Preventing a dispute
In a
perfect world childminding arrangements would run smoothly and
disputes would never occur but, as with any arrangement,
misunderstandings can happen and childminding arrangements do
sometimes break down.
What can I do to help prevent a dispute?
- Agree a signed contract at the start of your arrangement to
make sure both the childminder and parents are clear of what is
expected. Visit our contracts section for
information on what to include.
- Agree any other permissions you feel are necessary. You can
download a range of free sample parental
permission forms to give you an idea of what other topics you
may want to discuss.
- Take time to discuss issues at the start of the relationship,
for example what happens if the childminder, child or parent is
ill, or what will happen if the parent is late.
- Keep talking. Raising concerns as they arise can prevent
problems building up.
- Share information. Keeping one another up-to-date with what’s
happening in the child’s life can be important to help them feel
settled and let the childminder offer the best care. Many
childminders and parents use a daily journal to share information.
For example, the parent might let the childminder know they had a
restless night so might be tired today, while the childminder can
let the parent know they managed to tie their shoelaces. A journal
or diary is idea for this. Get your journal from the NCMA shop.