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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

Refunding childcare costs

10 replies

BigPigLittlePig · 03/07/2013 14:31

After 2 days at a CM, the CM has said she cannot look after my baby. Looking through the contract, she (and I) have the right to cancel the contract with no notice within the first 8 weeks - so fine, if inconvenient. I am aware though that she has quite a bit of my money.

£200 deposit was paid some time ago, then the remainder of the first months fees (in advance) were paid last week. Is it unreasonable to expect all this money back, bar the £25ish of care she has actually provided? There is nowhere in the contract where it says about the deposit. Am frankly stuffed if she won't give it back, as will need it to go towards nursery fees. Is she able to legally keep the £200?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

2boysnamedR · 03/07/2013 15:10

You would hope not after only working the two days

bigpaws · 03/07/2013 16:08

Has she indicated on the contract whether the deposit is

held as payment deposit
returned to the parents/guardians
count towards childminding fees

mindingalongtime · 03/07/2013 16:09

You should get it all back, she has cancelled the contract and is not able to offer any care, so not entitled to any fees, apart from the care given.

That must be a bit of a shock for you, did she say why she couldn't look after your baby anymore?

Original poster

BigPigLittlePig · 03/07/2013 16:23

Big it doesn't specify, but it made up a portion of the 1st months fees, so I can only assume it goes towards that.

Minding LO has a cold and is a clingy baby at the best of times. She has cried solidly for the duration of being there, and today was refusing feeds. The CM says she cannot cope, finito.

OP posts:

mindingalongtime · 03/07/2013 16:32

Oh dear, the cm hasn't really given your baby a fair chance. When a cm takes on a new baby they must make sure that they have all the extra time needed, I feel you have really been let down.

Is the childminder new at the job or inexperienced with other people's babies?

minderjinx · 03/07/2013 17:40

That doesn't sound like much of a settling in period, and I would hope your CM would offer you a substantial refund. That said, maybe it would have been better to postpone her start if LO was unwell. My sickness policy (and that of most CMs I know) basically says that I only care for children who are well enough to take part in normal activities and routines. If s/he was full of cold, crying constantly and refusing to eat I would probably have called for her/him to be taken home as sick for as long as it took to get well, but not thrown in the towel completely!

fivesacrowd · 03/07/2013 18:33

Did you have a settling in period? All new mindees starting with me are "broken in gently" with a couple of hours to start building up to almost a full day before they start properly. If your cm provided this then I'd expect to pay for these hours too, but if she didn't settle lo in and then only worked for 2 days before giving up, I'd have major concerns about how good a cm she is. Agree with minderjinx that if dc isn't well enough to be part of everyday life at cm thy shouldn't be there, but I send home, not give up completely. Hope you get your money back.

Original poster

BigPigLittlePig · 03/07/2013 20:06

LO spent a morning there last week, which apparently went fine . She is new to it, with only a few other children (on different days) who are older.

If I have concerns, how is it best to raise them? LO obviously won't be going back, but I have some real issues with certain things the CM has done (being deliberately vague). What happens if concerns are raised with Ofsted? I am conscious of the fact I have to see this woman on a regular basis as she lives around the corner. And I don't want her to feel I have complained out of spite (it isn't).

I should probably just stick 2 fingers up to how she feels I'm too nice for my own good

OP posts:

bigpaws · 03/07/2013 21:40

I don't think you are being unreasonable by expecting all your deposit and fees back (apart from the 2 days the childminder worked). If the deposit counts towards the first month fees, then you get that back because the childminder isn't offering her service to you.

I also agree the CM hasn't given much effort settling your baby. At least you have found out about her unprofessionalism early on.

Let us know what the outcome is!!

looselegs · 04/07/2013 21:43

Only 2 days? I had a little one who took 3 months to settle!!!
I agree that you should get most of your money back.And if there are things that were bothering you after only 2 days,then sounds like you're better off out of it.If these things are really concerning you then you need to report them.

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