Unregistered 09:22 PM 10-18-2011
(I'm registered here)
I'm an FCC provider licensed through a military base. I offer childcare outside of the base in my own house. Since I've started 4 months ago, I was not able to get any military family, so the program coordinator told me that I was allowed to enrolled civilian families until things picked up.
I'm only allowed 2 children under two. Now I have an 11 months old girl, and a 22 months boy. Today I got a called from a military family looking for childcare for their 10 months old girl, starting this Monday. This means that I have to terminate one of the 2 civilian children without giving then 2 weeks notice.
The boy was being cared for by Grandma before coming to my house, while the little girl has no immediate family here in the area.
Now I feel really bad, but the FCC coordinator told me since I'm supposed to serve the military community, these have priority. They also pay waay more, than what I'm charging these tow civilian families.
Have anyone ever terminated without 2 weeks notice?
daycare 09:34 PM 10-18-2011
I think that if this is the rule of your licensor, you should have informed the civilian families from day 1 that military will have priority. This way they know there is a chance this could happen and they would have a heads up.
I would keep the 22 month old as he likely has two months to cut off and you can take another child. I have never term before with such little notice.
I understand the other child does not have any family but you can't let that become your problem. I know that sounds heartless. But you have to run tour business
Cat Herder 05:24 AM 10-19-2011
Tell them the truth.
sharlan 08:36 AM 10-19-2011
What does your contract with the civilian families say? Will the licensor allow you to be over capacity for two weeks?
littlemissmuffet 09:07 AM 10-19-2011
Priority or not, this does not mean that you do not give proper notice - it means you must give notice when a military family comes along. You should still give proper notice and let the military family know that the space will be available two weeks from the date you give the other family notice.
KBCsMommy 09:16 AM 10-19-2011
Yes I have terminated without a notice, but I also gave the dcp other places to call that had availability. I highly suggest this its the least you can do on such a short notice.
MarinaVanessa 10:59 AM 10-19-2011
Originally Posted by sharlan:
What does your contract with the civilian families say? Will the licensor allow you to be over capacity for two weeks?
I think it's BS that your licensor said that you could enroll civilian families and now telling you that you have to term them. On the other hand I do understand that you want more income. That being said it all depends on whether you have a contract signed with your civilian family or not and what it says. If you both signed to give 2-weeks notice for example then legally you are required to give a 2-week notice. If you have no contract signed with them then you are not required to give any notice whatsoever, I don't recommend it as it's not professional especially under the circumstances but still there would not be anything to stop you.
So ... do you have a signed contract? If yes, what does it say?
wdmmom 11:29 AM 10-19-2011
I would treat the military same as the civilian family. You need to go through 3 interviews and I will determine if you are a good fit.
Not, I need to drop my kid off at your doorstep. Here's a couple days notice.
That wouldn't fly with me.
pappyny 11:40 AM 10-19-2011
I am a military FCC provider as well, though I do live on base. Though you are licensed through the base (an affiliated provider), you must be licensed through the state as well, right? I don't see how the coordinator can tell you who you can and can not care for. If you are on base, then yes you only offer services to those with access to the base, being an affiliated provider off base, it shouldn't matter who you care for.
Now that I've said all that, if your coordinator is telling you that you HAVE to accept this family you should still be able to give one of your current families appropriate notice. The coordinator should be able to understand that. Maybe the parents of the 10 month old can find alternate care with another provider for the 2 weeks or drop in at the CDC.
Yes, sometimes military families need care ASAP, but in my experience most of the time it is because they failed to take the time to find care until a couple of days before it was needed. Either way it's not really your problem. You do what you need to do for your business and breaking a contract without proper notice is not a good buisness practice.
Good luck with your decision!
lpperry 12:04 PM 10-19-2011
Wow, I think that is really really rude to drop a family with no notice. I understand it is not your policy though--not saying that you are the rude one.
I would talk to the license person about a variance for 2 months until the 22 month old turns 2. Then you could keep your civilian families, but also take this military family.
If you can't do that, I'd see if you were allowed to tell the military family that you do have an opening, but not for 2 months. Then you could take both families. Or if you really have to term one of the families, I would definitely tell the military family that your opening doesn't start for 2 weeks and give one of your families the 2 weeks notice.
I'd be very wary of giving the civilian family no notice. It is rude, inconsiderate, and could hurt your daycare if that gets around.