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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

How often is your childminder sick?

102 replies

SlB09 · 15/05/2019 17:22

Just that really, I'm trying to decide if mines actually I'll alot, generally flaky or if it's just usual??!!!!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

NGC2017 · 15/05/2019 19:07

I used to use a childminder who took 49 days holiday a year, all which I still had to pay for, then sneaked more in, and on top there was sickness.
Let's just say as soon as my son qualified for free hours I moved him to a Nursery setting

PotteringAlong · 15/05/2019 19:08

This is why I use a nursery...

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 15/05/2019 19:11

It’s been a couple of years since I’ve had a day off and only 5/6 days in 10 years in of childminding. I don’t charge for my sickness or holidays for that matter.

Looking forward to reading the cm bashing 👍

Girlundercover · 15/05/2019 19:12

Been with my childminder 6 years. She’s never been sick!! A few hospital appointments but always with notice.?

Withington · 15/05/2019 19:17

None that I can remember. Our childminder is great, much better than nursery. I think most childminders don't get sick pay as its self employed? So I'd be surprised if any childminder who needed the income was off a lot.

NoSquirrels · 15/05/2019 19:18

In 5 years of using a childminder, maybe 3 or 4 days total - a 2x day D&V closure is the only one I recall, and she was SO apologetic. A couple of planned hospital appts/a dental appt children couldn’t come with to, as a PP mentioned always plenty of notice given.

hardyloveit · 15/05/2019 19:18

Used to use a childminder who I liked however her children were sick a lot and there were 7 days in 3 months were I turned up and she said oh I'm off today - didn't have a clue about these days or I'd get a text in the morning saying her assistant wasn't working so couldn't have my child - was always my child she couldn't take. Started to annoy me so I gave notice and chose a nursery instead. I also changed jobs in that time and she would phone me up knowing I wasn't working but had already paid and say oh your child isn't itself please come and collect and I'd get there and my child was absolutely fine!!! Or she would just say she couldn't have her that day due to taking the day off etc. I'd never go back to a cm again after that and a nursery is much more reliable

AlbusPercival · 15/05/2019 19:19

Never in 2 years. We also don’t pay her holidays

NewAccount270219 · 15/05/2019 19:22

I used to use a childminder who took 49 days holiday a year, all which I still had to pay for

But you must have agreed to this - why?

AppleKatie · 15/05/2019 19:25

1 illness, 1 operation (only closed for two days and one of those we didn’t use anyway), and 1 dog appointment

In two years. And she takes her holidays in school holidays which we don’t use (but pay a retainer) for.

So pretty good really all things considered.

KnitterOfSocks · 15/05/2019 19:25

I think twice in 5 years? One lot of D&V and one lot of pneumonia. She had colds and things, and a couple of times she tell me it was going to be a quiet day as she was under the weather but that's all

Tunt · 15/05/2019 19:28

In six years I’ve used four childminders, and between them they have taken one sick day which was for a miscarriage.

My friends CM is constantly sick, but massive things like broken legs, sepsis, her DH had a heart attack, her kid was sick for a week. It’s all true, but the woman just had dreadful luck.

Whynotnowbaby · 15/05/2019 19:31

Had two different, amazing childminders, both were never ill in the time I used them. The first had to have a day off for a course and arranged cover with a childminder friend so I didn’t have to worry about anything other than taking her to a different house. Also both were super flexible with my teacher working hours and would happily take dc later when I had parents’ evening (sometimes I would be picking up at 8pm, long after a nursery would have closed). CM2 took my dc1 when I had to dash to A and E with dc2 and refused payment for the four (unsociable) hours she had her. I love that although cms are a business, you are dealing with a person who you and dc can make a lasting relationship with.

Drogosnextwife · 15/05/2019 19:32

I have never taken a sick day for myself. I've taken 2 for my DS, both times I told the parents that they could still bring them if they needed to but what DS had was probably contagious. I don't charge for sick days. I can't afford to take them. ATM I am full time and don't have a day off so I've been needing to go for a smear for the last 18 months but can't bring myself to ask for anytime off, I can't afford it anyway.

AudacityOfHope · 15/05/2019 19:34

Just once in 9 years IIRC

Nomaj · 15/05/2019 19:35

I have used my childminder for over 5 years and can still count on one hand the number of sick days she has taken.

Term time only (my DH is a teacher) and we don’t pay for holidays, so we only pay for the actual days/times she has the kids.

She is so amazing and I feel very lucky to have her. Worth her weight in gold. She never advertises and is constantly fully booked.

Nomaj · 15/05/2019 19:38

Drogosnextwife - can you take any of your mindees with you? Are they small enough to sit in a buggy while you have your appointment?

OllyBJolly · 15/05/2019 19:38

I had mine for 8 years and not one day sick. She was great with the DCs when they were sick - they preferred her to look after them when poorly!

NGC2017 · 15/05/2019 19:39

@NewAccount270219 because I had to find childcare immediately as I had to start work within days of being offered a job. So it was a case of I had to. And no where local had availability to take my child.
I wasn't told how many days in the contract, just that CM holidays were payable and sickness. It was after the contract was signed I was sent a list of all the holidays.
I'm not CM bashing but just my experience. Though I learned it is not the norm. Its hard to move your child though when no one had to days and hours available

Passthecake30 · 15/05/2019 19:42

Used our cm for 8 years, I think there has been one day that she suggested not having the kids due to a d&v bug in her house.

MakeLemonade · 15/05/2019 19:43

No idea how she does it by my childminder is never sick, she’s amazing.

She even had a baby and only took three weeks off!

Original poster

SlB09 · 15/05/2019 19:45

@GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat absolutely not meant to provoke any childminder bashing, mine is utterly fantastic in every other way but I'm starting to suspect there's more going on with the amount of sickness now, just wanted to gauge what was normal.

We don't pay for any days she is off sick or holidays and I have absolutely no issue with genuine illness as we all have this throughout the year, esp if you work with children. It's just if I'd taken the amount of sick she has at work someone would be having a word with me and I'm wondering whether to broach it with her?

My LO isn't ready for nursery quite yet but it's having such an impact with myself or my husband having to take time off work

OP posts:

glenthebattleostrich · 15/05/2019 19:46

I'm a childminder and take 5 weeks holiday per year. I have had 3 sick days in 8 years. If I'm closed then parents don't pay, so I can't afford sick days, even when kids have been sent in ill and I catch it.

IHateTrains · 15/05/2019 19:46

In 2 years she's never been Ill, but has closed a few times when her DC has been Ill (stuff like hand foot and mouth and measles so something she has to shut for) so maybe 14 days. There has been occasions when her youngest has been poorly but she will send her to her nans. Their has been a few occasions when she's closed early (i.e 3:30 if her kids have a parents evening/school play). We don't pay for any of the above situations.
She has also shut for her personal holiday, we have loads of advance warning and she gave us details of childminding friends we could use if we wanted. Again she doesn't charge for her holidays .

Original poster

SlB09 · 15/05/2019 19:47

@Drogosnextwife my CM has taken my son to Dr's appointment s and I have no issue with this as a working mum I know how hard it is to get time to go alone and I'd hate to think the reason someone hadn't gone for a smear was my child x

OP posts:

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