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AIBU?

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Original poster

Nursery e-mails me 5 pm...

158 replies

Friendshipissue · 27/06/2023 06:40

To announce that they are closing the room DS is attending with immediate effect. No advance notice or indication. Just a brief note about staffing challenges, recruitment issues and how sorry they are.
I'm really sorry childcare providers are struggling I really am because of the shitty circumstances they are left in.
I don't know what to expect from this thread apart from getting it off my chest. I wish we had a bit more notice to at least to get into waiting lists, organize our meetings with DH, cancel our medical appointments etc.

OP posts:
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rockpoolingtogether · 07/07/2023 21:39

BiscuitsandPuffin · 27/06/2023 08:34

It's a shame the nurseries closing don't at least try to put their fees up to a break-even point first. I'm sure many parents would grumble about fee increases (especially when nursery is eye-wateringly expensive anyway) but I bet many would ultimately rather that than no nursery at all. I feel like the nurseries need to keep a closer eye on their finances and increase fees accordingly to keep in business.

Agreed. My sons nursery is eye watering ot expensive but it's a good place and the staff turnover seems OK

rockpoolingtogether · 07/07/2023 21:38

Nordicrain · 27/06/2023 07:41

This is a nightmare. I really feel for you op. It also sounds like bad management to literally give NO notice at all to give parents, although I suppose there are situations where that could happen. It's super shit and, like others said, a symptom of an under funded industry that pay their employees way too little.

We were in a similar situation during covid when the nursery overnight changed their policy on second settings (we used a childminder too) and refused to have DS in the next day or ever again if we didn't dump the childminder and go there full time. Clearly not as desperate as yours as we had some childcare and I guess, had a "choice" (although it wasn't a real one becuase for lots of reasons we couldn't do what they said we had to do), but I know that feeling of standing a weekday evening thinking "FUCK, what will I do for childcare tomorrow and in future". It's really not fun.

hope you find something OP.

That seconds setting thing would wind me right up! I mean it's up to the parents what they do with their children other days. By all means have a minimum amount of ssessions attendance but not ban other settings! What about people who use grandparents. They aren't penalised

Jibo · 07/07/2023 21:24

Friendshipissue · 27/06/2023 06:46

Yeah. I'm really trying not to be pissed off as I understand anything might have happened and things are tough.

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Fuck that. I'd be livid. Try pulling a child out of nursery with 12 hours' notice and see how "understanding" they are. Have you had your money back for the days you've (presumably) paid for that they can't honour?

If you've found somewhere else for your DC, get online and review that nursery everywhere you can find.

Winterday1991 · 07/07/2023 20:54

Mummydrama · 28/06/2023 23:57

In my setting when we had to close a room at short notice. We combined rooms and asked parents in other rooms if they were able to volunteer to have their children off on that day in order to give those who needed it, just untill they could fine an alternative. (As some parents weren't working but just needed that time for themselves) this worked out fine and we were able to get spaces for those that really needed it.

Did the parents that volunteered still have to pay for the day they didn't use?

Blondeshavemorefun · 05/07/2023 20:40

Glad you found somewhere and work are accomdation

Original poster
Friendshipissue · 05/07/2023 19:08

Blondeshavemorefun · 03/07/2023 23:08

@Friendshipissue did you find a nursery or cm in the last week

After taking half of last week off we found a nursery but with a different pattern. So we have to change our work schedules.
I know we are very fortunate to have found a place so quickly and have flexible employers who can accommodate the random change in working patterns and fully recognize that lots of parents would have struggled...

OP posts:
Blondeshavemorefun · 03/07/2023 23:08

@Friendshipissue did you find a nursery or cm in the last week

Original poster
Friendshipissue · 29/06/2023 11:29

Mummydrama · 28/06/2023 23:57

In my setting when we had to close a room at short notice. We combined rooms and asked parents in other rooms if they were able to volunteer to have their children off on that day in order to give those who needed it, just untill they could fine an alternative. (As some parents weren't working but just needed that time for themselves) this worked out fine and we were able to get spaces for those that really needed it.

That sounds so thoughtful and caring!

OP posts:
Mummydrama · 28/06/2023 23:57

In my setting when we had to close a room at short notice. We combined rooms and asked parents in other rooms if they were able to volunteer to have their children off on that day in order to give those who needed it, just untill they could fine an alternative. (As some parents weren't working but just needed that time for themselves) this worked out fine and we were able to get spaces for those that really needed it.

KoalaSnuggle · 28/06/2023 22:06

ThanksItHasPockets · 27/06/2023 13:05

No practical help but more sympathy from me, OP. This happened to a nursery near us but in that case the whole setting was closed. The staff were told at 2pm and the parents at 3pm. It was awful.

