Really Need Advice!!

[Blackcat31]

Update: She was working, she has a friend that lives with her and she is able to walk to work. So she did work the whole month.

I contacted her through email and explained to her that she had an X amount of days left in absence and after those were used she would be terminated. She showed up the next day, and they have been here on time ever since Tuesday. Not sure how it will pan out after this week but at least I will get paid for this week.

I only charge private pay $25 a day so I am not that more than assistance pays. I like taking assistance b/c with absent days I am at least insured part time payment, weekly. So for me that helps a lot.

Glad it is working out so far...

I am betting she left you hanging because, well...because she could. You weren't saying anything and she was still getting child care but leaving you on the back burner....

Funny how you set a limit now and she is complying. If I were you, I would let her know that she needs to actually USE your services like everyone else when she needs care or you will terminate her.

YOU can't continue taking the loss when YOU are the only one losing out....

I totally understand where you are coming from about taking families on subsidy and some type of guarantee.

I used to think that too. I have since changed my mind, but our state assistance program has changed too so it was no longer any type of guaranteed payment.

Glad she is back and you will be getting paid.

[Cradle2crayons]

Update: She was working, she has a friend that lives with her and she is able to walk to work. So she did work the whole month.

I contacted her through email and explained to her that she had an X amount of days left in absence and after those were used she would be terminated. She showed up the next day, and they have been here on time ever since Tuesday. Not sure how it will pan out after this week but at least I will get paid for this week.

I only charge private pay $25 a day so I am not that more than assistance pays. I like taking assistance b/c with absent days I am at least insured part time payment, weekly. So for me that helps a lot.

That's great it worked out... I hope it stays that way.

Here in ms the state doesn't pay me if the kids aren't here. They aren't allowed any absences or holidays.

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

I am also in Ohio. We can only use 2 absence days in a row then we have to call county. Then they make contact and tell us if we can use any other days. So I am only "guaranteed" 2 days of a week ever. Generally then if they aren't going to work or whatever the county terminates their care.
I wonder why there is a difference.

[Blackcat31]

I am also in Ohio. We can only use 2 absence days in a row then we have to call county. Then they make contact and tell us if we can use any other days. So I am only "guaranteed" 2 days of a week ever. Generally then if they aren't going to work or whatever the county terminates their care.
I wonder why there is a difference.

Makes me LOVE my state program.

We can bill up to 25 absent days per year. (ONLY if we charge ALL families absent days)

We can bill for 10 Federal holidays (ONLY if we charge ALL families holiday days)

We can also bill the final two weeks of care even if the parent simply stops showing up.... (as long as our contracts state we require a 2 week notice and we charge ALL families for the 2 weeks)

We can also charge the families anything additional that the state does not cover. It is very clear to the families using assistance that it is ONLY meant to supplement NOT completely cover their child care costs.

They are usually assigned a co-pay and the co-pay must be paid first before the state will pay out anything so I have the families pay their co-pays up front before care is given and then I bill the state after they receive care but only in 2 week increments.

I then do everything electronically on-line and after I submit my invoices on Sunday night, I receive a direct deposit on Wednesday night.

My state is also VERY good about the rates they reimburse. The difference between what the state pays and what I charge is only a couple dollars per month (Approx. $8 for a full month for one child full time is the difference).

My state also pays 15% more than the regular rate to providers with a degree or with a CDA or accredited.

Super easy and SUPER provider friendly.

[Cradle2crayons]

Makes me LOVE my state program.

We can bill up to 25 absent days per year. (ONLY if we charge ALL families absent days)

We can bill for 10 Federal holidays (ONLY if we charge ALL families holiday days)

We can also bill the final two weeks of care even if the parent simply stops showing up.... (as long as our contracts state we require a 2 week notice and we charge ALL families for the 2 weeks)

We can also charge the families anything additional that the state does not cover. It is very clear to the families using assistance that it is ONLY meant to supplement NOT completely cover their child care costs.

They are usually assigned a co-pay and the co-pay must be paid first before the state will pay out anything so I have the families pay their co-pays up front before care is given and then I bill the state after they receive care but only in 2 week increments.

I then do everything electronically on-line and after I submit my invoices on Sunday night, I receive a direct deposit on Wednesday night.

My state is also VERY good about the rates they reimburse. The difference between what the state pays and what I charge is only a couple dollars per month (Approx. $8 for a full month for one child full time is the difference).

My state also pays 15% more than the regular rate to providers with a degree or with a CDA or accredited.

Super easy and SUPER provider friendly.

Jealous

[Unregistered]

Our state has an electronic submission. Parents get a badge and they swipe in and out and if they do not swipe in and out then too bad, no pay for provider. Will not take subsidy because it's RIDICULOUS that they allow for NO absent days. I'm not a drop-in!

Additionally-they don't let you make up the difference so I may charge $125/week for my regular families, but if they only pay $85 then that's all I can take (that includes parent copays).

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

The only way we can claim an absence day is if we were expecting the child and they cancelled that morning. So, if a child's parent knows they are off on a day and tells you ahead of time that they aren't going to be there, you can't claim it! So if they are out sick and call you to tell you they will be out for the week, you can't claim that week.
No holiday pay and I can't claim it if I am closed.
We also have a swipe system but it is good.
I only will take one family that is on assistance at a time. Honestly, the one I have now is fabulous. I can't complain.
Black Cat I am jealous also.

[Blackcat31]

The only way we can claim an absence day is if we were expecting the child and they cancelled that morning. So, if a child's parent knows they are off on a day and tells you ahead of time that they aren't going to be there, you can't claim it! So if they are out sick and call you to tell you they will be out for the week, you can't claim that week.
No holiday pay and I can't claim it if I am closed.
We also have a swipe system but it is good.
I only will take one family that is on assistance at a time. Honestly, the one I have now is fabulous. I can't complain.
Black Cat I am jealous also.

I agree, our system is good but it wasn't always this way. I used to have to keep track of each days hours and the parent had to turn in a work report showing the hours they worked. Any hours that didn't align with hours of care provided, didn't get paid.

Everything was in 30 day increments. AFTER 30 days we turned in the sheet (parents turned theirs in too after their boss's signed and verified them first) then 30 days AFTER that, we would get mailed a check.

If the parent failed to turn in anything on their end, we simply didn't get paid. Of course, we didn't know if that happened or not until 30 days later AFTER we already provided care for the month...

They have now of course re-vamped how they do it so it is much more provider friendly now.

Then once the whole state government shut down and NO child care assistance was being paid out and no promises were made about any kind of back pay for providers who had already provided care.... Leaving tons of kids/parents without care or needing their provider to work for free until the state decided what to do.

It was a HUGE mess.... I had almost 75% of my families on some sort of assistance then so I basically lost my income for a couple months. Once the state started back up, I decided then and there I would no long take any more than 2 families on assistance at once.

I am surprised at how differently each state allocates it's funding for assistance. :confused: