AIBU to find my DCs nursery patronising ?

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They have no time to speak to you about anything they have done during the session at collection time, but quite happy to come over and tell me he had a cold. He had snot crusted all over his face today, so they obviously can't manage to wipe it for him.

I've had comments that his coat is too hot or he hasn't got enough layers on. They seem very critical or am I taking this too personally?

The one time I phoned him in as sick , they were questioning me so much as "he was fine yesterday."

I pay for his 2 sessions a week, as his funding doesn't kick in until September. And they were annoyed I am taking a term time holiday. I still have to pay for those sessions anyway.

Are they just judging me ? Or AIBU? I just don't find the staff very positive or nice.

@TheTrollFairy 🤦‍♀️

A nursery using agency on a regular basis shouts disorganisation

Totally agree with this. Also, children build a relationship and trust with their carers at nursery and I know my child would be i unsettled being cared for by different strangers, it’s not good.

As PP said, I always let them know if they are going to be off because of staffing levels. They always ask about Easter etc as they get less staff in as many parents take their kids away.

If I have a day off work sometimes I’ll call in and just tell them they aren’t coming in because I’m spending the day with them. There has never been an issue with that.

@ParrotWithACarrot my nursery ask about Easter as well. But I think that’s cheeky. What it means is that if a certain amount of children are off then they have an extra member of staff so can use them for other duties that week. Which is absolutely fine but still think it’s cheeky.

The reason there are less staff in the holidays is due to the fact that there are already less children. Some contracts are AYR (all year round) and others TTO (term time only)
Same contracts apply to staff.

I tell my nursery not to expect my child unless I call them and tell them he’ll be in. But this is to make sure he’s down for lunch as I tend to bring him later than usual, if at all during the holidays.

Tbh you’re all right it is the courteous thing to do.

My nursery restructured a year ago and due to the restructure I was forced into an AYR contract but I only require TTO as my employment is also a TTO contract. As the 30 hours don’t apply during the holidays I am forced into paying £200 a week (only during holidays) that I don’t require. So this Easter it cost me over £400 and my son didn’t even attend. So I’m just pissed off with my nursery.

It doesn’t sound good at all.

DD goes to a nursery rated ‘outstanding’ we can speak to any member of staff and every day they tell us what she’s eaten, how much, if she liked it, how long she slept, if she went to sleep herself or if they rubbed her back, how many nappy changes and if they were wet or soiled, who she’s played with, what her favourite activity was and if she said or did anything interesting. They also send us pictures of what she’s doing.

If I were you I’d be changing nurseries.

@Witchtower you should get the 30 hours split? Mine works out at about 80 hours a month when you split it over the year.

@TheTrollFairy you are right, I know a handful that do it for the love of kids. The ones that get qualified and move on, if I’m being honest seem to move on to having their own kids the moment their partner seems to have got through his apprenticeship. Obviously straw poll of not very many but that’s my observation

@TheTrollFairy I think you’re works at the discretion of the nursery. I’ve heard of this but i don’t think it’s technically allowed.
My son attends 8-6, 5 days so uses the 30 hours in one week. No allocation for holidays. That the full 50 hour payment.

Ps to your earlier post an NVQ is the qualification they are trying to gain to allow them to work in a nursery. It is not a stepping stone.

When they are qualified where do you think they move too. Another nursery if they are unhappy but there’s not much room for profession.

*progression

‘Eligible families get 30 hours a week of free childcare for 38 weeks of the year. That’s a total of 1,140 hours per year‘

Ps to your earlier post an NVQ is the qualification they are trying to gain to allow them to work in a nursery. It is not a stepping stone

They go to different nursery’s. It’s similar to any profession, people will move for a variety of reason - some because there is a better job offer elsewhere (eg nursery manager). At DDs nursery there is a high turnover and a younger age range of people working there. They do retain some staff but not all of them. The majority of them have moved into other nursery’s and some move jobs altogether.
I didn’t mean anything goady by my earlier comment, just that they move on similar to any job role if something better comes up

Maybe your nursery does the hours different to DDs nursery, you still get the same allocation just split for 51 weeks of the year (they close for 1 week) instead of allocating 30 hours per week for 38 weeks of the year. Saying that for some reason they don’t give DD the full allocation which is annoying but the nursery is good so she’ll stay there till school. I could put her in a 2nd nursery with the remainder of the allocation if I wanted to I think (another mum does this with her kids)

@TheTrollFairy the information I gave you above was from .gov official website. So your nursery are doing you and themselves a favour. Technically not allowed.

I don’t mean to be rude but you honestly have no idea what you are talking about. Genuinely don’t mean to be rude.
NVQ in childcare will not give you managerial status. Nursery manager jobs are quite rare and will require a variety of qualifications.
Childcare professions are usually scaled if working for the government, so earning potential can vary from 15-25k. If working in private then can be a lot less.
If they move then it’s for more money or better working conditions. Both reasons are not a good reflection on the nursery.

@TheTrollFairy I think you need to understand that people choose this role as a profession, not as a stepping stone. Myself included. If there is a high turnover then there is a reason for them to leave. Not a positive one.

I'd be looking at changing nurseries too. That just doesn't sound a good place to be. Definitely worth a move if at all possible (I know it's not easy!)

My kid is 4 and his nursery make sure he wears his coat etc. Of course he's older so they expect him to put it on himself, but they still check.