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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

That nursery wasn't better prepared

89 replies

lucelou82 · 19/07/2022 07:55

We've known about the heatwave for a couple of weeks now, yet I was told that they had just done a risk assessment on the building in the heat yesterday?! This seems bizarre, as someone who's organised events we do risk assessments all the time! BEFORE the event! The nursery is part of a big chain of private nurseries and I'm perplexed why they didn't buy a few air conditioning units last week, surely it is their duty to keep the children they care for safe and make it their priority? They were also saying that heat is coming in through windows, again I would have thought they might have got some black out window film or a blind (surely it would have a blind on it anyway)! I know margins in daycare are very small, but I pay nearly £2k a month and for them to not invest in air con units (I'm talking from Argos not a full air conditioning system) seems really negligent! Surely they have a duty of care to prepare for the really hot weather as well as the cold weather! They are asking us to pick out at 1pm if we can, but I can't as I have meetings at work! I would love to be able to take her out and do something fun with her in the air con this afternoon! Just dropped her off and was told she is going to be the only child here this afternoon and just now feel massive mum guilt! Ahh sorry rant over! Xxxx

OP posts:
SleepingAgent · 19/07/2022 09:22

Wolfiefan · 19/07/2022 08:19

If your house is too hot then you could be the one to get an air conditioner.
They have to think of staff too.
So you admit you could pick her up but choose not to

Fucks sake, why the fuck SHOULD she pick her up, she's paying for nursery so she's entitled to have her child cared for!!

Original poster
lucelou82 · 19/07/2022 09:29

@Wolfiefan I have important meetings, which yes I can cancel but I would rather not! As a working mother you're damned if you do and damned if you don't!

OP posts:
Thehop · 19/07/2022 09:31

I’m a childminder and sent out my “summer heat” risk assessments last month with an “extreme heat” addendum last week.

i spent heavily on making sure we will all. Be comfortable. Nursery are v remiss here.

ChaosMoon · 19/07/2022 09:38

Our nursery bought a paddling pool and a massive gazebo for their garden last week. Before that they were putting treats of water at the bottom of their slide and seeing up a sprinkler, which I thought was a great work around. This week, it's water play inside. They're adapting as the need arises.

They did send a message out to say that if you're kids is particularly susceptible to hear then they might be happier at home, but absolutely no pressure and lots of reassurance.

I think it's a really poor show from your nursery.

SW1amp · 19/07/2022 09:40

Aprilx · 19/07/2022 08:41

I think you are just as culpable for being “unprepared”. It is an unprecedented weather event, lots of people have made adjustments to deal with it, yet you seem determined to be inflexible. You are being ridiculous to suggest that they should be spending so much money on air conditioning for what is not even two days a year, it is two days in my lifetime, so that is two days in 52 years for a start. Airconditioning does not cost a couple of hundred pounds from Argos.

DS’s nursery has a portable air con unit, with the hose out the window, which was bought for a few hundred quid from Appliances Direct on next day delivery when this was first forecast

nothing ridiculous about it
just there would be nothing ridiculous about buying a plug in radiator if the heating system wasn’t working well enough in winter to keep them warm during a cold spell

You keep the room an appropriate temperature for the children in it. As basic as it gets

ShirleyPhallus · 19/07/2022 10:10

SleepingAgent · 19/07/2022 09:22

Fucks sake, why the fuck SHOULD she pick her up, she's paying for nursery so she's entitled to have her child cared for!!

Show quote history

Absolutely agree, some people are just awful to working mothers for no specific reason

MagicMatilda · 19/07/2022 10:13

You are completely right! Surely they could have ordered some of the portable air conditioners. A lot cheaper than having to close and not get money in! Ours is closing at 2pm so have had to rearrange meetings, it’s far from ideal.

Wolfiefan · 19/07/2022 10:15

Nursery is telling you it’s not suitable
for your child at this heat.
So either you collect them and take them home.
Ask someone else to.
Say you can’t get them but don’t complain as it’s your decision.

Or look at other options.

I have had to take time off as one nursery had a gas leak. And another time when DS rubbed face cream in his eyes and had to be taken home. Then there was the time he really WAS so unwell we thought he would die.
Funny how meetings just don’t seem so important then.

Original poster
lucelou82 · 19/07/2022 10:16

@Thehop you sound a dream! Wish my nursery had taken things as seriously as you seem to xxx

OP posts:
girlmom21 · 19/07/2022 10:21

Wolfiefan · 19/07/2022 10:15

Nursery is telling you it’s not suitable
for your child at this heat.
So either you collect them and take them home.
Ask someone else to.
Say you can’t get them but don’t complain as it’s your decision.

Or look at other options.

I have had to take time off as one nursery had a gas leak. And another time when DS rubbed face cream in his eyes and had to be taken home. Then there was the time he really WAS so unwell we thought he would die.
Funny how meetings just don’t seem so important then.

Well then nursery need to close. They have a duty of care and if they can't provide that care they need to close. If they're open, they're saying they're capable.

Franca123 · 19/07/2022 10:25

They dont want to close because then you can claim the day's fee back. They want you to choose to come get the child so you still pay. Its silly buggers. Our nursery is open and coping well. Ignore the posters trying to make you feel guilty.

SW1amp · 19/07/2022 11:37

Wolfiefan · 19/07/2022 10:15

Nursery is telling you it’s not suitable
for your child at this heat.
So either you collect them and take them home.
Ask someone else to.
Say you can’t get them but don’t complain as it’s your decision.

Or look at other options.

