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AIBU?

Another nursery one. How many accidents is normal?

76 replies

TheCatsMeow · 29/04/2016 14:57

DS is in nursery one day a week. I'm generally happy with them, they seem lovely and he always enjoys going. He is 8 months old and has just started crawling and he walks holding hands.

Now, DS is high needs. I'm under no delusions about that, he is into everything and very curious. But out of the last 5 weeks, he's been in the accident book 4 times.

The first time a child fell on him and scratched his neck. He had a big red mark.

The second time a child scratched his face. Again a big red mark.

The third time, this is the worst one. He had a black eye! Another child had hit him in the face with a toy, and then DS had scratched himself because he rubbed his eyes. It was swollen and looked very painful, poor DS was upset. I started to get suspicious here as this was the third time in three weeks, so I took pictures of it.

The fourth week nothing happened.

This week, I've found out another child has scratched DS on his eye!

AIBU to think they are clearly not supervising the babies properly?! I am really upset. But DS is my only baby and I am an only child, so is this normal kids stuff?

What would you do? I'm going to pick him up in a couple of hours and would like advice.

OP posts:

Report

MintSource · 29/04/2016 15:39

"I should probably add that once when I was dropping DS off, I was settling him in and the girl popped out to get something. Suddenly I was in charge of 5 babies and had to try and stop them eating bits of paper and escaping, which I wasn't happy with."

^
Just read this, OP. This is SO bad. Big red flag.

TheCatsMeow · 29/04/2016 15:39

Dinosaurs I've been suspecting they're understaffed, and this thread is confirming that.

Would you look at moving him? There are only 3 nurseries here, one wasn't safe, the other excellent one is very expensive but I will move him if I need to.

OP posts:

ppeatfruit · 29/04/2016 15:42

Yes I would look at moving him.

ppeatfruit · 29/04/2016 15:44

Why not go in and spend a morning and or afternoon there. Also have word with the staff/managers before moving him though.

MadamDeathstare · 29/04/2016 15:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Dinosaursdontgrowontrees · 29/04/2016 15:47

I would speak to the manager asap about your concerns. The accidents and staff issues are more than likely linked. But yes i would be looking elsewhere tbh. I would not leave my baby in a room (with lots of older babies) not properly supervised. Does he have a key worker?

LillyBugg · 29/04/2016 15:48

Yes I agree it's a massive red flag. Ratios have to be observed. Our nursery staff won't even show a parent to the door if there aren't enough staff in the room. You have to hang around at the entrance until someone is available to let you in/out. It's an ofsted requirement. I would look to move him OP. Sorry. It's not what anyone ever wants to hear.

LauraMipsum · 29/04/2016 15:53

DD's nursery has a baby room which is split into mobile and non-mobile babies - they eat together and do some play together but mostly the mobile ones play separately from the littlies because the ones who have just got on their feet don't know where they end and another child begins.

That used to be 0-2 but they've just introduced another room for 18 months - 2 years which seems to be working really well.

DD has only had 5 or 6 bump reports in the entire time she's been there (a year) but having said that she is much quieter than some of the other kids who go into the room like they've just been released on a pinball machine!

TheCatsMeow · 29/04/2016 15:54

Mint It really threw me, I tried to keep an open mind as she was only in the room next door however combined with these injuries I'm thinking there isn't enough staff!

OP posts:

Jackiebrambles · 29/04/2016 15:57

There is no way you should have been left alone with the babies AT ALL.

Also, in my nursery once the babies get to 15 months (ish) they move to toddler room. Imo babies to age 2 is too big an age range.

I'd move him.

Marcipex · 29/04/2016 16:03

That's a big red flag...Seriously bad practice to leave you with the children at all.

I worked in an understaffed nursery, it was grim. On paper, enough staff were on site. In practice, they were in the office...a different building...not with the children at all. We were also very often several children over the legal ratios, due to double booking/ errors by admin staff.

Probably something like that is going on.

Eva50 · 29/04/2016 16:09

If he's only going one day a week and been injured 5 times in 6 weeks then he's being injured almost every time he's there. I would be very unhappy with this and I have 3 dc. How about a childminder? Ds2 and ds3 both went to a lovely childminder and I can't ever think of either of them being injured at any time.

