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Good day all! A week today, I will have my first dcb leave my care due to the family moving away. I would like to ask the mother for a reference but what is the best way to do so? Should I just asked to keep her name, number and email on file to give to any inquiring parent? Or should I ask her to type a reference letter with her information and keep them collected in a book and copy them for inquiring parents.
How do you go abouts it?
I would first ask if it's ok to use her as a reference for future clients and if she says yes, then ask if she would be comfortable if potential clients phoned her, or if she would like to just write a reference letter. I find that parents like to actually speak to the reference parent, rather then just read a letter.
I've never had a problem with giving potential clients the number of a past/present client. I usually use the same couple of parents anyway.
I've done both actually. I just ask the parent if I may use them as a reference. Sometimes they offer to type up a letter for me but I never actually hand copies out to the other potential clients. I keep copy of the letter in my interview binder for perusal. If the potentials want to contact the references directly that's fine- I just copy down the number or email for them. If I know that the reference will be contacted though I send them a quick text as a heads up. :) It's always nice to have a letter though as I've never had an interview where the family didn't want to see it yet I've only ever had 1 family actually call my references directly. Potential clients can go away with an extra good feeling about you from the get go!
I have both. I usually ask when a daycare child is leaving if they wouldn't mind writing me a reference and then I keep a binder with them in. I find parents like to have references available not only for current families but previous too. I like to have a combination of written references and then also a couple of families who will speak to prospective new families.
In the past I have just given the names and numbers of past parents (with their permission!) to the parent wanting a reference. I have had one parent offer to type a letter for me but I think a written letter is better because a typed letter could be a "fake" one and as a parent I would maybe question the authenticity of a typed letter.
Now, I have decided to use my current parents as references via phone numbers (and permission of course) and than I will also show them the goodbye cards I have received from past parents. They are all hand written and have very touching and sincere comments in them so hopefully that is good for a reference. If they were wanting a past parent's reference via phone than I would just get in contact with one and ask if they were okay with this.
All of my written references finish with something like, "please feel free to contact me personally with ay further questions..." And then the parents name and contact number. I totally get what you are saying though, but find that this gives any suspicious minds the opportunity to follow up.Quote:
Originally Posted by 5 Little Monkeys