Can my childminder do this?

[HMJ14]

Hi everyone, need your advice/help please.

My dd has been with the current childminder for almost 2 years, no contract changes in that time. Yesterday I get a text telling me that she now has to take the government standard 4 weeks paid holiday!

Currently if she takes holiday or is sick she does not get paid as I either have to take the time off or pay someone else to look after my dd. Now I used to be a contractor and if I didnt work I didnt get paid - I'm a single mum and I pay her 50% of a week if my dd is on hols or sick. Is she taking the mickey?

I don't charge when im on holiday or sick, and I gave heard nothing about a gov standard that makes you take 4 weeks holiday.

There is no gov standard. She is lying to you sorry.

Yes, she is lying as there is no government standard. The NCMA RECOMMEND we take the 4 weeks paid but it's still up to us childminders whether or not we are paid. And she can't do this without a new contract stating so!

It is completely up to her what she charges, including holidays. Itis not compulsory, she may mean she now has to due to financial reasons not sure from your OP what se has said. I charge no fee for my hols and sickness, yet full fee if I am available and child is absent.

I think this is an unwise move on her part, as it just causes resentment.

As a cm if I implement changes I do it with new clients, I have recently changed to payment in advance, and have two new families that do this, and one who still pays in arrears as I know it will cause her financial difficulty to change over (haven't even asked her).

It is up to her if she changes how she is paid, equally, it is up to you if you want to accept these changes and go elsewhere.

Are you happy with her apart from this?

She is good with my dd, and does unsociable hours when required. Its annoyed me that she didnt even talk to me about this, a text is very unprofessional.

I have a lot on my plate at the moment, single mum, full time job, messy expensive divorce.....my childminder knows this.....

It is wrong of her to position it in this way, and it really depends on her contract as to wether the holidays are paid or not. However I would say that it is not unreasonable to expect your CM to take 4 weeks holiday a year provided she gives you reasonable notice of the dates.

Does your cm normally take four weeks unpaid?? Or has she not taken holidays?

I agree a text is unprofessional, I think you eed to discuss this fully with your cm.

No she doesnt HAVE to take any hols and they are most def NOT 'ordered' by government standard!, id be bery at her trying to pass this off as such!...ncma reccomend up to 4 weeks hols per year in line with most employed people, its up to the cm what she takes but it must be agreed, NOT texted!
Its HER descision to start charging hols and TBH if she hasnt been doing so, she muct have just realised that most of us do! (i cahrge 1/2 fee for mine and full for childs)

I would send her a text back saying can we discuss this properly and NOT via text when you next drop off/collect you LO and say you assume she will be renewing your contract now..then have a think about anything YOU want to change/alter on contract!

But during face to face convo i WOULD let her know you KNOW its not a legal thing to take them

also if contract is ncma im almost sure she cant implement any new changes for ..is it 30 or 90 days??..maybe shes just booked a hol and realised she will be pink lint if she go's!

Excuse me if I have got this wrong, but it does sound as if you are a bit demanding with your CM.

You state that you have to pay for childcare if she is on holiday, and you pay 50% if your DC is sick or you are on holiday. Sorry but that is how life goes if you have a CM, and its not her fault if your daughter is ill, she still has bills to pay. Also she is giving you flexibility by working unsociable hours, you are very lucky to have this flexibility.

I agree that a text is the wrong way to go, but I'm sensing that perhaps she struggles to tell you when she is planning to go on holiday, because of the reaction she gets. If thats the case it isn't fair. She is entitled to go on holiday same as everyone else, agree that depends on contract if its paid or unpaid, but if you want year round cover then I think you should be looking at nurseries. However then you would loose your unsociable hours being covered.

Thanks for all your advice, currently she does not get paid when on hols as I either have to take the same time off or pay another childminder to look after my dd - and I can not afford to pay double!

I will be talking to her tomorrow.

I agree that the situation may be as rookie described (the government thing sounds like an excuse, like she's too scared to admit it's coming from her) but she cannot just change a contract without any notice. She should have considered the holiday situation when she agreed it with you.

However, I would tread a bit carefully if you don't want to lose her. When I have looked into childminders, it's been a mixed situation whether they charged for their hols or not -s ome do, some don't - but everyone expected me to pay 100% for an ill child. Those that don't may well be building in a higher daily rate to account for that, not sure entirely how this works. It may be likely that you won't get better terms elsewhere, you child is used to this lady and she is otherwise good, it sounds like you will need to accommodate her holiday.

yes, when im off i try to work around parents (when theyre off/able to get help/in school hos etc) but doesnt always work out that way..however it IS in MY contract and hanbook that all parents get that i take 4 weeks (max) half pay so if they dont want to pay this, they wuld have to bring it up, but i wouldnt 'not' charge it.