Terminating Childminder with zero notice - advice please!

[Justamumm]

Hi there, please please can anyone help with how to write my termination of childminding contract with immediate effect?

A bit of the back story, my son started in April 22, it's his first CM as I was returning to work from being made redundant in lockdown. When starting I advised I will be in receipt of UC and the dates I would be paid and all was agreed. Since then every month my childminder calls me mid month or messages me demanding I pay what's owing to her and I am "having her off" to which I have to advise I would never and I appreciate the bill is getting higher but I always clear it when I pay on the 18th just like anywhere I jut put it down to her worrying over money.

There has been other issues my son had an incident of biting a month ago and she rang me to pick him up immediately, I did as I was worried but as I was on the way to collect him she rang me again saying another child had injured my son and I need to get him now (it was all very erratic she was screaming as I was driving to collect my son) Just to note my son had never bitten before and had done it through a blanket he came out of her house covered in blood and she refused him entry the next day.

Following on I had covid recently and was home from work but still sending my son to her as I was paying and he was negative. She continuously rang me to collect him that week as she knew I was home but once again I am still paying for every day.

I am just at my wits end as far as I'm concerned I am well within my rights to end the contract with immediate effect I cannot cope with the just chaos of it any longer. I appreciate I am supposed to give 4 weeks notice but as she's threatened me many times with terminating the contact for breach of policy I feel I am within my rights to.

Please can anyone help on what to say or just any advice. Thank you

Personally I would just write a short note, like you would with work, no drama - just stating that his last day will be on xyz.

If you want to include context I would just say that due to recent incidents it is clear that the contract is not working for either party. Keep all emotion out of it.

You may have to pay her for the remainder of the month if that's written into your contract though.

You'll have to pay for whatever you agreed to in the contract, most will ask for 2 weeks minimum termination fee.

Speak to her about it, by the sound of it she might be relieved and happy to terminate with no notice.

However, despite what you feel your within your rights to do, if you've signed a contract saying you'll give notice, then you must expect to have to give her notice (and pay whether your child is there or not).

Seen from her side, you're paying late every month, you sent your son in to her setting while you had Covid, and he bit another child. I can't imagine she's delighted with the situation either.

Well said.
I won't have a child from a positive home why on earth would anybody decide to spread it madness. Late paying is never good shes lucky she has childcare id turn her away at the door as would most cms. We always know when someone no longer needs childcare and wants to wriggle.

“Seen from her side, you're paying late every month, you sent your son in to her setting while you had Covid, and he bit another child. I can't imagine she's delighted with the situation either.”

^I am very surprised she hasn’t given you notice OP.

This. She's running a business at the end of the day, she isn't looking after your child for the fun of it. You aren't getting on with each other so I think you're right to leave however you not only need to pay her for the correct notice you also need to lower your expectations. I would be very shocked if you find another CM who is happy to be paid late every month.

I would terminate immediately and report her to Ofsted she sounds bloody awful

Report her for what? Wanting to be paid? Sending an injured child home? You have to have valid reasons ofsted are not interested in payment issues and given the cm has proof of ongoing late payments and the op has never made a complaint to her for anything its going to look very much like the op is trying to get out of notice and they are wise to this.

Really doesn’t matter how you word it, if the contract states a notice period you’ll need to pay the Childminder.

I’m not sure about the late payment, but there are professional ways to bring this up that don’t involve screaming

If the childminder didn’t want to have a child from someone who had tested positive, this should be clear. I sent my son to nursery when I had covid, mostly because I did feel quite grotty with it and I didn’t want to be dealing with a toddler - just wanted to sleep.

Biting is very normal in toddlers, and most childcare settings should have policies for how it is dealt with. My DS has bitten and also been bitten, it does happen, unpleasant for everyone but silly to pretend it is vastly out of the ordinary.

Remember we are only having one side of a story and don't know the ops interpretation of screaming for some it can literally be screaming for others it can be your not listening I need to be paid. Your also having one side of a behaviour history we don't know if this lo is a well behaved angel or has been on warnings ....some parents actually cuddle children who hurt others telling them never mind were you upset here have a sweet. ..we dont know.
For thoes saying a child should not be sent home bloody...The bloody ear. ...head wounds and particularly monuths and ears bleed a lot you can't clean it up for a few hours at least becouse they start to bleed again....if this child is okay to bite how come it's not okay for him to be bitten?

@Justamumm said she told cm she was on uc so she would be paid 18th of each month

covid - parents have covid and still send to school and childcare

its allowed. The child is negative

but I would hand notice in as not happy and been a couple of months

I would just give a months notice if you are still going to have to pay for a CM anyway. If she’s a good CM she may have a waiting list, so maybe you could ask she wants your child to leave early, but obviously you would only pay up to his last day.

sorry, beside the point but the Covid rules drive me crazy.

I had Covid, felt awful (was in bed) and DH was away for work so told the school I would keep the children home for a couple of days until DH came back. School went absolutely nuts and demanded that I sent them in.

But unlike a child going to school ....certain independence level so parent able to distance for starters...a childcare setting does not have to priorities attendance against welfare but actually has to put welfare first. They also have more staff who are paid sickness pay rather than self employed who are not. The government decided education and attendance was more important than exposing people to covid and the complications of long covid that doesn't mean covid is now safe to get.
The op has not answered the question that has been asked several times of wether in was a clear ongoing arrangement to break the contract terms by paying late or a one off agreement at the start that she is choosing to force into s long term agreement. The op has not made an official complaint until she has decided not to pay now digs it all up ....you can not go into sainsbury's and demand a shop and pay later just becouse your short of money why is it okay to demand this of someone who also has bills to pay including food for your child?

If the cm didn’t want covid in households then assume she had that in her terms and should have said to op no to her child even entering her place of business

You dont know she hasn't parents are not always compliant with policies and things slip out once you've taken in the child....maybe why the cm was so upset we won't know. I had a little one who when I changed nappy was covered in chicken pox that had been treated with calamine...supposedly the 13 year old must have done it without saying. We get children with 11 o'clock itis as the calpol wears off all the time.