what would you do re: Term time children and Holiday payments

[deembee]

I am so angry tonight, earlier this week i have had my 5day a week mindee,s mum tell me i am not needed for half term and easter as she has taken holidays from work and has the childcare covered, told her i will still need paying as is not a term time contract and she was not happy, has now just confirmed that she will use me after all as is paying for it regardless but will probably not want the full hours.She has taken four days to tell me this, and basically just wanted to pick and choose the times i care for her litle one regardless of contract. When she came to see me to sign up at xmas she was desperate for me to work the school hols as always has trouble finding childcare then she tells me this only after me pushing to see what she wanted. Then tonight my before and after schoolies dad tells me he will never need me during school hols as has it covered. Has never mentioned this to me before. I was closed over xmas so never asked him for any payment, this is the first time this has come up. He is adamant he does not want any care and does not want to pay for it. Has asked to change his contract to term time only as will never need holiday care. Have checked all details from when he signed up and has never mentioned this before. Why do people not mention these MINOR details when they sign up. As far as i was concerned i was full for half term now looks like i will have one and a half spaces. I don't know what to do about the dad as i know he gets tax credits to pay for his childcare and i bet he won't tell them he's not paying for it over school hols.

Sorry just needed a rant at people who think they can pick you up and put you down at a moments notice and you obviously have no life of your own to consider Grrrrrr.

It does make me cross when people leave it to the last minute to let you know these things that they've known for months!

If you do agree to give either of these families a term-time only contract (and not all childminders do - some will charge full fees through the whole year except for when they are closed or use the place for another child) then you can accept their request to terminate the current contract (they pay full fees as per your contract for the whole of the notice period) and renegotiate a new term-time contract to start when the current contract ends.

Because the new contract will be for a different arrangement, the fees you previously agreed no longer apply and you are free to renegotiate the fees at the same time. You may, for example, have a higher hourly or weekly fee for term-time only care or you may have the same rate but charge a retainer fee throughout the school holidays (some charge 1/2 fees or 2/3 or a fixed amount per child).

To avoid confusion I've put in my contracts a section which states if the contract hours include: term-time, school holidays and/or bank holidays. Under absence fees I've specified separately the rates for absence for: school holidays, training/inset days. closure days (snow days/teacher strike etc), bank holidays at the beginning/end of a term-time week, bank holidays in the middle of a school holiday.

I just don't know what to say

Do people not read contracts?

How can they sign something they do not understand?

I had that the other week, she signed the contract, gave me 4 hours settling in with him - a 13 mth who would be coming to me and his original cm- as a result he cried all the time I had him which was undertandable and would not eat a thing.

Come Thursday when I was supposed to have him, Mum rang to say she did not need me as she was 'not working' that day when in fact she was going to meet my friend who is also a cm! I was hurt and angry at this at Mum, 4 hours is not long enough to settle a child of his age, any younger (2-5 mths) maybe but he was settled and in a routine.

I phoned and asked her why she did not give me any longer and she gave a load of excuses. She said I'd discussed her children when in fact I had guessed at the ages of the children and not actually used any names.

Why do some parents not realise that most cms know and even work together? We don't stay at home all day drinking coffee while watching them play. She had phoned around friends behind my back which is really hurtful, I've been a Mum for 17+ years now. I have been paid now but under protest.

My son is cared for by a lovely childminder and I'd rather just pay her the same amount each month regardless of whether I am working or not. Its easier for me to budget that way (and I am sure it would be for her as well) and usually take holidays at short notice.

I am also very lucky that I have good back up in place. It all sounds a bit frustrating for you.

Yes, he should have read the contract and now give you the appropriate notice so you can change to a term time only contract.

Not sure what tax credits has to do with it - they only pay a max of 80% anyway (thats if you qualify for the full amount) and you have no proof he has claimed the whole year.

its hard to believe people can be this cheeky in their attitude towards holidays.I am trying to find someone who can accomodate my school age son in the school holidays - as well as my nursery age daughter - etc on the understanding it will all be set out in the contract before the job starts. You cant just expect CM to lose out and be completely flexible to your whims. If it is a day nursery you have to pay if your child is absent.
Don't they think it matters then, because the care environment is your home and not a purpose built nursery?