The same happened to my sister. She was employed as a nursery nurse at a nearby nursery and had over 10 years service there. The setting was sold to a nursery group during covid. New owners shut the doors during the following summer holidays. Staff and parents told by email that setting would close for good at the end of the day so to collect any belongings. Sister was term-time only so wasn't in, but also wasn't nearby to collect belongings. Company tried to claim she wasn't TUPE over and told Government she wasn't entitled to redundancy.
I felt so angry for all the staff and parents. People had already paid in full for the following month.. not sure if they got their money back.

swimminginthesun · 28/06/2023 21:21

Our after school club did this a while back. Email went out on a Friday saying they would not be reopening the following week. I have had to change jobs and work fewer hours because the childcare I need does not exist.

mashm24 · 28/06/2023 20:45

Oooo I wonder if we're in the same area. We got an email yesterday evening too!

Original poster
Friendshipissue · 28/06/2023 20:41

Thank you for all your kind messages.
We are in a very fortunate situation with our jobs - I work from home and DH has a very understanding and family friendly employer, so we reshuffled our core hours temporarily to find a solution.
At the same time we are frantically looking for a new nursery.
I recognise how fortunate we are with our jobs, but how about single parents or people who get paid on a contract basis - they would lose out on income because of this, and times are hard for everyone...

OP posts:
Winterday1991 · 28/06/2023 06:48

Julietta05 · 27/06/2023 21:52

The answer is simple. A lot of parents do not pay fees! That was a problem in my child's nursery. They constantly messaged about paying fees etc.

How would they get away with not paying fees?

bladebladebla1 · 28/06/2023 06:33

PonyPatter44 · 27/06/2023 07:35

Bloody hell, what a nightmare! And WHY can't these nurseries pay their minimum wage staff adequately / at all? Its not like they're charging minimum prices, is it? Someone's trousering lots of money, and I bet it isn't the staff who actually work with the children.

Oh dear, you don't have a clue do you

Quinoawoman · 27/06/2023 22:41

I've heard about this happening more and more recently. Shit for you, shit for the nursery owners and the remaining staff.

Trying2understand · 27/06/2023 22:15

This happened to us though the nursery was changing the ages that they provided care for. We were given 7 months notice.

So sorry this happened @Friendshipissue

Julietta05 · 27/06/2023 21:52

The answer is simple. A lot of parents do not pay fees! That was a problem in my child's nursery. They constantly messaged about paying fees etc.

MummaEllie · 27/06/2023 20:25

I work in a nursery and am also a mum so i understand your frustration and I know it's hard with such little notice for parents.
Unfortunately sometimes nursery staff have no option but to give short notice as we have strict staffing levels we must adhere to and we are not always notified of staff absence until late.
We are not legally allowed to open without adequate staff to look after the children even if we wanted to or was over even by one child.
They may have had a staff hand notice in at the end of the working day and then they know they will be unable to open for you tomorrow.

AbsolutelyBonkers · 27/06/2023 20:04

This recently happened to me with my child who has asd. We had been notified that they were closing in July so wasn't too stressed about it but then a few weeks later they closed my child's room with immediate effect. My understanding was they had issues with finances but also staffing problems. Since then I've not secured a new setting. I contacted several places including 1 which said they had spaces and were going to contact me back to answer questions and send application form but 3 days later a fellow parent said she went to collect her children and all parents were told they were closing with immediate effect. I'm aware of 2 other places closing nearby and everywhere is full. Its absolutely going to get worse especially with the new funding scheme. Unless the government pays the going rate many more places will close.

Redlocks30 · 27/06/2023 19:38

pontipinemum · 27/06/2023 11:03

What a nightmare! We would be screwed.

I hope you get sorted soon. They must have know it was coming a long time but were probably hoping for a last minute reprieve.

The owners of the hall that our local preschool was using put its rent up massively overnight and made the business simply unviable to run-its not always something the preschools can see coming

Scotslass171 · 27/06/2023 19:14

Think with the free Nursery provision parents are signing their children up for nursery or increasing their hours i think nursery owners are finding it hard to get more staff to cope with the ratios/numbers. As an ex-nursery nurse we had to cope with more children than we had staff for and just had to get on with it - some of the nurseries I e worked in were small - only 2 rooms and about 10 members of staff or less. Plus with NMW/Real Living Wage going up owners are feeling pinch.

0161Laur · 27/06/2023 19:13

Hi, I work in a nursery and it is so unbelievablely stressful. The sector is massively under staffed because of the poor pay. It's really hard work at the minute.
I'm really sorry this has happened. It's such a shame.

MNTourist · 27/06/2023 13:22

Do you pay fees in advance, in which case they have already been paid for a service they are not providing to you so whilst I’d expect notice, you must also be a refund?
If short of staff, surely they could reorganise the staff they have and perhaps take on extra help as well as working with all parents to reduce their child’s hours rather than place the whole burden on one lot of parents.
Funded place will have already been paid for by the government so this money should also be returned.
Really poor management of a business but not sure what you can do!

JenWillsiam · 27/06/2023 13:20

Coffeetree · 27/06/2023 12:49

No it's likely that the contract has language around reasonable notice, reasonable steps etc.

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Contracts like this always have clauses about emergency closure due to unforeseen or unavoidable causes.