Please, help needed about contracts for childminders

[CeciC]

I need some help about how to draw a childminding conract. I am not a CM, my I have one for my DD2, and I have just had a 45' conversation over the phone with her, about another parent.
My CM problem with the other parents, either work 9-5 hours,both of them work "shifts" and one of them is a "flight attendant". and is creating a problem about what it has been agreed, and what actually is happening. As the hours change everymonth, some time overnight, sometime weekend, my CM doesn't know how to draw a contract that can be signed by both parts.
So my question is, How would you draw a contract for both parties to sign, when the hours change every month?

Sorry, I was meant to say "neither parent work 9 to 5"

I would say the contract is for a fixed amount of hours per month, schedules must be given at least a week in advance (fortnightly is even better) and the hourly charges are X 8am-6pm weekdays, Y 6pm-8am and Z weekend daytimes. "Overtime" ie more hours per month than are in the contract will be charged at time and a half (or whatever)

That's what I have in my contract as a nanny when parents require me to work flexibly.

Hi frannikin,
Thank you for your reply. I will advise her to do it that way. Something similar I was thinking as well.
Thanks again for your help.

It can be very hard to create a contract to cover complex shifts.
If the parents require guaranteed care, then they need to pay for the child's place, regardless of if the child attends or not.
The CM could agree to a contract for a specific number of hours per week, but that may result in the CM not being able to take on other work to fill the time not being used.
Overnight care, weekend care, plus any hours beyond a usual working day will all incur extra charge - so a contract based on number of hours per week/per month won't work, as some of those hours are more costly than others.
Has the CM actually agreed to having the child concerned... it looks very messy to me, so may be better to forget it and find parents who want more usual hours.

I think Weekends and Overnights are the main problem - as a childminder will want to spend time with their own family at weekends and in the evenings. Therefore if they do decide to work any evenings/weekends, then they need to plan that well in advance - and may not want to be tied to a contract that says they must provide a certain number of weekends per month/per year.

Hi nannynick,
Sorry for not reading your messages until now, but it was school fair today, so we were very busy.
You are correct in everything you have said, and the overnights and weekends have been the problem until now. My CM have been minding this boy for over a year, but eventhought she hasn't been very happy with the situation, she does it because the boy is very sweet. But now, the problem is Christmas, as one parent is on call for the second half of Christmas, and she needs the CM to be on call as well. I have told her to tell the parents that they need to pay for her time, even thought the boy might not come, as she can't plan anything, or go anywhere is she is on call. But the parents don't see why they have to pay for the time, if the boy is not there.
I don't know what the CM would do over the Christmas period, but I have told her, she has to find a way or either for the parents to agree to her requirements, or for them to look for another CM, as I think this situation is creating problems at home.
The parents have "threaten" that if the CM doesn't agree to what they want, they will have to look for another CM, and I've told her to tell them, that this is fine by her. But she finds this difficult to do.
I don't know, hopefully everything will get sort it, and my CM will find the courage to "stand up" ( I don't know if this is the correct work) to the parents. I know she will feel more confortable with her self is she did it.
Sorry for this long reply, but it really makes me mad when people take advantage of others.

Well I reckon the CM should tell them to get another CM them and wish them luck because I doubt they'll find anyone else who will keep a space open for them without the need for paying!!!

Looney, yes even thought they have threaten the CM with taken business to someone else, I don't think they would find someone willing to keep a place open, with no pay.
I will know tomorrow what she has done for the Christmas period.

The CM should definitely be paid for on-call work! Assume the parent is being paid to be on-call?!

Re: some hours being more than others you just have to tot up the extra costs and add them in arrears - so you pay for 40 hours of care at basic rate in advance, and if you use 18 of those hours outside of basic rate you pay the difference with the next payment.

It's complicated but do-able. However it sounds like there's a lot more to the situation than just the contract and it's probably more trouble than its with.