Childcare

[Lrr92]

Hi! I am a part time chilminder and being working for the last three years. Few months ago I started working for a new family, at first they asked me for a provation period where they pay me less, I had to register with a nanny company in order to get my DBS (criminal record) which I had to pay. After all of this, they keep asking me for personal details, like bank statements, national insurance number... etc.. which I think is a bit weird. In the many interviews I had with them they mentioned the kind of contract they wanted to sign with me.. and now, after 6 months I still don't have one, they never mentioned again.

Apart from this, I get early morning calls or late night calls to let me know I have to be there within 40 min even at first I agreed with them that I would just have to pick up the children from school and stay there till one of them gets home. They said every six weeks I would have to go early in the morning and drop them to school, I said that wasn't a problem...but now apparently I have to do that everyday, and most of the time with a really short notice.

When I started working, we agreed on weekly payments that, at first, were often but after few months I get paid every two/ three weeks. I don't get paid holidays, as they went on holidays for two weeks, let me know about that like 10 days before and never paid me the money they own me before they left, which means that I didn't get any money for a month from them.

I am pretty good with them as everytime they call me I always say yes, even when is a random call on the weekend to babysit till late night.

They keep asking me to get a fisrt aid course for kids, which they will pay, they offered me few of them, but is always on the weekend and it means to travel for at least an hour to get there, and I would have to pay for my transport. I just think is fair.

After all these, I am thinking about leaving them as soon as I find something else, they asked for two months notice, which is unrealistic, as I cannot find a job now to start in two months. I am fed up with the situation as this week I am not working and after sending them few messages to remind them to pay me, I didn't get any answer.

I don't know what are my rights at the moment, as I don't have a contract. Should I respect the two months notice?

Thanks.

Seems all a bit odd. Are you given payslips? It is unclear if you are an employee as they have not provided a written statement (contract) in thw first two months of work.

Statutory notice is 1 week if it is a job. If you are self employed it is up to you. Not paying wages is a breach of contract - your verbal agreement is to do the work for the money.

I think you mean childcarer, not childminder. In the UK we have an occupation of Registered Childminder which is where someone cares for children from several families from their home.

You sound like a nanny. They would need details from you like your date of birth, national insurance number, bank account detail so they can pay you through the payroll system.

They should have given you a contract stating your agreement about working hours and pay. Without that how do you know what you are working?

Asa childcarer you should have suitable training which includes first aid, so I am not surprised they are encouraging you to do it and you are lucky that they are helping find a course and offering to pay the course fee.

Them paying late is not on but if you have not provided information for the payroll, how are they supposed to do the payments? Sounds like it started off well but at some point it has gone wrong, perhaps something has got lost in translation - maybe you said you were a childminder so they now think you are running your own business.

Did you just tell them you would not work this week? If so then what happens next week, will you continue not to work for them? Or do you want to work for them if they sort out the money and contract?

You're not a childminder , you're a nanny .
If I were you I'd look for another job , I don't think the family are treating you very well.
You really must get paediatric first aid though and a refresher every 3 years.