To think this can't be true about play centres?

[JamesMiddletonsMarshmallows]

Seen this this morning on Facebook from a trampoline park/soft play centre - surely it can't be true? Too many safeguarding issues - My kids are 5 and 8 and I wouldn't leave them alone inside a play centre. I'd sit in the cafe/seating area and look out for them but parents can't possibly be expected to leave their 4+ year olds (they clarify in the comments that it only applies to kids 4 and over) alone?

You can see why some children turn into horrible little things. I was more worried mine would over-react when defending their younger siblings than them being hurt...

I remember a mother in a wheelchair staying as close to the soft play contraptions as she could and supervising (and encouraging) her children, whilst some other entitled idiots were ignoring theirs, nose in their phone and oblivious to anything...

You cannot be a helicopter parent when you have 4 kids frankly, but there's a minimum you should do when you have kids.

@RevolvingPivot

OP, if you had titled your thread as something like 'i am not comfortable with this' rather than 'this can't be true' you would have got a different response.

You have younger children so for you, it feels unsuitable. It doesn't matter what the age limit they have stipulated is. Most 4 yr olds wouldn't go in alone and many parents wouldn't be happy to do that either. But some would go in with their sibling? Or the centre may back track and allow a 4-6 session?

But at the end of the day, the centre is sticking to the guidance and will have done all the necessary risk assessments. I personally hate trampoline parks so I wouldn't be letting my own kids know about it. But that's nothing to do with what they are suggesting regarding the supervised session. My youngest was 6 when I reluctantly let her go in. But at the time, I paid to actually go on the trampolines with her. Not sit in the cafe. These sessions will very likely be on a much lower capacity. All these indoor child's exercise classes are. Swimming lessons are half size and their dance lessons are too. Even scouts/beavers outside was in tiny numbers.

It can only work when you send a group of friends who are in the top age group. You can't send a lone child in something like that.

At least one of the group will find an adult when things turn bad and don't leave someone being bullied.

So you'd never let them go to rainbows, school, nursery, a child minder?! That's sad.

@Scepticalch3rry

I'm not sure what shitty standards you hold your parenting to but usually I've met a childminder or nursery worker beforehand, checked their qualifications and DBS status and have at least had the opportunity to gain some sort of instinct about the person caring for my child. Not something that I can do with a soft play worker, who is not unlikely to be a teenager still in school.

No need to be sad for me. Slightly sad for you though that you think it's the same thing though.

I am just happy that some things are opening back up again. I suppose like all of parenting, it's about knowing your own child and what they can cope with.

@RevolvingPivot

Is this an actually play center. To me It sounds like a trampoline park. The kid will be in one place on one trampoline the whole time? Or is it one where you run about and go on whatever you want too?

It's both

Yes, this is what I thought. I was surprised to hear all staff in soft plays are DBS checked.

What you mean @Pumperthepumper you didn't automatically know all that information by virtue of having a brain already OMG what a weirdo

If you’re worried about staffing you could enquire who will be supervising. Some parks do have adults doing a pretty good job of it. Personally I don’t think it will be the free play you’re expecting. It’s the only way they can open and these places appeal to older children and teenagers so would be good if they can get some exercise. It’s really up to parental discretion, if your other child was 16 you may well feel totally happy to let them both go in

Having worked in a soft play centre where parents were supposed to watch their children (but largely ignored them while swigging coffee with friends and gossiping) the insurance the owner had to pay was prohibitive to the point we had to close down. It they are offering supervised sessions then they must surely have to all be DBS checked. Can't you ask to see that info if you are worried about it?

@thebillyotea well I didn't want to say about IKEA for risk of sounding judgmental, but that's how I'd picture it. I'd rather tolerate an hour of whinging and foot dragging if I'm honest.

OP, if you had titled your thread as something like 'i am not comfortable with this' rather than 'this can't be true' you would have got a different response.

But then we would have missed so many hilarious posts - my favourite was the very thinly veiled teacher-basher who said thanks to the OP’s holidays she’d never know the grief in having to send your defenceless baby off to a group of strangers to wallow in broken glass all summer with no choice in the matter 😂

@JamesMiddletonsMarshmallows to be fair, I don't think the management are helping themselves. They hadn't owned the place that long pre Covid and I do think the tone of the facebook post was a bit flippant. They could have avoided a lot of the fuss by posting a factual comment on why this decision is necessary, understanding that some parents won't be comfortable with it, offering refunds to those parents and explaining how they are going to mitigate risks eg x number of children, y number of trained, DBS checked staff etc. They've also been very slow to respond to criticism.

