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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>I Know FT Takes Priority Over PT, But...
Mary Poppins 09:31 PM 02-27-2012
I found this in another thread: "Full time takes priority -- end of story. It is spelled out in her contract."

Right now, I verbally tell all of my clients I have a "totem pole" of priority - those who pay a month in advance and are ft are basically locked into their spots and it goes down from there. Pt'ers who pay a week at a time are my lowest priority.

Should I add this in writing into the contract/handbook, I wonder?

Just trying to cover all my bases.
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Cat Herder 04:16 AM 02-28-2012
That is pretty confusing...... It will require too many conversations.

Less information is better.

IMHO, YOU know who your priority clients are, that should be enough.

Any client with a bit of common sense will know that if they are only willing to pay for two days they could potentially lose their slot to someone willing to pay for five.

Simple supply and demand.
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Mom&Provider 05:25 AM 02-28-2012
YES! This was in my topic and yes...add it if this is how you feel!!

As you saw in my post, I added it after I had a couple of families and now am faced with telling a p/t family that I would prefer a f/t one...this statement would really help me right now!!
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cheerfuldom 05:35 AM 02-28-2012
Just because something is not in your contract does not mean that you cannot tell a family that you are letting them go in order to have a place for a full timer.
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littlemommy 05:50 AM 02-28-2012
I also take into consideration how well the child fits with the rest of the group and how the parents treat me/my business. Right now I have a ft'er whose mom has chosen not to respect my rules or my home. If I didn't know I'd be moving this summer, I would term her for a pt'er.
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kayla 05:47 AM 02-28-2012
Thats why i love the clause in my contract stating i can terminate at any time without notice..
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My3cents 05:56 AM 02-28-2012
Originally Posted by kayla:
Thats why i love the clause in my contract stating i can terminate at any time without notice..
I don't know if I like this or not-

I have mixed feelings on this statement. Anyone else?
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Meeko 06:09 AM 02-28-2012
Originally Posted by My3cents:
I don't know if I like this or not-

I have mixed feelings on this statement. Anyone else?
It's my house. If I don't want them in it.....bye bye!

I too have it in my contract that I can term without notice. If someone is rude to me and treats me like dirt, I am not about to continue providing service to them. I show them the door.....on the spot. I think it's important. You need to protect your business and family. You never know if you are going to get some crazy person sign up, or a child who decides to destroy your home. You MUST have the power to kick them out on the spot if necessary. My contract actually states, that under most circumstances, I will give two weeks notice, but that I reserve the right to immediate cancellation of service if I see fit.
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Blackcat31 06:15 AM 02-28-2012
Originally Posted by kayla:
Thats why i love the clause in my contract stating i can terminate at any time without notice..
Originally Posted by My3cents:
I don't know if I like this or not-

I have mixed feelings on this statement. Anyone else?
I would only have a problem with it if my child care provider was flaky and I felt as though she would term based on the color of my socks...kwim?

Most providers are professionals and act accordingly and the clause allowing immediate termination is generally used as a last resort for dangerous or "bad" situations where it is just not safe or sane to allow a parent or child to return.

I don't think there are providers (few, if any) who abuse that clause. (My personal opinion)
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familyschoolcare 07:00 AM 02-28-2012
My termenation with out notice says

I can and will terminate our child care arrangements immediately for any of the following reasons (but not solely limited to):


-Harming anyone including but not limited to other children, other adults and myself by your child or one of their adults (including but not limited to Mom and Dad)


• Failure to comply with the contract.

• Destructive or hurtful behavior of child that persists even with parent cooperation in stopping the behavior.

• Non-Payment of childcare fees or late and/or recurring late payment of fees.

• Failure to complete required forms.

• Inability to meet the child’s needs without additional staff.

• Blatant disrespect towards provider or provider’s family.

• If parents knowingly bring their child ill.

• Disrespectful behavior of the neighborhood (myself and/or neighbor/s will determine what is disrespectful behavior)
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MyAngels 07:44 AM 02-28-2012
Oh boy, I'm going to go against the grain on this one .

Once I have agreed to take a family, whether they are FT or PT, I think that family has a right to expect that their spot is secure. If I only want FT families, then I feel like it's my obligation to leave a spot unfilled until I find that FT family. I feel like it would be unprofessional to take a PT family, only to boot them once a FT family comes along.

Of course, if a family is not following the rules or is disrespectful, etc., I would terminate our contract, but I would not do it simply because they are part-time.

JMHO.
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Crazy8 11:53 AM 02-28-2012
Originally Posted by familyschoolcare:
My termenation with out notice says

I can and will terminate our child care arrangements immediately for any of the following reasons (but not solely limited to):


-Harming anyone including but not limited to other children, other adults and myself by your child or one of their adults (including but not limited to Mom and Dad)


• Failure to comply with the contract.

• Destructive or hurtful behavior of child that persists even with parent cooperation in stopping the behavior.

• Non-Payment of childcare fees or late and/or recurring late payment of fees.

• Failure to complete required forms.

• Inability to meet the child’s needs without additional staff.

• Blatant disrespect towards provider or provider’s family.

• If parents knowingly bring their child ill.

• Disrespectful behavior of the neighborhood (myself and/or neighbor/s will determine what is disrespectful behavior)
Hey, I think we have the same contract, LOL!! I'm sure I got this info online years ago. I do have a "clause" about giving notice but the above are things that could mean immediate termination.

As far as priority - I wouldn't go into it in detail but I like having that little blurb in there - have never needed it though, never termed a part timer for a full timer.
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daycare 08:49 AM 02-28-2012
Originally Posted by My3cents:
I don't know if I like this or not-

I have mixed feelings on this statement. Anyone else?
I understand what you are saying from a provider standpoint, but as a parents, that statement would not give me the confidence of security that my child will have a spot to go to each week.

How much notice do you give the parents when you do term?
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daycare 09:03 AM 02-28-2012
The only time that PT has priority over FT is when I have a FT open spot.

Example

If I have 3 families that all want part time have interviewed for my last full time spot and then I have one family that interviewed for it that wants full time, I would give it to the FT family first, also taking into consideration that they are a fit. It does not matter who I interviewed first, it goes to full time first.

The way you are stating it, it sounds like you are saying that if you have a child enrolled PT and then a family wants to interview for a full time spot, that you would let that PT child go so you could take the FT?? IPO, I don't think that's fair.

If you take a part time family, it will be up to you fill the other days of the week with another PT family. This is why I only take full time or if I can't fill the FT spot, I will allow a M_W_F or a T-H, this way two kids will take up a full time spot.
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JenNJ 09:55 AM 02-28-2012
Originally Posted by daycare:
The way you are stating it, it sounds like you are saying that if you have a child enrolled PT and then a family wants to interview for a full time spot, that you would let that PT child go so you could take the FT?? IPO, I don't think that's fair.

This is exactly what I do. It isn't unfair. It is business. They want to have the part time schedule to save money. I want the full time schedule to make money. Neither party is right or wrong, just on different sides.

I want to be paid for 5 full time slots. If I have 4 full time slots filled and one part time slot filled I am losing potential income on that part time slot. As long as I don't have someone waiting for that full time space, I am happy to fill it with a part timer.

If I get a call for a full time contract, I interview them. If I am willing to accept them into care, I go to the PT family. I say, "I have a family waiting for a full time slot. Your child is only here 2 or 3 days a week. There are two ways we can work this - #1) You can take the full time space #2) Or you can have two weeks to find alternate care for little Johnny."

I work 55 hours with the kids whether I have one child here or five. I want five here so that I maximizing my income. If I have any open spaces on any days I am losing money. I try my best to fill those gaps.

In the end, I am just the daycare provider. It is up to their parents to make sure their child is in a stable situation. If they really value one long term caregiver, the decision to pay for a full time space when they only need part time care is easy. If they value their dollars more than a daycare situation, the decision to find a new caregiver will also be easy. it comes down to what they value more. Sometimes they value the caregiver more, sometimes they value their money more. Neither is right or wrong. It is just a preference.


If you take a part time family, it will be up to you fill the other days of the week with another PT family. This is why I only take full time or if I can't fill the FT spot, I will allow a M_W_F or a T-H, this way two kids will take up a full time spot.

That is great in theory, but it isn't always that easy. I have a lot of people looking for T, Th, F slots and M, W, F slots. Those don't match up. And just because a client has a wacky schedule doesn't mean I need to be the one to solve it. I will accept them into care as long as the schedule works for me. If I begin losing money on that spot, I need to figure out a solution. The easiest solution is finding a full timer. Second best is having a part time family pay for the full time space.
I answered in bold.
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SunshineMama 10:18 AM 02-28-2012
Whenever I have a P/T family, I always let them know that I am looking for a full time spot, and that I will have to take a full timer if I get one.

I do always let them know that they are welcome to pay full time, and I have had 2 families take me up on that.
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