Parents needing care ASAP

[Spixie33]

So had a call from a parent looking for daycare starting next week. Apparently they were told today by their provider that the provider could no longer do daycare for them. Sounds like a possible termination to me.

Me scared.

We booked an interview but I am already wondering and suspicious of this family. I can't imagine a provider giving such short notice without reason.

Big red flag? Or am I too cynical?

[Skysue]

I would ask for the previous daycare providers referance, where are you located?

[Sandbox Sally]

I say if you like them, try it out! Ask them why.

I had people interview, I accepted another family, that family didn't work out for me, and their new provider called them the first day and said that the baby wouldn't stop crying and she'd no longer provide care. I got a frantic call from mom at 2pm, and baby started with me at 8am the next morning. Baby and parents are all AWESOME. It can work out.

[Spixie33]

I would ask for the previous daycare providers referance, where are you located?

I'm in York Region....north of Newmarket

I just can't imagine how a provider could give such short notice for a full time spot unless something bad went down.
It is not as though it was a part time spot and the provider had a chance at a FT spot or something. Just do not want to take on someone else's problem when I have really great kids. But I guess it can't hurt to talk to them more tomorrow and see what happened

Thanks Alphagetti - that is a little reassuring but this child is already a toddler so they should have transitioned months ago

[playfelt]

I would come right out and ask about why they are needing to change daycare and then make a judgement based on how much they hem and haw before speaking as if making up a story. I have had immediate care requests and reasons have included provider is pregnant and doctor put her on bed rest so kids had to go, family emergency of provider so she was closing her daycare and this family chose to move on immediately rather than hope she reopened but had no warning of the closure, parent arriving to find child outside unsupervised or other negative thing going on and moved them immediately as far as care was concerned.

On the other side yes I have had the kicked out kind contact me. The older the child is the more likely they were released but not always of course.

The good news is that if the family was released it obviously caught them off guard and they can turn out to be your best family because they know they need to do things differently the second time around.

Do ask them to be honest because there is no sense in getting into a new relationship and having things go bad due to not full disclosure. Not fair to child to get into new home only to be pulled again. Saying that should get you the information you need to make your decision.

[Inspired by Reggio]

I have had this happen to me as well - yes it is a potential RED FLAG but I would still meet with them and just have an honest open communication about the prior experience and what they would do different THIS time to support their child and also ask for the provider as a reference to help make the transition smoother.

I took on a child the year I opened who had been in EIGHT programs prior to mine ... a couple were closures where the provider was new and changed her mind and the last couple were poor matches and the very last one the child had developed 'behaviour' .... I was frank and honest with the clients about what would go down in MY program to deal with the behaviours she was exhibiting at the other program and at home and what I needed from them if this was going to work - they were on board from the start - first off being the kid was just turned THREE yet and was not having NAPS so mandatory napping here cause a rested child tends to be a well behaved one The other were consistent rules and expectations for behaviour and same consequences between home and care ... parents had to agree to do everything I advised at home as well.

I never had ANY aggression or serious behaviour issues with that child in my program - she had been spitting, hitting, tantruming, throwing things and so forth both at home and in the program when 'angry' yet in my program she was gentle, friendly, affectionate - a little 'sneaky' with regards to any treats left in her smell zone she could find a chocolate stash in the dark blindfolded but other dealing with that 'trust' issue of not taking food that was not offered to you she was amazing and stayed with me right up until she started school full time ... she just needed a structured routine, lots of notice of change and a firm consistent but loving manner in regards to expectations and consequences for poor choices and she needed to NAP daily cause without proper sleep she was Dr Jekyll and Mrs Hyde .... poor thing had a heck of a time adjusting to school with no napping!

[mom-in-alberta]

There are many, many reasons that a provider could be ending care so quickly. An emergency in the family, a sudden move, a change in health, etc. OR; the provider could be kind of a jerk and be closing without giving the families proper notice. I heard a while back of a provider who literally left a sign on the door, saying "Sorry, we have closed. I will be speaking with you soon". WTH??
Anyway, the only way to know- is to ask. Their response will be a big clue. "uh, uh, ummm" would not reflect well, but there may be a very valid reason. I would get a reference if possible, as well.
Moving forward, I would make a mental note of this fact. I would interview, etc as per any family I am interviewing. Then I would make my decision.

[Spixie33]

Update...so met with them and more confused than ever. They came 10 min late - at that point I was almost going to turn them away at the door. Then during the interview she called her previous provider 'babysitter' at least 30 times. Apparently the reason they were given short notice was that the provider said due to personal issues they had to close immediately.

The child was pretty cute and the parents seemed to genuinely care about their child so I am on the fence.

[Lou]

I, personally take offense to the term babysitter so I can understand that rubbin you the wrong way. At the same time, people who are NOT in this field do not understand how condescending that term can be and it's simply the word that they know to use. I wouldn't get too upset over being 10 min late..we've all been late before, especially going to a place we've never been to before. If they were 30 min late that's a whole different story!
I guess just go with your gut! See how it goes for a couple weeks, and if there are any more red flags...NEXT!!!

[Skysue]

Update...so met with them and more confused than ever. They came 10 min late - at that point I was almost going to turn them away at the door. Then during the interview she called her previous provider 'babysitter' at least 30 times. Apparently the reason they were given short notice was that the provider said due to personal issues they had to close immediately.

The child was pretty cute and the parents seemed to genuinely care about their child so I am on the fence.

Asked location due to knowing some one who was terminated recently due to paretns lack of respect. You are in a different area. All you can do is offer a trail period and see how things go!