The staff there are pretty young (they did a profile on each staff member last year) but that's not to say they aren't suitably trained.

@Soontobe60

You don’t actually have to take them though, do you?

@JamesMiddletonsMarshmallows, given the risk of injuries on these things, hell no.

@JamesMiddletonsMarshmallows

So I don't really get your point

My point was to ask if people thought this was right. I didn't suggest an alternative

Do you mean 'right' as it following the correct guidelines, or 'right' in the sense of 'should they be allowed to do this and is it right for parents to allow their children in alone?'

It sounds like they are following the correct guidelines. And chances are that they will have put measures into place in the time they've been closed, like extra training, smaller numbers, more supervision, perhaps more structure in the sessions, who knows. I don't think anyone could really say how good the supervision will be now until it's started.

In terms of should they be allowed, or should anyone leave their children, well I think that's individual. You don't feel comfortable, which is fine. Many other parents of 4 year olds won't be comfortable either. But older children might be quite happy being left. So it seems sensible for parents to be able to make their own decisions and use their judgement about their children. If they had an age cut-off of 9 year olds or whatever, you'd get some parents of 8 year olds complaining that it wasn't fair.

You don't think it should be allowed, but the only alternative for them is not opening at all. They can't allow parents in. And though you say you haven't suggested an alternative or haven't suggested they shouldn't open, that basically is the only other possibilities, so it's kind of a roundabout way of doing so.

I'm sure they are relying on people who feel comfortable with the set up choosing to use it, and those who don't, waiting until parents are allowed back, which sounds fine to me.

I think it would be a different thread if you asked 'Would you be comfortable leaving a 4/5/6 year old in this situation?' or 'At what age do you think you'd be able to leave your child safely in this situation?' or 'How do you judge whether your child is mature enough to cope with this set-up?'

@ineedaholidaynow

Also as a teacher *@JamesMiddletonsMarshmallows* you probably won’t have had to use holiday clubs during summer holidays, but many other working parents will have done, which will involve dropping off 4 year olds with no parental supervision

This is true though just to get a break I am sending my 5yo with his sister (who'll be 9) to dance camp in the summer, but I know the staff as DD has been going to regular sessions for years, it's also Ofsted registered, staff DBS checked and with EYFS qualifications. Which, to me personally, makes all the difference in terms of feeling comfortable leaving them

@JamesMiddletonsMarshmallows

Yes, this is what I thought. I was surprised to hear all staff in soft plays are DBS checked.

What you mean @Pumperthepumper you didn't automatically know all that information by virtue of having a brain already OMG what a weirdo

Turns out it’s not true anyway. Honestly this thread has been gold 😂

This is weird.
I booked in for May for DS admittedly a toddler morning so can't see them saying to us to wait outside.. .
But, my sister booked in for older DN and this is a soft play and trampoline park and not been told to wait outside.

Definitely wouldn't let them in their alone.

@JamesMiddletonsMarshmallows
I have messaged you.

There*

@Plumbear2

OP no one is forcing you to go. If you don't like the current restrictions then don't go. It really is that simple.

Well I won't, but that was never the issue, as well you know.

It should only be for a few weeks, I think indoor play areas reopen from 17 May (provided all goes well)

@ineedaholidaynow

Also as a teacher *@JamesMiddletonsMarshmallows* you probably won’t have had to use holiday clubs during summer holidays, but many other working parents will have done, which will involve dropping off 4 year olds with no parental supervision

No parental supervision but they are staffed by fully trained, DBS checked, quite often teachers or youth workers, in ratio.

Not two teenagers and 10 kids on a trampoline.

Many teachers work through the holidays I other enviornments. I do. But that doesn't fit your narrative eh?

@JamesMiddletonsMarshmallows

I can't believe what I'm reading. So even though you get more holidays off than every other profession, and let's be serious don't do a lot then, and you've just had all that time off, 'for a break' you send your kids to holiday clubs?!?

For the posters asking if this is a play centre or trampoline park. It's both although the softplay area will be closed. Even in non-Covid times, the staff ensure that there is only one child per trampoline etc. If a child wants to go on a different piece of equipment, they join the queue until the staff member tells them they can go on. With fewer children and no parents blocking the staff's view, there's probably less chance for a child to be hurt.