform parents of the nature of any illness. With D and V I would just say I will be off sick for at least 2 days , I'll keep you informed.
I'm fascinated as to which gynae problems might put my mindees in danger.
The CM saying thet are fit to work is the guarantee that they are fit to work.
Did you really expect a note from her doctor??

How long did she care for your dc for? Anything over 3 days with your attitude and I think she deserves a medal