Guest MaryEMac Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 OUr chairperson came in during our lunchtime and our planning/learning journal session this afternoon and chastised us for claiming an extra hour for working on the journals. We tried to explain that it is nigh on impossible to clean, eat and do paperwork in 2 hours. I have 2 members of staff who need a lot of support with paperwork so it takes a while. We showed her a learning journal and the planning. She then asked if we needed to plan for every week in the term, could we not plan for 2/3 weeks and then go back to week 1 and start them over again. She couldn't grasp what it is we have to do and why.She also said that we are on a good wage already. Just as a matter of interest how much do you pay your leader and deputy? I get £7.35 ph and the deputy gets £6.40, we are paid minimum wage for planning /staff meetings. They are now going to employ a cleaner. We are building up numbers nicely now and we use volunteers or give staff extra hours. We don't have a volunteer on a friday afternoon so they asked the morning mum if she could do it. She said she could but was reminded that her little girl doesn't come in the afternoon. She was told that it wasn't a problem her daughter could come too. Mum said that she couldn't afford to pay for another session so she was told that's okay you won't have to pay.My argument is that this child is taking up a place that a paying child could use and the way that children are appearing that might well happen. Is it me? I hope this has made sense but I'm quite cross about it and now have a massive headache to boot. Thanks for letting me get this off my chest, any comments gratefully received. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 I sympathise with the planning comment, my chair once asked me if I really had to write observations during the session, it looks bad to parents apparently! A free place for a child while mom volunteers could be seen as a wage, at least thats what I was told years ago when our committee had reduced rates for their children. If they can afford a cleaner why cant they afford an hours overtime at minimum wage? Are they financially down, I've just written over £1500 pounds worth of invoices for just 6 weeks and thats on top of the funded children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 its just this total lack of understanding about our role which makes some committees hard to work with.. note I did say some.. ours were excellent.. listened to us actually felt we were way underpaid for the role we did. we were not paid excellently but the minimum any staff were on at level 3 was 6.50 and we had our hourly rate for meetings As Rea has said reduced rated or free sessions for a child due to parent helper is classed as a wage and we were told a long time ago that it should be declared as such... I am assuming you are registered for all day if child is to stay all day, even with parent present. Do they realise that the child will take up a funded place even with mum present... some do not .. but then they are gaining free staff for the cost of 1 funded place.. a cheap alternative to employing staff for it... The cleaner I assume will relieve you to do the paperwork, but still be paid at same rate you during this time... so instead of paying you to do the job they will pay someone else.. no difference really...except you wont get the money . lots of assumptions there, and not much constructive help except know the feeling.. been there... Inge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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