Legal Requirement to Reduce Days - Help!

[MsPitstop]

Hello Ladies,

I have returned to work full time and I am really struggling with only seeing my daughter for literally 45 minutes a day. She is in nursery 4 days a week, Tues Wed Thur Fri and has Mondays with her Dad. I have been told I can reduce my hours and only work 4 days. Fine, but the day I have been given off is Friday and my nursery are saying I can't remove her for that day as Fridays off are very in demand and anyway I signed a contract saying she would be in for 4 days a week.

There must be some way round this surely?! Any advice from anyone? I don't want to lose her place there entirely as she is used to it and quite happy there.

Well there are 3 options:-

1. renegotiate your deal with your employer

2. there will be a notice period in your nursery contract. Give notice of your intention to reduce hours. The nursery can refuse to accept you on reduced hours, but they may not. Obviously they want to fill their places, so it depends on whether they can fill a Tues-Fri space readily.

3. Find a different nursery/childcare provider to provide what you need.

Sounds like an awful money grabbing nursery to me

if its in the contract theres not that much you can do other than ask to go on a waiting list if possible to change her days or give notice and change nurseries.

There must be a time limit for notice? The nursery my DDs go to is very flexible letting you choose what you want with 4 weeks notice. In this case they would employ less staff on a Friday as they are on flexible contracts.

If Fridays are in demand then surely they would make the same money by letting someone else have your DD's place? They don't sound very honest or accommodating.

Sorry, I totally misunderstood

I'm sure they wouldn't mind if you paid for the Friday, but kept her home. That may not be practical for you though. Have a look at your contract and see how much notice you need to give for a change of days/hours.

I don't know about the legalities of it, but it seems really unreasonable for the nursery not to let you drop a day. I did this, and my nursery is one that has an absolutely massive waiting list. I had to give a month's notice.

It's completely unreasonable of them to expect that your childcare requirements are not going to change at any point between signing up, and the child going to school

I guess the choice is whether to just pay for the Friday and keep your child at home with you (unsatisfactory and expensive option!) or change childcare. I'm guessing things are less flexible in terms of your job?

I think they mean take up on Fridays is less so they have same staff employed but fewer children. That isn't your problem though, but theris. I think if you can give due notice as per contract (or pay in lieu) they can't stop you legally from reducing the days. Whether they choose to impose a minimum attendance and make life awkward for you is another matter.

I think what they may mean is that they wouldn't have offered a tues-thurs place and most likely do not as a policy (as friday and mondays are very difficult to shift on their own). However i do allow parents to drop days as per contract. I guess you will have to have a chat with nursery manager and explain that you might have to look at other child care options, that might give them a nudge to allow it.