A baby crying at nursery

[Tomasinaa]

This week on 3 occasions either me or my DH have gone to pick up or collect our child from nursery to find a baby (maybe 4-5 months old) with no one seeing to her.
The latest time was yesterday - the baby was lying under a play gym thing propped up on a boppy pillow and while I was there she gradually slipped down it to the point she was lying flat on the floor, now screaming her head off. Two members of staff in room - one carrying around a non crying baby and the other putting things away. She was talking to the baby from afar but didn't pick her up. My DH witnessed similar this week.
What would you do if you were me if you see this again next week? Would you complain? We are obviously only there for a couple of minutes each day to pick up and drop off, so I don't want to rush to judgment.

Sorry - opening sentence should say we've found the baby CRYING with no one seeing to her.

Yes. I would say something.

Are you confident that the staff care for your child in a way that you would like? Does it not concern you that they don’t seem to be particularly bothered that parents are witnessing them ignoring a very tiny child who is in distress?

That would concern me too. Yes I think you should highlight this to the room supervisor.

This would worry me once maybe but multiple times doesn't look good

This would really bother me. There's a big difference between a 2/3 year old whinging and a tiny 5 month old crying. I'm not sure I'd be brave enough to say anything at this stage, but do you feel your child is given enough attention?

My child is older (it's a mixed age room up to 3 years ) so while it does concern me I feel like the staff are a lot better with toddlers. She's only just started there but I know this centre has only just moved to this model of mixed age rooms (designed to provide a greater continuity of care allegedly as the child doesn't move room as often) . But yes I'm definitely considering my options

What babies and 3 year olds all in one room?

Yes, this is the US sorry should have added.

I wish I was back home as i feel care is much better in the UK

I totally wouldn't be cool with mixed ages being around a 5 month old baby. There is just way too much supervision required for small children oppose to the larger ones, and the larger ones in my experience will be far too active for staff to cater to both babies (immobile) and toddlers (very mobile), not to mention the fact they are on totally different education pathways. Is that common in the US?

I wouldn't want to leave a baby somewhere like that

I would have picked the baby up if I could see the staff were ‘busy’.

I would ask them why they didn’t prioritise the baby over putting stuff away.

Do you know how many children are in the room at any one time ?
And staff?
It very much sounds to me like a cost cutting approach no matter how much it’s dressed up as a continuity of care approach.

it's not common but it's "fashionable" where I am. It's supposed to be backed by some theory. It is common in Montessori, but this is not Montessori. This place is meant to be the best daycare in my town, believe it or not.

Im not sure I'm allowed to pick up babies?

Ratios here are 1:5 for under 18 months, and 1:8 18-36 months. But if you are mixed you have to stick up the lower ratio. So it's 2 carers, 10 kids.

That’s always been my fear for my baby - id hope someone highlighted it to the manager

I would want you to say something if that was my baby. I would want to know. That sounds like a really small amount of staff for so many children!

Not allowed?

What are they going to do to you?!

You’d rather just stand there whilst a baby needs comforting because you think you’re ‘not allowed’.

*slow clap

Those ratios are shocking given the age range involved.

@Soola seriously just fuck off I don't care for your attitude.

I will definitely be saying something next week, I will update the thread for anyone who is interested, and thanks for your help.

Yes, that would bother me and yes, I would say something. Especially since one of the teachers apparently wasn't busy tending to another child.

And I find the ratio shocking as well - 1:5 for children under 18 months would maybe be okay if they all were at least 12 months old, or 2:10 in your case if they are all 12 months+, but with babies involved? No way!

A baby ending up laying on the floor with toddlers running about can’t be good surely. I’d say something.

It sounds awful but if its legal and normal for where you live I'm not sure what you can do. I doubt picking up babies as a sort of protest is a good idea.