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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

I am really cross with my childminder, come and help me broach this without losing my temper....

38 replies

itsmeolord · 09/11/2009 12:53

Hi,

have posted before about childminder who whilst lovely and very very good with kids, does lots with them etc is also terribly disorganised and this has caused issues.

Thought it was sorted. She gave me short notice that she wanted to go away for two weeks, the october halfterm week and the following week. She definitely said two weeks, definitely those two weeks...
I have no holiday at all, only recently started shiny new job that I love.
DP took the week after half term off and I took the half term week off unpaid.

New bosses weren't particularly chuffed and I had to do some work at home etc to appease them.

Anyway, she should have been back end of last week, called and texted. No replies.

Still couldn't get hold of her this morning, took dd to school and bumped into a mum of another child that she minds.

The childminder called her last week to say she would not be back until this Thursday!

I have no childcare for this week now and lots and lots of work to do. Obviously I can work the school hours but my job is normally an work till it's done kind of thing out of necessity for the field I am in.
In the current climate I cannot afford to lose this job, I am still in my probation period and this is not going to look good for me.
No family nearby who could help, dp has no holiday left now because of the week he took.

I have been made redundant twice this year, childminder knows all of this.

I am so utterly fucked off that she has called another of the parents but basically either forgotten me or just not bothered to call.
She knows full well I would not be able to cover another nearly full week of no childcare, add to that the fact that I have already paid her for the month so she has had two weeks full whack and two weeks holiday pay, this should have been almost 3 weeks holiday pay of that was her plan.

I know I am ranting but I am so cross, have bee thinking about this all morning and don't really know best course of action.
I don't want to sack her as there really is no spaces in this area at the moment and dd loves it there.
But, this has really really screwed me. Am uset that she thinks it's ok to treat me/us like this as well.
Bfore she left she was hugging me on the doorstep and thanking me for holding back her money so that she wouldn't spend it before the holiday. (she asked me too, she is crap with money)

I appreciate this is a holiday of a lifetime for her and her family, (they are in disney florida) but I cannot believe how she has behaved.

What would you do in my situation? I really need to calm down, am so cross.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
pippin26 · 09/11/2009 14:54

As a childminder I am disgusted that she would behave in this manner. Most minders are all too actutely aware that you cannot let parents down unless for good reason.

I would suggest that you call your local FIS immediately and see if there are any other emergency childminders in the area or even one near where you work. Other suggestions:
Emergencychilcare.co.uk
childcare.co.uk

Fabster - sorry this is a contractual issue and nothing to do with Ofsted - they will not even entertain a complaint of this nature.

atworknotworking · 09/11/2009 15:09

A lot of nurseries have breakfast and after school clubs attached so don't rule them out entirely. Stick your general area up on here one of us may be able to help out or know someone who can.

edam · 09/11/2009 16:19

itsme, what are you going to do when dd starts secondary? ds is nowhere near that age yet, but I've been wondering how I'd handle it if I were working in London and not back until 6.30ish.

itsmeolord · 09/11/2009 16:26

Edam your first post on this thread made me inhale hot chocolate.

When she starts secondary she will be leaving about the same time as me to get to school and she will be coming home for around 5.30- 6pm ish so I think that she would have half an hour on her own tops.
Her school will be quite far away from us.
School holidays will be a mixture of teenage group summer camps, partner and I taking holiday for us all to be together as a family and perhaps a week spent with on eof my parents. Both live in UK "holiday" destinations so she has a pretty good time there.

In reality, dp is back by around 5.45pm, it's only if the first train is too crowded that he ends up a little later.

OP posts:
edam · 09/11/2009 16:33

Sorry about that!

That sounds do-able. Sadly the secondary school ds is likely to go to (next door to his primary) chucks out at 3.15. So imagine I'll have to organise childcare until he's so old he's really embarrassed...

whooshspicemonster · 09/11/2009 16:50

How awful - I'd be spitting with rage! Can you ask at your DD's school and see if anyone's got a CM that could have her on an interim measure until you sort something else out? My CM has got space for a couple more kids after school I know and so it may well be that there is someone who could step into the breach.

frakkinaround · 09/11/2009 16:56

She's over 8 so theoretically any CM could take her on without exceeding their numbers. Food for thought....

I think, but may be wrong registrations usually specify 6 under 8, no more than 3 under 5 and no more than 1 under 1.

Shoshe · 09/11/2009 17:01

As your child is over 8, she dosnt count on a CM's numbers, only under 8's do, so you may find that a CM has a place even if they are not advertising as having one.

ThatVikRinA22 · 09/11/2009 17:17

yep - id ring round anyway as she is too old to go on t he numbers, im afraid no matter how lovely your current CM is id be letting her go. really hope you get sorted, what a crappy thing to do.

thebody · 09/11/2009 18:21

I am a cm and would never ever dream of acting like this.. how awful for you and what a silly cow.. get rid asap and good luck..

Danthe4th · 09/11/2009 18:47

I would still speak to the childminder development officer for your area, they do the training and will be able to tell you if there is a new one due to be registered and they will have more contact with the childminders in the area as the lists at the moment are out of date, as the direct.gov website is not up and running properly.

Danthe4th · 09/11/2009 18:54

I am so shocked that someone could just up and go on holiday with so little thought for anyone but themselves. Please tell us you don't pay for her holiday pay even half pay as I think i'll flip!! She sounds awful and so what if she is wonderful with the children it should be about the whole package. Name and shame when you leave!!

thisisyesterday · 09/11/2009 18:55

that's awful! what area are you in, approximately? there are a fair few mumsnetters who are CM's who might be able to help oit

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