Losing Parents after Contract Rewrite

[badger411]

How common is it to lose children after a contract and handbook update? I have had a very expensive learning experience that caused me to revise my contract and handbook.

I gave all my parents notice yesterday that I would be revising my contract and handbook to change the payment rules. I am switching to prepayment of fees starting July 4, after my 2 weeks' notice for policy changes. It appears that the driving force for these changes did not take the news well, as she has not brought her child today. She texted that they would be here at 11:30 am (normal drop off is around 8 am), but he is still not here as of 1:45 pm.

She was on assistance, but it ended in February and neither of us realized it. I don't remember getting a notice from the county. So I submitted my form for March, and got no payment, but I figured it was just late. And I submitted my form for April, and got no payment again. Eventually, the dcm called the county and had to reapply. This was May 7, and it took until June 16 for her to get approved again. The county paid for most of April, about half of May, but nothing for March.

This whole time, she never offered to pay anything, and I wasn't pushing the issue since we were waiting to see what the county was going to do. Stupid, I know. She's a single mom who works cleaning houses, dad's in prison, I guess I felt sorry for her.

The county reimbursement rate only covers 143 hours a month for dcb's age group. For May, he was here 191 hours. Part of my letter to dcm pointed out that she was responsible for any hours over 143 for the month. I told her that starting in July, she would need to pay her cost share of $75 by the 5th of each month, plus $125 a month until she was caught up on March, April and May. So I don't know if she is finding alternate care in order to cut down on the hours with me, or if she is pulling him completely in hopes I forget about the $784 she owes.

Part of me hopes that she simply pulls him completely. We have been considering terminating for awhile because dcm is reliably late for pickup, and had not made any payments since February. At any rate, I have learned that I need to be stronger when it comes to policy enforcement and payment collection.

I guess this wasn't really a question, more of a rant, but I feel better after writing it.

[Controlled Chaos]

That's rough. I'm sorry.

If she pulls I would still try and collect the money owed. But she sounds like a nightmare parent, and might be best they are gone.

Pre pay is best Hopefully in the future you won't have to deal with this again.

I have never lost families due to handbook updates but I have threatened to term families that caused me to add things to my handbook 2 straightened up and 1 family ended up leaving which was fine.

[Blackcat31]

Originally Posted by badger411

How common is it to lose children after a contract and handbook update? I have had a very expensive learning experience that caused me to revise my contract and handbook.

I gave all my parents notice yesterday that I would be revising my contract and handbook to change the payment rules. I am switching to prepayment of fees starting July 4, after my 2 weeks' notice for policy changes. It appears that the driving force for these changes did not take the news well, as she has not brought her child today. She texted that they would be here at 11:30 am (normal drop off is around 8 am), but he is still not here as of 1:45 pm.

She was on assistance, but it ended in February and neither of us realized it. I don't remember getting a notice from the county. So I submitted my form for March, and got no payment, but I figured it was just late. And I submitted my form for April, and got no payment again. Eventually, the dcm called the county and had to reapply. This was May 7, and it took until June 16 for her to get approved again. The county paid for most of April, about half of May, but nothing for March.

This whole time, she never offered to pay anything, and I wasn't pushing the issue since we were waiting to see what the county was going to do. Stupid, I know. She's a single mom who works cleaning houses, dad's in prison, I guess I felt sorry for her.

The county reimbursement rate only covers 143 hours a month for dcb's age group. For May, he was here 191 hours. Part of my letter to dcm pointed out that she was responsible for any hours over 143 for the month. I told her that starting in July, she would need to pay her cost share of $75 by the 5th of each month, plus $125 a month until she was caught up on March, April and May. So I don't know if she is finding alternate care in order to cut down on the hours with me, or if she is pulling him completely in hopes I forget about the $784 she owes.

Part of me hopes that she simply pulls him completely. We have been considering terminating for awhile because dcm is reliably late for pickup, and had not made any payments since February. At any rate, I have learned that I need to be stronger when it comes to policy enforcement and payment collection.

I guess this wasn't really a question, more of a rant, but I feel better after writing it.

Sorry you had to go through that...
Sometimes the best lessons cost us money.

I would write up your payment plan and have mom sign/date it IF she does show today or tomorrow. That way if she bails before its paid you still have the written/signed statement of her atleast acknowleging she owes you.

Also does your state allow you to report her past due balance to the assistance program? My state allows me to notify a case worker that a family owes me money. Their assistance is suspended until they pay me. They cant even go to another provider unless they are going to pay out of pocket.

[Thriftylady]

I would do as suggested and have her sign an agreement. My fees are prepayment now, due to losing tons of money when I was in Kansas and taking pay at the end of the week and was to nice and let people get behind. The lesson I learned was that once people get behind, they just move on.

[badger411]

Originally Posted by Controlled Chaos

But she sounds like a nightmare parent, and might be best they are gone.

Oh, it would definitely be okay with us if she were gone. She was a daily dose of drama. Her car got stolen by a "friend." A car she borrowed from another friend (he couldn't use it because of DWI) got its rear window smashed. She had to move and change her phone number because dcb's dad's parents were harassing her (only to contact them again when she needed to use them to watch dcb on the weekends). We provide care for 2 families with odd work schedules, so we are open until 9:30pm, and she took advantage of that by texting several times every night to push back pick up time. We had him one day for over 12 hours.

[Controlled Chaos]

Originally Posted by Blackcat31

Sorry you had to go through that...
Sometimes the best lessons cost us money.

I would write up your payment plan and have mom sign/date it IF she does show today or tomorrow. That way if she bails before its paid you still have the written/signed statement of her atleast acknowleging she owes you.

Also does your state allow you to report her past due balance to the assistance program? My state allows me to notify a case worker that a family owes me money. Their assistance is suspended until they pay me. They cant even go to another provider unless they are going to pay out of pocket.

My DH always says "still cheaper than business school!" to cheer me up whenever I have had to learn a lesson the hard way

[Josiegirl]

Originally Posted by badger411

Oh, it would definitely be okay with us if she were gone. She was a daily dose of drama. Her car got stolen by a "friend." A car she borrowed from another friend (he couldn't use it because of DWI) got its rear window smashed. She had to move and change her phone number because dcb's dad's parents were harassing her (only to contact them again when she needed to use them to watch dcb on the weekends). We provide care for 2 families with odd work schedules, so we are open until 9:30pm, and she took advantage of that by texting several times every night to push back pick up time. We had him one day for over 12 hours.

If it's okay that she's gone, why don't you make it happen instead of waiting for her to decide and call the shots? Hope I'm not sounding snarky but she sounds like a whole lotta aggravation and work for very discounted rates(since you're not getting fully paid).

[childcaremom]

Originally Posted by badger411

How common is it to lose children after a contract and handbook update?

I think that when this type of thing happens, it is a blessing in disguise. This parent sounds like more trouble than she was worth. You have received some good advice on getting paperwork signed acknowledging that she owes you money IF she returns.

Pre payment is the way to go.

Good luck!

[Play Care]

Originally Posted by Controlled Chaos

My DH always says "still cheaper than business school!" to cheer me up whenever I have had to learn a lesson the hard way

That sounds like something my DH would say too.