Back up Care and errands

I was wondering if home child care providers usually provide back up care if they are sick or unavailable. For example maybe a neighbour, friend or family member who is willing to take the providers children on an occasional basis for illness or family emergency. Do the parents meet these people ahead of time?

Also, do home child care providers take the children on occasional errands, appointments?

I am new to this so I am just wondering what the "norm" is. Thanks in advance for any advice, input.

If i cannnot book for after hours and do not want to 'close' for a full day for something that will take an hour tops than my spouse and mother have helped out for planned appointments for me - which I try to book during nap time so not too much work for them - I make this clear in the interview and give a heads up again prior to it happening or if I can book for the end of day I will close a bit early to allow transport to appointment.

As for "errands" unless it is something WORK related I do not generally run personal errands during work hours - so for example if we are going to play group on Friday I might do the drive through bank en route and do my deposit and my daycare crew helps with menu planning and sometimes I take them to the grocery store to help pick out foods around our letter of the week or special supplies for a craft for Mothers Day and so forth ...so in moderation and again with disclosure to clients beforehand.

One of the perks of homechildcare is we are self employed and can design our program and services as we see fit - as long as we offer clear concise communication with clients about that service BEFORE they sign on so they are aware it is all good! Clients are as diverse as we are - some will not want the flexibility of errand running or back up care being provided and others will love it and each will seek out services that suit their tastes. ;)

I like to make sure the families have lots of sick days they can use or retired grandparents or other family or friends who can provide backup. However, I have only taken one sick day in 4 years and the little ones made me sick so the parents understood completely and made arrangements because I told them the day before that I was getting much worse and needed to take a day. If you have to close for a day just give lots of notice so the parents have time to make arrangements.

I take 4 weeks vacation a year and none of my 5 families have a problem with that either because I tell them before the beginning of the year what they will be so that they can book their holidays in sync with mine. I make major appointments on those vacation weeks.

I also admit to a quick stop at the bank on the way to the library or a quick trip to the grocery store with the double stroller once when I had one little boy who was here late for an hour after everyone else had gone. He enjoyed the trip!

I don't provide back up care, exactly. I have it clearly stated in my handbook/contract, in bold even! It is THE PARENTS responsibility to have alternate care available. If I am closing for a personal or vacation day, I give lots of notice. Usually a month or so. If I have to close in an emergency, I call them as soon as I know that it will be happening. I have called before 6am, so that they have time to figure it out.
Truthfully, if i met with a family that said "You're it, you are our ONLY available caregiver..." I probably would not take them on. Unless they are totally okay if we have to close on short notice. I just find that some people say "Oh, no problem" but when it comes down to it, they get really cranky. That said, I really try not to close, as I can totally understand that it leaves the parents in a bit of a pinch.
I do have my husband available if need be, for trips to the bank, doctors appts, etc. When I was pregnant, and had umpteen appts, he was always there. I also tried to schedule them during nap time. Parents were all made aware, and no one had any issues. My hubby is home quite a lot during daycare hours, and so all the kids and the parents are familiar with him.

No, I don't offer backup care. It says in my contract that each parent should have backup care available.

I have had an interview recently where the lady was really concerned about emergencies etc because she had NO backup or family in the area etc. But how can I promise that there would never be an emergency or get sick? I have never had to close the daycare for a sick day for me yet but I can't promise it will never happen.

I don't do personal errands or shopping during daycare hours. I don't have a vehicle large enough to take so many kids with me. My hubby works during the day but even if he was here I wouldn't leave him with the kids - I don't think he would even want to take on that responsibility and I would never want the parents to be worried etc

I had a daycare provider for my OWN kids when I was working outside the home who would call or tell me that she had an appt and could have her husband stay with my two kids for x amount of time. I told her I would be there before she leaves for her appt and pick up my kids. I would never feel comfortable with that no matter how slim the chances that something would happen.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spixie33

I don't do personal errands or shopping during daycare hours. I don't have a vehicle large enough to take so many kids with me. My hubby works during the day but even if he was here I wouldn't leave him with the kids - I don't think he would even want to take on that responsibility and I would never want the parents to be worried etc.

