Making things cristal clear to parents?

[PinkChick]

i have a mindee today(currently asleep) had him since 6 this morning, only found out i was having him from 6 this morning yesterday tea time, mum drops off, no money as 'its so early'??, dad will pay tonight at pick up time whcih was agreed at 5.30pm, mum days dad will TRY to get home/here for 5.30!..no is this ok or anything.
Now prob is, this mindee is contracted/pays for 12 hours each week and mostly only uses 9 up until last few weeks, she is entitled to have her dp collected up to 6pm as this is her 'contracted' hours, but when someone says you are needed till 5.30 or whatever, i find it irritating that they tell you on the day they might leave them a bit lobger.

Sooo...i need something written to say about contracted V's requested hours and the fact the hours you request regardless of you contract cannot be changed so frequently with no /such short notice and that i MUST HAVE 2 weeks notice minimum of the following two weeks hours.

So how would YOU put it??

TIA

Why not put you have several family appointments booked, which you would be absolutely unable to take mindees with you to, so please check I am available for any differences in drop off pick up times, or extra days, in advance before agreeing to them with your employers as I may not be available.

????? would that work?
It wouldn't with my parents I mind for!

Or how about ask parent picking up to call you just before they set off. I have siblings whose dad and grandparents are always late picking up, which upsets kids and irritates me, and this is what I have done. We get the call and get them ready. It works quite well, I made sure I emphasised it was as the kids were getting upset that they were always late. It didn't seem to have occurred to them previously.

Are the 12hours they are contracted for on the one day? ie 6am to 6pm? If so, I don't think you're really in a position to say anything. Presumeably, if they have booked those hours you should be available to work them and if they don't use the full 12 hours then that is a bonus for you. However, I would find it annoying if I was ready to work at 6am and they didn't turn up til 9am.

I do know how you feel I'm paid from 8am-5pm 5 days a week and they pick up 4.30pm nearly all the time, so we make sure we are back to the house by then from park, walk ect, then few times parents come at 5pm and it really throws you.

But as I'm paid till 5pm I don't think i'm in any situation where I could voice that as I gain 1/2 each day (does that make any sence)

6am-6pm is a long day I would be sooo tired after a day like that

PC do you not have a set time say 8-6 at normal rates and earlier or later at time and a half.

Dont really understand (bit thick today) is she contracted for a twelve hour day, or is it twelve hours over the week.

If it is twelve hours over the week, then put it in writing that you need the hours in writing on the Friday of the previous week.

Especially in the holidays, how can you plan anything if you dont know when thay are in or out.

its actually 12 hours per week, but we've almost always coverd them in one day.
i DO NOT have prob with working the 12 hours, but they frequently say "x will be coming from 8-5 today", then at 11pm ill get a text to say, can we bring x at 6 instead, which i dont get until im knocked up next day, then what ever hours they say they need me, i leave a buffer zome for lateness and arrange whatever i need to after that, then get told they will be left longer and who knows till what time?
its the messing around that bothers me and i need to get it straight that whatever hours im given in advance are the hours which must be kept unless agreed other wise, that i am accepting of working a 12 hours day, but need notice of ANY change of hours well in advance

shosh, i have diff fees for overnight(which includes 6am starts) then before and after 8.30 and after 5.30 but as this child doesnt use his hours even today, his fee is usually the same, which is fine no prob, its the messing around and changing things at drop of hat, or not letting me know what day they'd like me to look after their little one until the night before![>

Id be very annoyed with that. just say it is not acceptable to have a text at 11pm and then them wake u at 6am, They need to give a minimum of 24hrs notice of a change like that imo.

If you are letting them choose when their 12 hours will occur I would state in the contract how much notice they must give to ensure your availability and that later requests for childcare may be declined. If the childminder agrees to the request for additional hours these will be charged for in addition to the original time booked. Reductions and refunds are not made if the child arrives later or is collected earlier than the booked time. Refunds are not given if the child does not attend a booked period.

Because:-when they book a time they are reserving that time for the sole use of their child. You may turn other families away as you cannot use the place for another child and you cannot book yourself a haircut, dental appointment or anything else you might be able to do if you knew in advance you weren't working. If they don't use the time they booked it doesn't change the fact that they booked your time.

I've done a couple of contracts for shift workers and I found the easiest way was to given them a form every week or month with the date on it that they had to return it by. All times/days they submitted on the form were charged for unless I was closed.
HTH