LittleNelle · 29/04/2016 16:10

Having 0-2 in one room is fine, it's better for babies to be able to form long term attachments.

Being understaffed and leaving random parents alone with babies is so, so far from being ok that I'd be on the phone to Ofsted.

Iguessyourestuckwithme · 29/04/2016 16:16

I am a nanny. The baby I nanny for had a head ull of head injuries last week (a mark on his cheek in a scuffle with sibling, 1 head injury where stood up and forgot can't stand up unaided, 1 bruse from banging the head on the table, a small mark to hie eye where he banged his head on a toddler chair, a bumped nose from stopping dead while crawling and nose bombing the carpet) thank god his mother trusts me. In fact he's just a stood up at the sof a, fell over and banged his head (mum is here) He's 9 months and raised with toddlers and trying to walk/crawling. Life happens :/

SovietKitsch · 29/04/2016 16:17

Hmm, sounds a lot. DD has been in nursery a year and she goes 5 days a week. She has had a handful of accident notes in that time (under 10 certainly, probably no more than 5), and only once has it been inflicted by another child rather than self-inflicted. And she is very much an "Into everything" kind of child. So for every time he goes for him to be injured, seems far too much.

TheCatsMeow · 29/04/2016 18:48

I spoke to the staff tonight. Apparently the issue is that DS doesn't sit and has only recently properly crawled, meaning because he was lying down, children were falling on him and he couldn't get out of the way.

They have said they will keep an eye on him.

I'm a bit dubious because I think that big toddlers shouldn't have been allowed to run around near enough to a non mobile baby but I will see.

OP posts:

LittleNelle · 29/04/2016 19:14

It's bizarre you're happy to pay for such poor care it doesn't even meet the basic standards of their Ofsted registration.

TheCatsMeow · 29/04/2016 19:22

DS is happy there, and I'm very limited in other options. I tried a childminder before but none were available.

If it occurs again I'm going to consider moving him but I think it's fair to give them a chance to sort it now that I've mentioned it.

OP posts:

ppeatfruit · 29/04/2016 20:40

They responded properly?? They accepted the complaint and apologised profusely and said 'We'll keep a better eye on him and the others".

As it's just one day isn't there a reciprocal arrangement you could make with another trusted mum? Or a grandparent. I'd be very worried leaving my baby there.

Amy214 · 29/04/2016 20:56

I would have a word with the staff, when my dd was that age she was just starting to walk and she managed to bruise her chin and scrape her cheek she looked awful but accidents do happen. Now shes 2 shes constantly got bruised/scraped knees. Most of the time she had bruises on her legs and i would have no idea how they got there. Dds playgroup always has 6 staff for 13-15 children and we do stay and play rotas every week there is 1 extra parent if there isnt enough staff the children who show up later get turned away.

Ankleswingers · 29/04/2016 21:02

Please take your child out OP. This does NOT sound like an adequate Nursery and there sounds as though there are safeguarding issues from reading your posts. Very concerning.

Dizzydodo · 29/04/2016 21:31

I would be horrified if staff at my nursery left a parent in charge of the children! At DDs nursery I've never seen them go out of ratio, even for a moment, they call someone from the other room to open the door/get the card machine etc. The fact there was only one staff member with 5 babies and she left the room is huge red flag, I would be contacting Ofsted for sure.

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TheCatsMeow · 29/04/2016 21:33

They responded properly?? They accepted the complaint and apologised profusely and said 'We'll keep a better eye on him and the others".

They apologised, gave me an explanation and then said they would keep their eye on him.

I think the issue is coming from a member of staff is currently sick. I'll give them a chance to sort it out, but if it continues I'll move him.

I don't have any other options for childcare, I have no "mum friends" and I live with my mum, who works. DSs dad and his family don't see him. My only option is the other nursery which I will try if this continues.

OP posts:

TheCatsMeow · 29/04/2016 21:34

5 babies and she left the room is huge red flag

To be fair the room is open plan, but with walls separating it into areas. So there were other staff around the corner.

They weren't able to see the babies from where they were though.

OP posts:

RosieSW · 30/04/2016 20:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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