---

Ditto. My husband isn't home during the day and if he was he's not a great 'baby/kid' person...I can hold 2 additional children in my car and we go to play group, library etc. If I have more than that many kiddies with me then we don't go anywhere a stroller & and nice walk can't take us :)

ONCE I couldn't change my daughter's doctor appointment with her pedi. and I notified the parents so we went during the day to that. But otherwise no errands....I use that time as "ME" time now-a-days :laugh:

My back-up is my assistant who I will use to cover for appointments. I do not bring her in for my sick days as I live in an apartment and therefore would not be able to get the rest I need to get better (children would be hounding me all day).

I've stopped at the grocery store once because I wanted to get some fruit for the children's snack but I would NEVER do this for my personal errands or make a habit out of it for any reason.

My husband used to be my backup in case of appointments but is no longer able to help out do to a new position at work.

I do my very best to schedule outside of my work hours but sometimes I don't have a choice.

I do not use any kind of replacement.

I simply close for part of the day or the whole day.

All the parents in my care have plenty of flexibility.

I am with an agency so I can't just use my neighbors, a friend etc.
It must be someone who has had training,first aid, background check etc.

I could hire a replacement who meets all that criteria but I don't like the idea of a complete stranger in my home,with my kids and with the kids I am responsible for KWIM?

I have a neighbour who I can use for back up for the time being. She took two of my dck's when I was on holiday actually, and it worked out very well. She used to be a provider, but decided to take a year for mat leave. Sooo, soon she will no longer be available to us.

As far as errands go, we walk to play group, and you bet your bippy I stop at the corner store with the kiddos all the time. :) I don't go on long personal errands, though, if that's what you mean. The corner shop stop is ten mins, tops.

I once took 2 dck's to my daughter's allergist appointment. It was either that, or I took the day off. The parents didn't mind, but I normally reserve appointments for evenings or weekends if I can at all help it.

No I don't provide backup care...up to the parents to arrange. I try to let them know in advance if I need to close early for an appt.

I should clarify if I am on vacation or sick no I do not provide back up - only if I had short appointment and did not want to take the whole day off to deal with it ;)

I don't provide back-up care. If an ermgency comes up and I am sick or have an appointment that can't be scheduled in the evening, I just have to tell the parents and they figure out a back-up plan. I hate doing it, but sometimes it does happen. I also do not run errands during daycare hours except for occasionally going through the drive-thru bank machine as others have said. I find it challenging enough to run errands with my own kids without adding 4 more!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kangaroomama

...I find it challenging enough to run errands with my own kids without adding 4 more!

---

LOL - ya I do not have any of my own in my program cause they are grown ... but empathize with the difference between shopping with your own and 'going on a field trip with the daycare' ... I took 5 kids to Costco before Xmas to pick out something for the Angel tree for the program as well as to get ingredients to make our Xmas treats for mom and dads ... and we had a grand time because A) they are NOT mine they behave like angels and B) they see this as a 'treat' getting to do this C) if they do not behave we LEAVE because I do not NEED to do this for them ... needless to say I bumped into a client who was doing some Xmas shopping of her own and commented to her kids 'here I dropped you off at daycare cause you cannot manage doing errands with me - yet you behave so nicely with your friends -whats up with that?' and they honesty replied 'you yell at us when we shop - our daycare friends sing songs and play games' ... they are 4 and 6 years old and well honest kids... poor mama in that moment but the truth is we were not 'rushing' through an errand on a time frame to just 'get er done' this was part of the program - we were talking our time, talking about the things we saw, discussing what was best to buy for the angel tree and so forth and while waiting in line we play games of 'I spy' or sing to pass the time ... where I KNOW when I run ERRANDS I am rushing to get them done and generally tired and not feeling like 'signing in the line up in front of strangers' ;)