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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

CM Club, childminders and parents who use childminders, can you read this and tell me what you think

21 replies

saltire · 13/03/2007 11:13

Can you read this for me and tell me if it's ok. Parents, can you read it and tell me if you would be offended by it.

Dear Parents
It appears there is a lot of rumour and hearsay going round the base at the moment. Can i take this opportunity to say that yes, I am posted. However as of the date of this letter I have no idea when i shall be moving. It will DEFINETLY not be April, as some people on base seem to be saying, unless of course they have a friend who deals with postings and knows something we don't.
I have always, and will continue to put the interests of your child first. I know some of you may think that this not the case, but their continuation of care and their welfare is what matters most to me. Therefore, I aim to continue looking after your child for as long as possible. i will give you as much notice as possible, and it will be at least 4 weeks notice you receive. however, you may wish to find alternative care for your child, and you are welcome to do so, but can I remind you of your obligation to give me the four weeks notice as well. thank you

OP posts:

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WaynettaSlob · 13/03/2007 11:18

Would replace:
"I have always, and will continue to put the interests of your child first. I know some of you may think that this not the case, but their continuation of care and their welfare is what matters most to me"
with:
"I have always, and will continue to put the interests of your child first: their continuation of care and their welfare is what matters most to me"

And instead of the last sentence I would say "I will understand if some of you wish to start looking for alternatve care for your child now, but please ensure you give me the full four weeks notice."

Original poster

saltire · 13/03/2007 11:23

Dear Parents
It appears there is a lot of rumour and hearsay going round the base at the moment. Can i take this opportunity to say that yes, I am posted. However as of the date of this letter I have no idea when i shall be moving. It will DEFINETLY not be April, as some people on base seem to be saying, unless of course they have a friend who deals with postings and knows something we don't.
I have always and will continue to put the interests of your child first: their continuation of care and their welfare is what matters most to me.. Therefore, I aim to continue looking after your child for as long as possible. i will give you as much notice as possible, and it will be at least 4 weeks notice you receive. I will understand if some of you wish to start looking for alternative childcare now, but please ensure you give me the full four weeks notice.

There, I've added/changed it waynetta

OP posts:

bozza · 13/03/2007 11:28

I definitely think waynetta's alterations improve it, getting the same point across but in a less brusque manner. I am not sure about:

"unless of course they have a friend who deals with postings and knows something we don't"

It sounds slightly accusatory to me.

Also I would change:
"and it will be at least 4 weeks notice you receive"
to
"and you will receive at least four weeks notice"
just because I think it sounds better phrased that way.

HTH (am a parent using a childminder btw)

Original poster

saltire · 13/03/2007 11:33

You're probably right about the accusatory tone bozza, this letter has come about because of something that has been said, not to me though, to other parents!

Thansk for the input though, I don't want to come across as a raving loon in the letter, but want to get my point across

OP posts:

Eleusis · 13/03/2007 11:47

I would open it with something more like "I'd like to take the opportunity to clear the air and confirm that I we have indeed been posted, however I am also happy to say that as we have not yet been given a date my childminding services remain in full swing."

and not "It appears there is a lot of rumour and hearsay going round the base at the moment. Can i take this opportunity to say that yes, I am posted. "

dmo · 13/03/2007 12:04

i would rise above it and write your letter as if you didnt know about the rumors

like all the changes that everybody has added it makes it more freindly

Original poster

saltire · 13/03/2007 12:04

Do you think my original opening sentences are too "in your face"?

The thing is there is a lot of rumour going round!

OP posts:

dmo · 13/03/2007 12:07

yes a bit
just keep it light and informative

Original poster

saltire · 13/03/2007 12:18

The reason for the letter is this

Someone here (Here as in where i live, not MN) has taken it upon themselves to cause bother for some of the CM's. This person has been questioning CM's numbers with people she knows are friends with the CM's.They told 2 different groups of parents that their new CM was packing it in. They also told one of my sets of parents that we were moving on 2nd April and that I wasn't telling the parents because i wanted to get money oit of them.
The parent i mentioned above asked his other CM ( they have an older son who goes to a different CM as neither of us could fit in both ch8ildren IYSWIM) about me leaving. She said she didn't know. He then went on to say that i was very irresponsible and that i obviously didn't have the welfare of his child at heart. That i had a "hell of a cheek" to expect them to keep on using my services and that they were going to find a new CM immediately. now the other CM, whom i respect as a person and as a CM told me this. I would have told her if it had happened to her. She had told the parent that if she were in my shoes, she would be thinking about the children in her care and would give them notice as appropriate, but would hope to keep the children as long as possible for their sakes.
I have had a phone call from my Care Commission inspector saying that someone has phoned them up and said that iwas putting children in danger by letting them run around a park. Which, I might add, had a 5foot fence around it and a gate with a catch high up that they couldn't open.

