Childminders Club: Holidays!

[lunavix]

You lot will be so sick of me! I don't know any CM irl, and not meeting Network Coordinator for a few weeks so can't ask any questions, I can only ask you guys on here!

Prospective twin mindees' mum is really keen I have her two, plus other mindee's mum has agreed to change days to accomodate! Yippee! So all is going well.

She has phoned me up though about holidays/sick etc. I've requested 4 weeks at half pay a year, which she is happy with, and I need some dates in June for my wedding, but I'm going to offer to take them free as it isn't much notice.
She phoned to enquire about her sick days, she doesn't get sick pay, and I said if I was sick she didn't need to pay but if either twin was sick she would. She's unsure of this however, because quite rightly it's costing her when she's getting nothing.

What would be a sensible compromise? I'm quite happy to take them if ill to a certain degree - eg colds, chicken pox, minor illness etc. However for some things - like gastroenteritis! - definately not. So should I just say in those occassions she doesn't need to pay? Things like gastro can take up to a week to recover from though, and if I lose both twins for a week then it will make a big dent for me bill-wise.

Any ideas?

Nope I wouldn't be flexible over that - if they are ill you can't have them (not cold etc) because if you get what they have then you can't look after them and you lose income.

I would stick to your guns over this one, cos they could be sicky babies and you might never have a full month.....she should be entitled to ssp - it's not a lot but it might help

It's very nice of you about the days in June...but don't set a precident

I won't get fed up of the questions - I ask enough of my own...

My mindees mum's don't particularly have brilliant jobs and neither of them get sick pay so we have come to a compromise of 1/2 rate if mum or mindees are off sick. It's not ideal, but so far no one has been off for more than 1 day.

KM - that's my concern. I need the money coming in, and if it were me and I was less honest, if I was home with one child who was ill, I'd be inclined to say the other was ill and have them at home to, if it meant I didn't have to pay at all. Not that I think she would do this, but I do need to cover myself.

FO - I was thinking half rate. so then if both twins were off I'm still being paid at least the equivalent of one twin.

DP suggested if they had to go home during the day, I still got paid for the whole day. Then after that half rate.
Or if she phoned up in the morning, the first day was at full pay, subsequent at half rate.

I feel thats getting a little confusing though.

Also other mindee's parents agreed if she's ill I get paid. I know each contract is relevant only to that child, but it doesn't seem fair really...

I think you need to be consistent with all parents as the ones who do pay would be peed off if they found others didn't for the same situation. I know it's a bummer for the mum who doesn't get sick pay but as Katie said she would get ssp. Anyway that's her choice to accept that in a job, same as it's your choice to childmind and get sick pay if the children are off sick through no fault of your own. Also I'd be very wary about saying you'll have them when they are sick, I've had kids dropped off to me when they should be at home, I haven't refused anyone yet but I can see the day will come when I have to...difficult one that.

It's actually really difficult being a childminder I find as a lot of parents are a lot more emm..."relaxed" with their children than I am normally with mine IYKWIM.....

I have had both quite ill children and seriously ill children dropped off. It's really scary. And if it happens when the child is new to you it is dangerous too. As you don't know how the child reacts etc. One child after a spoon of Calpol fell asleep on the settee immediatly and had her eyes open! But it was impossible to wake her - when I phoned her mum she said "well she does that" - it would have been nice to be told......
Remember you don't have to sign as ssd says it's her choice to take that job - I wouldn't take a job with no sick pay (unless I was SE - obviously)

Both valid points.

I'm still at a loss for what to do, I think I'll explain that it's unfair to other mindee's family to have a different agreement. If she kicks up a fuss I'll say she can see how the trial period goes as to whether she's happy with that. If not.. it's up to her.

jura - yes of course I think we got a bit confused, of course she wouldn't get SSP (unless they get it for a dependent?)

lunavix - i wouldn't compare their contract to the other family you cm for, their not relevent to one another, and the other family shouldn;t know how much other people are paying and what they're paying for because it is all confidential.
I would definitly charge for times when the children are off sick. I got myself into a rut with a few of my first families where i didn't charge them while i was on holiday or even while they were, and now i am losing out with these people until i revue their contracts. Its best to start as you mean to go on. In the long run it will be worth sticking to your guns.

Good luck