How Much Notice Do You Require?

Right now, I have in my contract that 2 weeks notice is required for termination. After having a hard time filling a spot recently, I'm worried that this is not enough time to find a replacement. I was thinking I should update it to 4 weeks.
How much notice do you ask for?

[trytobearunner34]

I have two weeks notice for termination on either end (mine or theirs). Felt it was fair that way.

[Cat Herder]

I don't require a notice or enrollment fees. Less policing.

• They pay tuition on Mondays in advance for the week.
• If they don't attend the whole week, that is their choice, no refund.
• If they give me two weeks notice it gives me time to plan their kids' goodbye party.
• If I term, they only have that week to finish out.
• If I term immediately, I refund any unused time.
• I withdraw shortages from my emergency account until the slot is filled.

[Jupadia]

2 weeks for most families but if they have more then one kid in care then its 1 month

[Ariana]

I have two weeks but a parent once negotiated for three weeks and I agreed. Oddly they never actually used any time after I termed them

Go with whatever you feel comfortable with!

[nanglgrl]

Originally Posted by Cat Herder

I don't require a notice or enrollment fees. Less policing.

• They pay tuition on Mondays in advance for the week.
• If they don't attend the whole week, that is their choice, no refund.
• If they give me two weeks notice it gives me time to plan their kids' goodbye party.
• If I term, they only have that week to finish out.
• If I term immediately, I refund any unused time.
• I withdraw shortages from my emergency account until the slot is filled.

I do the same and they pay whether they come or not. After doing this so long I realized the ones that don’t give a 2 week notice are very rare and are clients I don’t want anyway. Most of my clients give each months of notice of any changes.
I do start asking around the start of the school year when they turn 3, 4 and 5 if they plan to go to preschool/school. I just say I’d hate to see them leave but I just need to know for planning purposes and they will not lose their spot before they’re ready. I also ask the parents directly any time a child says they’re going to school/moving etc.

It’s a selling point for me. I get clients who believe in mutual respect and maybe a little bit of karma like I do and they know that if they don’t like my Daycare they don’t have to keep coming. I also never have to deal with those last 2 weeks where a bad client intentionally pushed buttons just because.

I have a one month notice. always has worked for me, no-one ever questioned it. Then again the only reason people have left me is for kindergarten so they know exactly when to put their notice in.

[Snowmom]

2 weeks.

I am constantly working on my wait list and can usually fill gaps within a few weeks.

[CityGarden]

I require one month notice on either end (mine or theirs) and for any policy changes. Additionally my contract with them is just one year.... I have a re-enrollment contract 3 months before the school year ends so I know.

[rosieteddy]

Two weeks is long enough when things are not going well.

[storybookending]

I require two weeks for them with a sentence that if they can give more than two weeks it is encouraged without losing their space.

I myself can term whenever I want.

[AmyKidsCo]

I require 2 weeks. IME when they're leaving on good terms they either give lots of notice or I know it's coming, like if the child is aging out. Usually when they only give 2 weeks notice it's not on good terms, so those last 2 weeks are WAY too long for me.

I can terminate effective immediately.

How do you handle two weeks notice with state pay clients? Do you let them end on a Monday? Multiple children?

Do they come for two weeks after they give notice or does the week the give notice count as part of the two weeks?

[Cat Herder]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

How do you handle two weeks notice with state pay clients? Do you let them end on a Monday? Multiple children?

Do they come for two weeks after they give notice or does the week the give notice count as part of the two weeks?

Typically the subsidy program dictates the terms of when and how a client can be terminated and what can and can't be charged to parents. You may want to check your paperwork.

[Blackcat31]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

How do you handle two weeks notice with state pay clients? Do you let them end on a Monday? Multiple children?

Do they come for two weeks after they give notice or does the week the give notice count as part of the two weeks?

My state will cover the last two weeks if a family didn't provide proper notice or just up and leaves.
If they do give proper notice, it's charged/billed like any other week.

This is the same for one or 10 kids.

Each state's subsidy program manages things differently.

I'm talking about the client giving a two week notice.

[Blackcat31]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I'm talking about the client giving a two week notice.

If they give notice there's no reason to think subsidy won't cover their notice period. Like I said, each state program seems to have different rules.

[MarinaVanessa]

I require them to give 2 weeks notice. When a client leaves on bad terms 2 weeks in enough time. If they are not happy with me I do not want them here longer than that.

Also two weeks is adequate time. The way I see it, finding a replacement client is my responsibility and shouldn't need to be placed onto the client that's leaving. That being said most clients that leave on good terms (because they are moving, kid starting school etc) typically give tons of time when putting in their notice, or at least give you a head's up so you know they are leaving.

If you want to give one month because that's what will work for you then go for it. Just make sure that you have a clause where you can terminate at will with no notice just in case things go sour with a client otherwise you'll be stuck with them for 4 long weeks

[Gemma]

I don't require any notice.

[nannyde]

One calendar month and notice only received on Friday.