OP posts:

funnypeculiar · 13/03/2007 12:24

I would go with Elusis's suggestion too (as mother) - I assume some of your mums have found out about the posting & are panicing (as tbh, I would do if I discovered my cm was going to be moving soon) - it's a very scary position to be in as a mum. One of my b/f just found out that her c/m has got another job & is therefore stopping minding in 4 weeks - whilst she's given more that the contracted 4 weeks notice (becuase she's lovely), my mate is now in the position of having to find another c/m with 2 spaces in 4 weeks ... or else!
I think mant of us try & think of c/ms as friends/part of the family as well as people we employ - as such we tend to expect to be told things earlier than the 'legal' requirements.

Don't mean that to sound stroppy - I'm guessing youre in a hard position here - just trying to help you understand why mums might panic/gossip first...

LoveMyGirls · 13/03/2007 12:36

fp - sorry to point this out but it is a slight bugbear of mine and most cm's (sorry if im talking on their behalf) but we are not "employed" by the parents, we are self employed so can set our own terms so if we chose to put in our contracts to give 2 weeks notice then we could.

On the other hand we do rely on parents paying us and using our services so as much notice on both sides is the way to go i think

Saltire - sounds like someone is out to annoy you and it's working, look on the bright side that at least you are soon going to moving away from these gossips!

funnypeculiar · 13/03/2007 12:42

Lovemygirls - nearly didn't put employed (I'm SE too) but couldn't think of a better word - no offence intended

The point I was trying to make is that I'd never give my c/m only 4 weeks notice despite that being all I need to give her (indeed, I insisted we increase it from 2 weeks to 4 weeks in my contract for her protection!) as I feel there is more of a relationship there than there is between a standard 'employer' and 'employee'. Although I'm guessing that's ideal world

Eleusis · 13/03/2007 12:47

I don't really think the problem here is a bunch of gossiping mums. I think it's one nasty trouble maker who has succeeded in upsetting Saltire.

I'd write a happy cheery letter to all the parents, and then I'd let it leak to a couple of reliable gossips that you know who is really quite a trouble maker. I mean what kind of irresponsible parent goes round upsetting his kids' childminders?

LoveMyGirls · 13/03/2007 12:48

sorry for hijacking saltire - sometimes 2 weeks notice can be handy but actually i think from now on i'll put 4 weeks on all my contracts. I put 2 weeks on one of mine who is leaving on thursday because i thought if looking after 3 babies was too much i wouldn't have to cope for too long - as i was taking on a 6mth old with a 14mth and 17mth old and wanted to see how i'd do (only been doing childminding 10mths) turns out i coped fabulously but then mindee's mum gave notice so now he'll be gone by friday and i wish i'd given 4 weeks notice as i do have someone else lined up but i think i will still have to go 2 weeks without that money iyswim. Otoh if the relationship breaks down 4 weeks is quite a while to have to be civil for.

Original poster

saltire · 13/03/2007 12:50

If I'm honest, what has upset me is that someone has gossiped (wrongly) about me to a mindees parent. This parent has then (in my opinion) cast apsersions on my intentions towards his child, but instead of saying all this to me, he goes off on one at another CM who happens to be looking after his older child. Not once has he come to me and asked me any of this!

OP posts:

Eleusis · 13/03/2007 13:04

Saltire, have you picked up the phone to speak directly with the people involved inthis gossip circle? If not, I would do that. But,be happy and cheery just calling to clear the air sort of thing. The letter to everyone might be abit OTT (unless you've already tried the phone and it didn't work).

Original poster

saltire · 13/03/2007 13:08

I only found it out this morning. I haven't actually come out and said to ANY of my mindees parents that we are definately posted, because I really don't know when we are going. it was supposed to be end of May, beginning of June. However, the situation has now been taken out of my hands because someone who works with mindees dad decided to stir up a bit of trouble

Someone, like I said is causing a lot of bother for other CM's, not just me. We all think it is perhaps someone who is a childminder, but then we shouldn't really make assumptions.

OP posts:

Eleusis · 13/03/2007 13:14

I would get on the phone to that Dad, tell him what I'd heard and ask him if it's true. If he confesses, I would explain the upset he has caused and tell him I didn't appreciate it. Then, I'd call the other mum and tell her what he'd done and explain that you haven't announced anything because you haven't been given any official orders and as such do not yet have anything to announce. But, I'd then go on to reassure her that you will inform everyone just as soon as you are informed.

Eleusis · 13/03/2007 13:15

And when I hung up the phone with the dad, I'd call him a "twat".

Original poster

saltire · 13/03/2007 13:17

OP posts:

SHOSHAlee · 13/03/2007 13:30

Oh saltire we had that happen on this camp to, someone saying the group only did it for the money that we had to many children all sorts of nasty thing, in the end I put a big piece in the camp mag, stating all we did within then group, where people could contact Ofsted, were they could find a childminder, everything, so that they couldn't really say anything anymore. There is always one, its so annoying, would they like it if you took away there livelihood. email me if you want and I will send you the piece I put in the mag. [email protected]

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