To stop sending my child to nursery cause they allow him outside

[O8O818]

here me out, I hope I'm not being PFB but I am so fed up with my child's nursery. Time and time again I've said he is not to be outside, but nobody listens! Each day he comes home caked in mud, all up his back, caked on his shoes, not wearing any gloves or a hat, some times not even wearing his wellies just his indoor shoes! Its Baltic. On Friday I went to collect him and they said he was outside making hot chocolate... with the mud he was rolling around like a pig in shit but he was covered from head to toe, in his hair, his ears, his back from when another kid through a mudball at him I don't know whether I'm overreacting though? Aibu!!

Paige, he has 5 pairs of shoes. They need to be Clarks and I simply cannot afford more. They get clarted and wet. So I need to wash them first then get them dry. I can't always do that on time!
Like I said he is the only one outside, every time I've collected him he is the only one outside. If his dad collects him he again is the only one outside.
He is usually wearing a thick, fleece lined jacket but if that gets really muddy I need to wash and dry it,again can't do it on time so yes he goes in a hoody, I've currently got 3 jackets drying from last week!

I

I used to work in a nursery where the kids were outside 3-4 hours every day without fail, regardless of the weather. Snow, hail, icy cold, torrential rain - still outside. And I’m in scotland too!

But the kids were always wrapped head to toe in snowsuits, hats, gloves, scarves, wellies and thermal socks. This is what you should be focusing on - he must be dressed appropriately for playing outside. If they aren’t dressing him warmly enough, it’s neglectful.

he has 5 pairs of shoes.

No child needs 5 pairs of shoes. If they are made to put wellies on when playing in wet weather.

@martymcfly1984 regarding "Baltic"
It’s not Scottish, it’s quite common in several places I’ve lived in the uk.

I said it was Scottish (as am I, and the OP), not that it was exclusively Scottish. We don't have copyright on it

He could die from the cold environment if he fell and hit his head and didn't move for a couple of hours in poor clothing.

Did you go to drama school to help you be so dramatic, he isn't going to hit his head and be left lying in the mud for two hours!

Because I don't have that many coats for him! I had to bin a recent one when he got gloss on it.
Like I said I will get everything written down, now I have the time to.
I don't know for sure that he is always alone I admit that, but upon collecting he is always outside alone. It might mot start like that but more often than not the staff do mention other children find it too cold to be out. And they aren't wearing jackets so it's not like they've just come in

I've currently got 3 jackets drying from last week!

Last week?! How long are you taking to dry clothes?

I think he does wear a coat, unless it's a day when he's only been sent in with a hoody. He doesn't wear a scarf, gloves and a hat and the staff don't clean him before he goes home. Presumably they don't clean him because he's outside until he's picked up, I wouldn't expect staff to clean him or change his shoes if I was there waiting, I'd do it myself if I was that worried about mud in the car.
I'm not really getting this one, I'd be concerned about the lack of supervision but op is more concerned about the mud.

They don't usually put his wellys on though, usually send him out in his shoes but on Friday I had no choice but to put him in wearing wellys and then was told off for using outdoor shoes indoors!

he isn't going to hit his head and be left lying in the mud for two hours!

Actually, it wouldn't take two hours.
But if staff aren't minding him, leave him alone outside and expect him to come to them if he injures himself, the probability of it happening suddenly starts increasing.

It is absolutely shocking that he is unsupervised outside.

It is also bad practice that they are not ensuring he is properly dressed.

These are the 2 things you need to complain about.

One jacket needed rewashed as it didn't come all off the first time. I only have one heater in the living room so I do find it difficult to get things dried quickly, hence I'm struggling with clothes and shoes to put on him!

Hitting his head is a good point actually, regarding safeguarding.

If he hits his head from a fall that no one witnesses because he's outside alone, and therefore no one tells the OP, then that could have serious consequences.

It is a requirement in nurseries that children can access the outdoor environment. However it is also a requirement that children are adequately supervised and looked after, which to me and any reasonable practitioner would mean being helped to put on the weather appropriate gear to keep them warm and dry!

Muddy water can run up the sleeves of the waterproof jackets or splash inside boots but I always make sure hands and face are clean, and clothes are changed if wet.

5 pairs of shoes? Designate one pair as 'nursery' shoes, mud brushes off when it's dry, they don't need washing. Stuff them with kitchen roll or newspaper and they dry really quickly (years of football and rugby teaches you these things!)
The coat with gloss on it should have been sent to nursery for outdoor play - again mud brushes off, clothes don't need to be immaculate for nursery.
Do you have issues with cleanliness generally? I'm aware that sounds harsh but it appears the main concern here is the dirt.

A 2 year old child should not be outside unsupervised. I would stop sending him there for that alone.

OP I think you need to talk to them about supervision. Ask for clarification on if anyone is supervising outdoor play. He's 2 not 12. He could slip or fall. How often is he checked on? Why aren't they saying no coat, no out? Ours go out in all sorts but they all have to wear coats and any who didn't wouldn't be allowed out in that weather.
What is the outside like that there's constantly so much mud? Dirty kid I'd have no issue with but letting him roll in it is ridiculous if he's not waterproofed

upon collecting he is always outside alone

It is worrying that children are not all in sight at collection time. Please tell me nobody else could get to him/him leave the setting without staff knowing. (Our garden is walked through by parents to get into the setting so this would be a major safe guarding issue at ours!)

The statutory framework states that children should usually be in both hearing and line of sight of an adult, but always at least one of those - so technically if someone is watching out of a window, not illegal but also not good practice.

You would be unreasonable not to send your child to a nursery because they go outside, but you would not be unreasonable to look for one who does it better.

@sleepingstandingup

The majority of nurseries now have mud pits or mud kitchens specifically for mud play. (But most also provide or insist on full waterproofs)

I cannot believe the hard time you are getting here.

The nursery is being appalling in not putting outdoor clothes. On a two year old!! This should be the focus of your complaint.

(Getting muddy - no so much)

I wouldn't say I've dripped fed, just answered when others have said why don't you do x y z, because I have! And it's not made a difference.
No only other parents would be able to get to him, it's impossible to get into the nursery without a member of staff seeing you

Why do you not want your child outside?

Buy him an all in one waterproof suit and let him be a kid! Why can’t he have a bath the minute he comes home if he’s manky?

Ilovealexa you might want to read the thread! I have and they don't put it on him ffs.
Because I have to be out the house after an hour to pick up my other child, I also have a younger one to look after. Then it's only an hour until my partner gets home and I'm back out to work. The last thing I want to be doing is hosing him down all the time.
I don't mind if he is playing with mud but he is really caked in it, it's in his ears ffs. It's just extreme

I might have missed something but how does the OP know he is always outside on his own and without a coat if she isn't there. She said he is on his own when she goes to collect him but this is possibly because other children have left or are in the process of leaving. If there is a good view of the garden from where the staff are they might be directing their attention to ensuring children are collected by the right person etc. It doesn't necessarily mean he has been left alone all day.