Very...um...thorough ? parents

[Rachael]

Possibly off topic, but do any of you ask for references from the parents?

This is common practice in the UK where in-home day cares placements are very hard to find. I have done it only once here, when someone had a 15-month old and had already been through 2 carer's in 3 months! The parents claimed certain reasons and as I happened to know the carer's (although the parents didn't realize this), I did get both sides of the story.


[QUOTE=Gypsy Mama;69456She also wanted to see in every room, closet, drawer and cupboards...then asked for a tour of upstairs too! [/QUOTE] That is also common place in NS.

Here, parents expect to see police checks for every adult in the house, criminal records check, certificate of insurance (although I black out my premiums), certificate for infant CPR and first aid. They expect to see every single room their child will be in, including kitchen, dining room, sleeping rooms, washrooms, yard, etc.

I consider any interview two way. If someone is leaving a current carer who is local, I have no issue in asking why they are looking for a new carer. Just as they are checking my suitability, I am checking theirs. After all, they are coming into my home, having contact with my children and my client's children and they are foolish, if they are presuming the vacancies is theirs just because they determine they want to come. I turn away maybe 70% of people who say they want a place and I choose based on my own preferences.