I have had to take time off as one nursery had a gas leak. And another time when DS rubbed face cream in his eyes and had to be taken home. Then there was the time he really WAS so unwell we thought he would die.
Funny how meetings just don’t seem so important then.

It’s only ‘not suitable’ because they haven’t taken very basic and inexpensive steps to make it suitable

you wouldn’t just glibly say ‘oh cancel meetings and pick your kids up’ if they couldn’t be arsed to put the heating on in January

It hasn’t come as a surprise to them that the building would be warm in july

WillMcAvoy · 19/07/2022 11:42

vroom321 · 19/07/2022 08:05

Surely most are in nursery because they can't be looked after by their parents? Now all of a sudden they have people to look after them?

Yes because a single day is exactly the same as full time care, 5 days a week, for years.

🙄

RedWingBoots · 19/07/2022 11:44

Thehop · 19/07/2022 09:31

I’m a childminder and sent out my “summer heat” risk assessments last month with an “extreme heat” addendum last week.

i spent heavily on making sure we will all. Be comfortable. Nursery are v remiss here.

Neither my childminder or nursery did this.

However my DD has spent the past week in both settings in paddling pools or doing water play so she is using her change of clothes. Both settings have shade from trees.

Ilovemycatalot · 19/07/2022 11:45

I work in a nursery. Loads of babies and younger children were sick yesterday due to the heat. Loads went home with high temps. Honestly I think for the 3 yr olds and under a full day at nursery is to much for them in this heat.

RedWingBoots · 19/07/2022 11:45

Franca123 · 19/07/2022 10:25

They dont want to close because then you can claim the day's fee back. They want you to choose to come get the child so you still pay. Its silly buggers. Our nursery is open and coping well. Ignore the posters trying to make you feel guilty.

Yep because they are a large national chain....

TrippinEdBalls · 19/07/2022 11:48

SW1amp · 19/07/2022 11:37

It’s only ‘not suitable’ because they haven’t taken very basic and inexpensive steps to make it suitable

you wouldn’t just glibly say ‘oh cancel meetings and pick your kids up’ if they couldn’t be arsed to put the heating on in January

It hasn’t come as a surprise to them that the building would be warm in july

Show quote history

We're in a red weather warning, and this is an unusual level of heat. I wouldn't say that this is the equivalent of not putting the heat on in January, more the equivalent of closing for snow in January. Which may or may not be reasonable depending on the circumstances both of the weather (how much snow?) and the particular set-up of the nursery; one of the reasons that some schools close a lot more for snow than others is because some school sites are much more dangerous when icy than others and this is a similar thing. Not all buildings are made equal and so not all will have the same capacity to deal with extreme heat. I do agree that if their building isn't safe in the heat they should close rather than trying to get parents to pull children out voluntarily, but I don't think it's inherently unreasonable if they find they can't stay open in extreme weather conditions.

Original poster
lucelou82 · 19/07/2022 12:05

Thanks for all your replies! I can see that this has divided opinions. Let me be clear the nursery is not closing... if they were of course I would pick her up! If they felt it was that unsafe then I assume they would shut the nursery... the fact they haven't suggests it is safe. I was merely stating I expect for the money I pay, that they should be better prepared and I should not be made to feel guilty for keeping my daughter there this afternoon whilst I work. I work hard to provide for my child, the juggle is real. Before the nursery even opened they should have risk assessed the building for extreme heat. The fact they haven't annoys me. Thanks for all those supportive comments xxx

OP posts:
Pugfostermum · 19/07/2022 12:15

Likely that perm staff have called in sick and nursery don’t want to pay agency/can’t get any agency so hoping parents collect their kids. Nursery still gets full day rate for all kids!
big chains are all about profit, profit, profit and managers are under huge pressure to cut costs all the time.

Original poster
lucelou82 · 19/07/2022 12:22

@Pugfostermum yep, I'm getting that impression! The girls that look after the kids are fantastic but the communication, how it is run overall is shocking! You feel guilty for complaining but these companies must be making profits or they wouldn't keep opening new branches all the time!

OP posts:
Pugfostermum · 19/07/2022 12:40

The biggest UK/US chain is on the stock market……… still pays staff min wage and outsources crappy food.

people at the top are doing well. RM’s will earn around £45/50K and their role is to look at profits while ensuring nursery meet the basic standards. The way they do this is pressurising staff on the ground to use their own money and time on the setting as they generally care about the children.
Upper management have usually never set foot in/have no interest in childcare settings. It’s numbers.

Original poster
lucelou82 · 19/07/2022 12:52

@Pugfostermum this is so crap! I can totally imagine the top dogs pressurising the people at the bottom to do this! What is the chain called? There are about 12 nurseries in the nursery chain my daughter is in, but I assume they use the same tactics!

OP posts:
Youaremysunshine14 · 19/07/2022 12:58

I get your frustration and you should take it up with the management but the nursery has a duty of care to its staff as well as the children. If the temp is going to exceed 40 degrees and the building has been risk assessed as being unsafe in this extreme heat, the staff shouldn't be there either.

Original poster
lucelou82 · 19/07/2022 13:00

@Youaremysunshine14 then is begs the question why didn't they shut the nursery?

OP posts:
Franca123 · 19/07/2022 13:05

I love all these people who think the parents are responsible for assessing whether the conditions in the nursery are unsafe or not. Am I meant to bring a load of thermometers in with me to read the temperature in the rooms. Maybe I should WiFi connect them so I can create a dashboard to view at home? Why don't I go as far as measuring the windows and fitting blinds?