Terminating a parents contract

[Guest]

Hi All,

 

We are considering doing something we usually don't do and that is terminate a child's contract.

 

We have a child that started with us in September. The child has additional needs and we have put lots of support in place for her without any additional funding. The child has actually started to make progress, which is amazing to see.

 

However we have huge problems with the parent who doesn't realise their are issues with her child's development.

 

She complains to my staff and is very aggressive every day and her complaints do not make any sense. For example:

On Monday she says: When she gets wet, she gets chest infection immediately, so she mustn't get wet, and if she gets wet you must change her.

 

On Tuesday, the child gets wet because she is unable to drink from a cup on her own (3 years old) and we change her immediately. Then she splashes herself while washing hands (even with adult support) so we change her, then she gets wet because she found a wet bowl outside and poured it on herself. We change her. Then parent complains why we change her childs clothes.

 

and so it goes on. Every day. We have reached the point now that nothing we do is right and I don't have time to attend to this any longer and I will have a last chat with her tomorrow morning. I want to write a letter terminating as per our contract giving her one month notice.

 

How would you phrase the letter to confirm this?

 

Thanks Everyone

[Cait]

You want to do it by letter, not verbally as part of your chat, or is the letter just to confirm what you said at the meeting? You could make notes and the meeting then type them up and both sign them.

[Rafa]

Crikey, this a difficult situation for you. If you take the 'Kings Shilling' ie Funding, then I'm not sure your 'allowed' to exclude?

Maybe you could call for an urgent Advisor to support you. Possibly offer a short term break while you get outside support and advice?

 

If your not getting gov funding then you can make your own decisions I guess......... perhaps someone else will have better advice than me? Good luck with it.

[AliceinWonderland]

so sorry to hear you are having to deal with this, think i would feel at the end of my tether as well. if you've exhausted all the options i.e. getting advice from your councils early years team etc then i would try and make sure your letter sticks to the facts. Maybe have a meeting with them and explain your reasons, take notes and get them to sign, then your letter could be very short and brief just stating the essential facts. good luck

[Stargrower]

Playing devil's advocate, is the situation so bad that she has to take her child out, even though she is making good progress and you are supporting her?

 

I completely understand where you are coming from and it would drive me round the bend too, but can you not nod and smile or is she making serious complaints that she would take further?

 

I think what I am trying to say, is that there are sometimes parents who are intensely irritating and make life difficult, but the benefit of what we do for the child outweighs this.

 

Of course, that's easy for me to say as I'm not on the receiving end!

[Rea]

This bit "However we have huge problems with the parent who doesn't realise their are issues with her child's development"

 

I realise this kind of thing can put a huge strain on you and your staff but I actually feel quite sorry for this mom.

 

I'm guessing the only control she has over her childs day is to complain that you're not doing things properly. She hasnt got the child she expected has she? She's got a child with additional needs and with that comes loads of people giving her information and advice and all she hears really is that her child isnt normal. I think most people deny it at some point.

 

I'd sit her down with a cup of tea, a box of tissues close by and just have a chat. Show her the steps her child has made, how wonderfully she's learning new skills and how she's able to build on existing ones, all because mom has chosen to work with you. Be really positive about the future, her child will most likely do everything a 'normal' child can do, but maybe a few weeks later. But thats fine, she's happy and developing.

 

Hope you manage to find a solution, never easy are they, parents?! :rolleyes: :1b