How long to accommodate a family?

[Suzie_Homemaker]

The other problem is that they are my long term reference. And families can be a long time coming in this area, so I would rather have a replacement lined up. I also want to give them a good amount of notice. But how do i replace them without them knowing? I live in a realatively small rural community, most providers and parents use local facebook groups to find each other. I had to term another family for not paying me, among other things, so I'm not going to ask them for a reference. I feel like I don't have a lot of options.

I wanted to say thank you to everyone who replied. This is all great advice. I've just learned about this forum and have found it to be a great resource already. It's so great to have the supportI knew this job would be hard work but it's way more complicated than I thought it would be!

When you started, you not have references from client. So, instead give references from other people been in your care even if not with you now. Or give personal reference like would needed to when opening.

I would advice not to give these people lot of notice - esp if you not have firm contract. They had it all their way for long time and when (if) you give notice, they are going be pissed. Often that mean they will find someone else who inexperienced to put up with same crap you doing and they will just go. If you given lot of notice and have start date for new person several week away, this mean your income gone once this family given notice because they will pull out before that time is up. They will be gone as soon as they have other arrangement in place.

Put this problem client on restricted setting. This mean they can only see what you post with your setting as public. Or better yet, if you not use FB to communicate with family, block them and then they see nothing you post. Being block or restricted mean they not able see your posts in groups.

Use Kijiji Advertise too. This not show your e-mail address now. It show system generated address for your reply to inquiries.

If you don't have contract, I would not give them notice. If you feel you should (not sure why since you not using them for reference anyway) then don't make it more than you can afford to be without income because they will leave. If you not get paid in advance, time notice for end of pay when you had the money from work done because these sort family often leave and not settle final bill. They don't expect you take to court so not worried about non payment when leave.