How to Say "No" to a Prospective Client

The moment of truth has come. You need to tell a parent that you don't want her child in your family child care program.

What do you say?

I think the best response is, “I don’t think this is the best place for your child at this time.”

Or, "I don't think my program is a good fit for your child."

Or, "I don't think my program can meet the needs of your child."

If the prospective client asks for specific reasons, don’t elaborate. If you feel that you must say more, you can add, “It’s not personal. I try to make decisions based on what’s best for each child, and I have a feeling that your child would be better off in another child care program.” The parent can’t argue with your intuition.

If you try to give the parent a reason, the parent may feel insulted. She may even think you are discriminating against her if you say the wrong thing.

Unfortunately, many child care providers have trouble following my advice. Some will tell a parent, “I’m waiting to hear from another family who I interviewed earlier this week. If she calls me back I won’t have a space for your child.”

There is a problem with this response. What happens if a week later this parent sees an ad you posted on Craigslist or Facebook page? The parent is likely to conclude that you weren’t honest with her and feel insulted. She may make a complaint to your licensor. So, I don’t recommend doing this.

Some providers will enroll the child for a trial period to see if it will work out. I don't recommend doing this if you have an initial strong feeling that it won't. It will make it even harder to say "no" at the end of the trial period.

How have you handled saying “no” to a parent?

Image credit: https://gabomin.medium.com/life-skill-the-power-of-saying-no-30e53930725f

For more information, see my book Family Child Care Contracts & Policies.