Is it normal for nursery workers to come to your home

[Diddlyanna]

My DS is 2.4 and the term he qualifys for his 15 hours free is in September, I didn't really want to take the free hours because I don't need them I look for jobs at nap time and weekends when x has him and xMIL has him if I have an interview/assessment. So anyways, last week 2 nursery workers showed up at my house, I'd never heard of the nursery or anything and haven't been looking to put him in nursery, but they came and asked to come in and asked me to fill a form in to see if he qualified for free hours I said I didn't want them they said in case I change my mind, talked about the nursery etc. Anyways they came back today asking to come in and book my home visit and talk about nursery/hours etc. I told them I didn't want the hours etc but is it normal for nursery school to come around like this? Just wondering really I find it a bit strange tbh, maybe it's the norm?

[Diddlyanna]

Nursery workers not nursery school

[PinkPearls20]

Is it a school nursery? I'm guessing not by the info in your OP...I don't think this is normal tbh

[Bobochic]

He might enjoy it! And, to be honest, at that age PT nursery gives both of you a break to do age-appropriate things - for him with other DC and for you with other adults. Grab it!

[whifflesqueak]

definitely strange.

[rugbychick1]

Not normal at all. Even when we chose dd's nursery, no one from the nursery did a home visit. So a nursery you've not even looked at should be turning up unannounced at your home

[nannynick]

Seems rather strange given you made no prior contact with the nursery.
Were they going door to door to see who had a pre-school aged child or did they have a list - did they know who you were?

[rugbychick1]

That should be.. Should not be turning up

[PinkPearls20]

It's really odd , a bit desperate. Alarm bells would be ringing for me

[OhShitFuck]

Report this.

This doesn't sound right at all.

When we took the 15 hours, even after we applied for the nursery, no one turned up or even asked to come to our home.

Very strange.

[Diddlyanna]

Not a school nursery I don't think, and it sounds daft but I don't want him in nursery just yet, his dad has him all weekend so feel like I would hardly see him in between nursery, naps, dads house, odd days at nannas. we do loads of playgroups, stay and plays etc aswell and I don't know if they had a list they knew his name I don't think it's dodgy coz they invited me to their stay and play on Thursday to look around the nursery but just weird they would do this, really weird I'm glad I'm not the only one that thinks it is!

[OTheHugeManatee]

Are you sure they aren't Mormons or something? 😳

[BettyOBarley]

The nursery we have got DD a place at from Jan using the 15 free hours said they will do a home visit around Christmas time but we have applied for the place, it sounds very odd if you haven't applied for a place and they just turned up unannounced.

[Froggie13]

We live in an area where there is free nursery for 2 hours a day from 2 years old. Our health visitor said just before DDs birthday the nursery will call/ arrange a home visit to meet DD and establish any additional needs / discuss hours etc. So i think it's normal practice but would have expected your HV to mention it.

[Brown76]

Very odd, my mums a teacher and used to do home visits before children started in reception but that was all by appointment and after application to the school. How did they know you had a child? I'd be contacting the council/ofsted cause it sounds very odd unless they have been given a list of people to contact and even then they should phone first.

[Diddlyanna]

Had a mind blank and had to google Mormons they are definitely not mormons, I hope not anyways! And I know I haven't applied To any nursery, I was wondering if the job centre passed info onto nurserys? My last appointment there she was pushing me to look for a nursery for DS I said I looked for jobs all the time and didn't need nursery and I had child care for interviews etc and she was pushing and pushing me to put him in nursery so I gave up and pretended I would Look for a place, that's the only thing I can think for them coming am I just looking too much into it now

[camelfinger]

Our nursery does home visits, but only because we applied. Does sound very strange.

[YellowShockedFace]

I would ring the nursery they say they are from and confirm they are who they say they are.
It sounds a bit strange to me.

[FineAsWeAre]

Yes it's normal but not common. Settings and health visitors are pushing the two year old funding as the take up is low. Health visitors or children's centres may pass on addresses. I wouldn't be concerned. Out of interest, why don't you want him to go?

[Diddlyanna]

Thank you everyone I'll ring tomorrow and confirm they have sent people to my house, I knew it was weird

[KatieScarlett]

Our school nursery did, was 17 years ago, a sort of "meet your key worker before your parents leave you in our care" type of thing.

[Diddlyanna]

I told my Hv at his 2 year check I didn't want him to go and she said it was absolutely fine, I don't want him to go just yet because he stays at his dad's house Friday afternoon till Sunday 8pm, has a 2 hour nap everyday and goes to his nannas or aunties 1 day a week, add on top of that 15 hours in nursery I feel like I would never see him

[NerrSnerr]

Will you need the nursery place once you get a job? Just thinking the transition will be easier for you going back to work if he's already settled in nursery?

[Diddlyanna]

No I have already arranged childcare for when I start working, my x will have him whenever he can he works full time though, xMIL will have him whenever I need her and grandad will too, my mum and dad are retired and love having him so have also offered to share between them, along with his aunty who will have him any day she's off and xs sister doesn't work so has offered too. We are all very family orientated and close, he's the only little one in the family so everyone's itching to have him whenever they can which I am very grateful of so don't think I need nursery help as of now.

[SprogletsMum]

I know my local council/education boards etc have a target for the uptake of the 2 year funding and it stands at 98/99% so they can be quite pushy if they know you're eligible and not taking it up.
I doubt they'd pass your details on to a nursery though that's just weird.

[catkind]

I think in areas where they offer the free hours from 2 it is because of concerns about some parents not engaging with their kids and kids turning up at school/preschool lacking in basic skills. So it doesn't surprise me that they're going out of their way to try to get parents to engage and use the hours. Though I don't know how this would work in terms of who gave who your details. Is it a local authority sponsored nursery in some way?
If you were a can't be bothered parent of the type they're worried about, them turning up on your doorstep might make it easy for you and might make the difference between no preschool and preschool for a child that really needed it.
As you're clearly much more engaged than that, no I wouldn't just send my kid to a nursery I hadn't seen in action.
But ... what's your plan for when you do get a job? If someone says can you start on Monday, would you have a childcare plan? It's a really hard thing to do at short notice, specially if you're also trying to sort yourself out for a new job. So using some of your free hours at a nursery if not necessarily this one might not be a bad idea.