Have name changed as will probably out myself! This may be quite long.
I currently work in a small community nursery. I have my level 2 and have recently started working towards level 3. My manager happens to be my MIL which is beginning to cause no end of problems.
I started working there in september 2008. I fell pregnant with DS almost immediately and was signed off sick several times with SPD and other problems. I was on a probationary contract so manager said that I should leave and come back once I had had DS (I was signed off sick at this point). I agreed but no offer to return ever materialised.
I had DD in 2010 and constantly asked if there were any jobs. Last july MIL was very understaffed and called me in to work. In september she took me on part time (I had asked for full time and was told that there were no positions). We had a new volunteer there and within 3 days she had been given full time hours and put straight forward for her level 3 (she has no previous qualifications). This new volunteer toileted DS one day who told me that she had moved his willy about and it tickled. He also made a hand gesture that a 3 year old boy shouldn't really know. I went straight to my
manager who said that nobody had seen this lady take him therefore it probably didnt happen. I wasn't exactly pleased with this but understood that if it didnt happen then I would be putting somebody's job and reputation in danger if i pressed the issue.
The manager, deputy and one of the practitioners are very friendly and socialise a lot out of work. This makes the whole work atmosphere feel very cliquey and awkward at times. The nursery also feels really stale. I'm sick of picking up the slack from one of our keypersons who constantly moands about being there, has openly said she is only there so she does not lose her benefits money and slags off the children constantly. Manager is aware of this yet can't do anything.
I plan meticulously. I go by the EYFS, my observations are always up to date and I end up doing others in our group because other people aren't doing it. My manager seems to ignore this and insists that all 2 year olds need is toys. She doesnt like me doing messy play with them, planning anything that might actually inspire them and I feel very resentful that I am spending so much time out of work trying to come up with fun and exciting ideas for the kids that are just getting shot down. I buy any resources I need for the actitivites, I clean up any mess and I record how it all went yet I am getting nowhere.
She won't put me on any training courses as she cant have too many staff members off at once. I understand this but the people she chooses for the training courses are always the one who is a close friend and the new full time lady. I feel like I am being punished for being part time when I have asked for full time hours. Another issue is that DD is in my group of 2 year olds. She rarely goes to her keyworker, hangs around my leg all day and nobody else seems to be making the effort to engage her.
We have recently moved to a new area so at the moment I am getting a bus at 6:55 am with both DCs to get to work at 8. The practitioner who is managers friend used to start at 9am but has changed back to 7:30 now. I asked if I can switch to a 9am start so that it is less rushed in the mornings for DCs and was told that it wasnt practical and she needs everyone in by 8!
Sorry I am rambling a lot. I just think I want out of there now but I have no idea if another nursery will even consider hiring me without a level 3. I feel miserable but I feel as though I can't challenge anything with MIL as then there will be friction in and out of work.