Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I realize I should have gotten a contract to them asap. Due to alot of things going on in my life at the same time I put it off believing I could trust this family. (we found out the home that we were renting was being sold in November, had no more than one month to find a house within the area that we could purchase and move, then unpack, organize and get adjusted to the new home) I had never had a problem with them up until this point. It is more common here for daycares to run without contracts than for daycares to run with contracts so I guess I didn't see it as something I needed to rush at, I realize now though that I should have put it on the top of my list.
I sure hope by "here" you don't mean Canada. I am in Canada and I have been running a home daycare for many years, a sibling of mine runs a home daycare and has for years, friends of mine run home daycares... we all use contracts... so do the many (there are 10 I know of, within walking distance from my home) home daycares in my neighborhood. I have NEVER heard of an established home daycare NOT using a contract.
As for charging monthly fees as opposed to daily/weekly/bi-weekly, and requiring a one month notice for terming care - yes, that is the norm for Canadian daycares.
Personally, I wouldn't go to court without paperwork relating directly to the case - judges hate that!
Lesson learned. Best of luck!