References.....Who, How, HELP!! lol

[daycare]

That's great that she hasn't contacted you again . Hooray!!

As for releasing clients information, you need permission to use that client's info when handing out references. What I do is I ask past clients if I can use them as references and with their permission put whatever contact info they allow me to use on my references sheet (first name, last name, phone number, e-mail etc.). I try not use current clients information when I can because I like to hold a few interviews before I make a decision and I don't want their phone's ringing all day long. I actually have 2 different sheets with 4 references on each sheet that I rotate out when I hold interviews. Potential client A gets sheet A with past client 1,2,3,4 and potential client B gets sheet B with past client 5,6,7,8 etc. so that they only get 1 or 2 calls each a week.

Otherwise without their permission you can't give out that info. Like someone suggested, you could have asked the past client if you could give her info to your current client and leave it up to that client to call her back. If you didn't want them communicating with each other for whatever reason then you simply had to say that you did not have that parent's permission to give out her personal information and that she had asked you not to use her as a reference, or something like that, and that all of your references that you do use you have permission for blah blah blah.

That is a good method to use... Did you create your own form for the past clients to sign saying that they are giving you their permission to relase your information?

Trust me when i tell you that I have already told the past DCM that the current family does not want their personal info being given out...

I think that the reason this mom is so mad is because of this:

The family had their two boys here for almost 2 years. they are having a baby and wanted the baby to attend my DC as well. I dont take babies and they knew that. They wanted me to hire an asst and apply for a larger LIC as I also did not have a space for another chlild. I said NO.... So they pulled their boys out and now want me to help them find a new DC...hahahha NO.
At first they said they wanted to get my current clients phone number for them to attend a bday party...but then the DCM told me she needed the current clients information so that she can call her about the daycare that they have their baby in.
I have families here that have their preschooler in my DC and their infant in another....

[Zoe]

I LOVE the idea of using reference letters! I'm going to start implementing that! Man, it's nice to come on here and learn from so many different providers. I've picked up a lot of great tips.

[MarinaVanessa]

..but then the DCM told me she needed the current clients information so that she can call her about the daycare that they have their baby in...

the nerve of some people! Does she really believe that you're going to give your client her info so that she can take your client away from you? Wow .

As for the references, I don't have a form. I just ask them and go by what they tell me I can give out. Every so often I'll call them myself to a) make sure that the info is still current and to b) make sure that they are still willing to be contacted as a reference.

[DaycareMama]

When famlies leave and everything was on good standing I ask them to right up a reffrence for me... I then keep it in a book and when new parents ask for them I just pull them out. They all have contact numbers on them so if they wanted to they could call and check. But most just read the letters and take that.

[sharlan]

I don't provide other families' info and I don't provide references.

On the few occ when people have asked, I tell them that references are provided by friends, not enemies so most of them aren't reliable.

[nannyde]

I give a list of EVERY child in the house:

name of child, age of child, parents name, phone number, and length of service

I give them the names and numbers of clients who had been here for a year or more and have left within the last two/three years.

I think references are really important. It's risky to give out your whole client list BUT because I don't do parental onsite visits WITH the other daycare kids I feel like this info is a gracious offer for them to be able to REALLY evaluate my services.

They also have the DHS file which has my last three inspections.

I don't ask permission to give out the references. I normally give out the list after the second interview.

[PitterPatter]

Wow obsessed much. I think I recall u having problems with this before if I am not mistaken.

Personally I have each client write a letter of ref after being in my care for 6 months. Then if I have someone ask (only once) I ask the current clients if I may give their contact info our for ref purposes. They didn't have a problem. I guess I should ask to use past clients. Being I am never asked for refs I didn't think much about it. I may have to change things.

[Country Kids]

I give a list of EVERY child in the house:

name of child, age of child, parents name, phone number, and length of service

I give them the names and numbers of clients who had been here for a year or more and have left within the last two/three years.

I think references are really important. It's risky to give out your whole client list BUT because I don't do parental onsite visits WITH the other daycare kids I feel like this info is a gracious offer for them to be able to REALLY evaluate my services.

They also have the DHS file which has my last three inspections.

I don't ask permission to give out the references. I normally give out the list after the second interview.

Nan I'm very suprised that you don't ask permission to hand out the names and that of your refernces. :confused: I personally wouldn't want my information given to anyone I don't know especially by my daycare provider. From reading your posts you won't even let the parents back where the children are so why would you give that type of information to the people you are interviewing. I know you are very to the t on your interviews but you never, never know who you might be interviewing. I know I would have a bunch of angry parents if I gave any information out without them know about it.

[nannyde]

Nan I'm very suprised that you don't ask permission to hand out the names and that of your refernces. :confused: I personally wouldn't want my information given to anyone I don't know especially by my daycare provider. From reading your posts you won't even let the parents back where the children are so why would you give that type of information to the people you are interviewing. I know you are very to the t on your interviews but you never, never know who you might be interviewing. I know I would have a bunch of angry parents if I gave any information out without them know about it.

I don't give last names.

I also don't give it out until the end of the second interview. So they get hit up once a year or every other year to provide a reference. They are cool with it.

I do interviews at four thirty so the interviewing parent meets half the kids and the picking up parent during the interviews. Since I only have six sets of parents right now and they meet three... it's only three left anyway. Very often while the current parents are picking up their kid they visit with the interviewing parent. "Yes we've been here for four years.. Nan is great. Little Susie loves her". Then on the second interview they see the parent AGAIN and say hi. Often just meeting the parents who have been here a LONG time is enough of a reference for the incoming parents. They will often call the ones they haven't met only.

They also can see the kids and be able to check my website to see pics of the kids they met from the time they were babies. THIS is the biggest seller of them all. I don't just SAY I have kids from birth to kindy... I can actually show them the pictures of the kids in the same room... with the same toys... from birth on.

The only risk of giving out your client list is that should something go wrong they have numbers to spread the word to all of your existing clients AND any one interviewing who really is just trying to start their own day care has your list. I can weed those guys out in the pre-interview.

Just to be specific: I don't allow the parents to come unnanounced and visit the OTHER peoples children during a working day. They can only see their OWN child in my house. During the interview they come into the room to see the room, meet my staff assistant, and meet the kids that are still here. The interview is announced and scheduled at a time when I have day care Dads coming to pick up their kids. There are at least five adults either here or coming in and out during the interview.

They do not sit and watch kids play toys or interact with the kids. They do not watch my staff assistant care for the kids. They just tour the day care area and then we come back upstairs. When the kids leave they see the parents of those kids. Puts a face to the name of the ones they call.

From interview on... then that's the only direct contact with the other kids other than running into them at arrival and departure.

You have to have SOME of your business available for parents to check you out before hiring. This is how I choose to do it and it works well. If I had a parent who didn't want to do references then of course I would not offer them. Haven't had that problem. I only do a couple of interviews a year and only offer the ones who have gotten far into my interview process so they don't have to talk to EVERY potential client.

If a potential client asks for references before they meet us then I tell them that we do that further into the process.

But yes.... it is a risk. The benefit outweighs it because you have to offer some of your current situation and history before they will hire you. Just comes with the business.