Wish there was a way!!!

Hey all
I am new here and i have been reading experiences DCP have with parents and other kids. I have had an experience where i was looking after a DCK for a yr or so and ended up losing nearly a grand because the parents didn't pay. I was lucky enough to find the numbers for their old DC and then the one they went before me, both of them have had the same experience with them where they just stopped coming or made a big stink blaming the DCP for things that never happened to their kids to get out from paying. I see a pattern and i wish i could some how warn the daycares around my area to who these people are. DC is hard work and a lot of people out there think its easy. I wish we could have laws against people like these.
Thanks for listening

I know daycarebear tried a 'parent registry' where providers could do 'beware of care' type scenarios - but not sure how it works cause have never used it and well you have to click you obtained permission to search their phone number and well i imagine clients like THIS who hop daycares are not going to GRANT that ;)

http://www.daycarebear.ca/registry.php

If your area has a local home childcare network that meets to discuss business and improve their programs and so forth might help to join up with something like that - cause sometimes 'word of mouth' about nasty clients can make its rounds around those so you can at least make an 'informed' decision about taking someone with a bad rap on.

Thank you so much, we used to have a local DC network but over the last years the number of home daycare has gone up really fast and there is quite a bit of compeition in the area and the prices some of these places are charging are absurd. but i will for sure try the website above and see. Once again thank you for your help

I think the only way to get around that, is to charge in advance of care. I know it's not the norm in some markets, but in my area it's totally common. And the only way I would do it. We are in a tough spot when someone stiffs us; as we have already provided the service, and it's not a tangible product. Usually, the amount that we are out is not even worth going to small claims court, as most of us would lose money that way.
On that note, can you providers as a group, get together and sue them for monies owed?
That sucks. :(

I agree M-I-A ... a security deposit of at least two weeks and payment in advance on top of that is the norm in my area as well for this very reason ... that way you get paid on the Friday for the upcoming week, two weeks, month or whatever plus you have two weeks of fees in the 'bank' so to speak to deal with bounced cheques so you are never providing a service without FEE.

Another option is if a perspective client who is not 'just returning from mat leave' aka their kid is 1 or under is wanting to join your program ask in the interview 'has your child been in daycare or the care of another before' and if the answer is YES than ask 'why the relationship ended' and than ask for reference of that provider to help get tips for 'transition' that worked for her .... if the client is not willing to GIVE that reference well than RED FLAG and you have to ask yourself if their 'explanation' is something your gut trusts or if you want to PASS.