CM Club: References from parents

[KaySamuels]

I would like to ask mindees prents if they could be lovely enough to write me a reference. I thought I could hand out to each family a little survey with short questions for them to answer and also have a blank section at the bottom for them to write what they want.

Is this cheeky? I'd like these for my website which I am slowly but surely building and also to show to prospective parents in my portfolio. Has anyone else done anything similar? What questions could I ask? Any suggestions appreciated!

I used to ask parents for references, many promised to but only 3 got around to it. I was worried that I had looked after so many short term children, it might look like the high turnover was a reflection on my service.

I now give everyone a questionnaire when they leave - reason for leaving, age of child on leaving, what liked about service, anything that could be improved, rate service 0-10 (my lowest score so far is 9 ) would they recommend me YES/No if yes permission to give out tel no/phone no. Please feel free to add any further comments overleaf.

Now have a big wad of compliments that I show prospective parents and Ofsted. Its quite clear that people have left on good terms and for reasons that I had nothing to do with (eg they moved house, changed job/school etc).

Some people also do a yearly questionnaire (can be part of your contract review) so they've got plenty of current comments.

i received a ref from one of my parents whos child left(shes a good friend tho too) and it was in her words which is lovely really heartfelt, but like ayla99 said they often forget so when they collect children of an evening hand them a questionaire, maybe even marks out of 5 type, so easy and quick for them one being poor 5 being fab, then space for their comments telling them they must write something there

dont normally give a questionaire out but do ask parents every 2 yrs to write about the ethos of my setting

I give them questionnaires annually. I ask them how happy they are with my service (1-10), any thing they are not happy about, drop offs and collections satisfactory, any other activities they'd like me to do etc. and space for comments. I also give the children questionnaires, older ones write their own answers, younger ones dictate to parents what they think, what they like, anything they don't like, ideas for new things to do / buy, etc. Funniest one was from 7 year old boy - he requested an x box, a ps2, a ds, and asked if we could watch 'acshun' movies like James Bond at my house! Haven't done any of those, but he still says he's happy !

Just in case there's any other suggestions you could use, I asked a similar question a while ago here

Thanks for all the suggestions, had a look at other thread too. I do have a family just given notice (mum has lost job), so may well do them a leaving questionnaire then hand out regular ones to everyone else.

Like the ideas of giving the kids a questionnaire too even if just for entertainmnet's sake!