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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

Mindee has temperature of 38.5 - I think he should go home.

30 replies

Riddo · 06/05/2014 10:39

He's 17 months, has a horrid cough, is subdued and snotty. Mum knows I don't take children with a high temperature. Neither parent is answering their phone. Am I being unreasonable to think he should go home?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Goldmandra · 06/05/2014 10:51

Do you have any other contacts? If so I'd try them and be clear that he need to be collected. If not can you contact them on landlines at their places of work?

Original poster

Riddo · 06/05/2014 10:55

I've tried all contacts. They have no emergency contact as family are abroad. His temp has gone down to 38.1 with calpol, it's just annoying as the other mindees will inevitably get it.

OP posts:

Goldmandra · 06/05/2014 11:02

Does your contract say that you won't care for a sick child? I made sure it was in mine so that parents are in breach if they do this. I would consider giving them a written warning so that this doesn't happen again. It isn't fair on you, your own children if you have them or the other mindees.

What will you do if his temp goes higher and you're more concerned about him?

Beanymonster · 06/05/2014 11:02

Any chance you can segregate for the day and have an exclusion period, e.g. Go away with your sickly child and don't return until x day where we can check temp and see how it's going?
although we all know parents arnt answering as they know what the problem is?

kalidasa · 06/05/2014 11:13

Not a childminder, but DS is 17 months and was with a childminder until last week. I would definitely expect to be called and to collect in this situation, in fact I would be upset not to be told about a proper temperature. We did send DS sometimes at the tail end of a cold or when he was a bit snotty/dribbly and we weren't sure if he was just teething, if he didn't seem unwell in himself, but we never sent him if he had a temp or was subdued/unhappy/bad cough. I don't think it's fair on anyone really.

Original poster

Riddo · 06/05/2014 11:14

He's just sicked all his milk back and they still aren't answering. I've told them on more than one occasion that I won't take a child with a temperature and have sent him home. They just don't get it. DH says I'm too nice.

OP posts:

SoWhatNowThen · 06/05/2014 11:16

Give notice. They are taking the piss, if they know he is sick, and they are not answering the phone.

Annianni · 06/05/2014 11:17

Can you ring them from another number, or withhold yours? Chances are that they're not answering because they know why you're ringing.

holidaysarenice · 06/05/2014 11:18

Do you know where they work? Did you leave a voicemail?

ThinkIveBeenHacked · 06/05/2014 11:19

Oh my word, they sound awful! Ignoring a ringing phone when surely they knew he was under the weather? Do they have work contact details?

showtunesgirl · 06/05/2014 11:19

This would worry me as surely they should be picking up phonecalls from you!

LadySybilLikesCake · 06/05/2014 11:20

Are they at work and can you call their office/shop/whatever? Poor mite should be at home (and not infecting everyone else). It's irresponsible of them to ignore their phone, what if he's really sick/had an accident and you're en route to A&E?

Goldmandra · 06/05/2014 11:21

DH says I'm too nice.

I think he's right.

You're running a business here and you have a duty of care to the other mindees.

When you do get hold of them, make it very clear in very direct language, that, if this should ever happen again, you will have no choice but to terminate the contract. Then confirm the conversation in writing.

holfin · 06/05/2014 11:21

Good idea about withholding your number. Could you find a main switchboard number for their place of work online and try that way ? I agree with pp if it was my DC I would expect to collect them straightaway.

ilovemonstersInc · 06/05/2014 11:22

That's horrible that they arent picking up!

Ds goes nursery 3days a week and on those 3 days my mobile is always close by he has sn so would be very unhappy if they didnt call about anything they didnt know about

JassyRadlett · 06/05/2014 12:14

Appalling parenting, especially not picking up. I'd text them to say that as per the contract they singed, they need to collect their child.

How long have they been unc

JassyRadlett · 06/05/2014 12:15

Oops! How long have they been uncontactable? I only ask because sometimes I'm in a meeting room with no mobile coverage, nursery have my landline though so they'd get one of my team.

TalisaMaegyr · 06/05/2014 12:20

Have you managed to get hold of them yet?

LadyStark · 06/05/2014 12:30

Phone main reception at place of work and ask them to track them down as it's a childcare emergency?

I've had this done to me once when I was in an endless meeting without my mobile.

mrsnewfie · 06/05/2014 12:45

This really annoys me.

I had a little girl who developed a temperature of 39+ degrees. Parents refused to collect so in the end I just took her home, knowing full well Dad was there on a day off. He looked ever so hacked off!

The following day they both had holiday time off. Mum was booked in for some beauty treatment and Dad was meant to be going to play football. Their little girl was still really poorly, having been diagnosed with a raging ear and throat infection. She was given antibiotics for it and the buggers still brought her to me! She was so miserable that I called the parents and insisted they collect her again. We parted company soon after that.

Grrrrr!

HSMMaCM · 06/05/2014 13:09

He's been sick now, so you can send him home for 48 hrs

Original poster

Riddo · 06/05/2014 13:09

I rang the dad's work and got through to him and shortly after that Mum rang so I took mindee home then - not til 11.30 though. I need to be much more direct and much more business like. It's not really my nature though.

I'm also going to re-write my sickness policy quoting the NHS website which says that anything over 37.5 in a child is considered to be a fever.

Thank you all for being on my side

OP posts:

Goldmandra · 06/05/2014 13:13

Have you told them that they are in danger of being given notice for this?

I'm also going to re-write my sickness policy quoting the NHS website which says that anything over 37.5 in a child is considered to be a fever.

Include that fact that you will give notice to parents who are uncontactable when their child is unwell in your care on more than one occasion, give them a copy and ask them both to sign and return it to you.

Original poster

Riddo · 06/05/2014 13:17

That's a good plan Goldmandra, I don't think they appreciate the seriousness. They'd be much better off with a nanny as they seem to want/expect one to one care.

OP posts:

Original poster

Riddo · 06/05/2014 13:19

They also come from a much blunter culture, I need to be much more straight forward.

Afternoon mindee is here now, also streaming with cold but at least he doesn't have a high temperature.

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