Worried about the nursery that I work in

[KeyLimePie98]

I started work as a practitioner a month ago but I’m starting to have concerns. First of all, staff are often out of ratio, meaning two staff to many children outside and it’s hard to be watching everyone all at once. The manager has apparently complained about the state of one of the rooms, the toddler room (I don’t work in this room) that toys are everywhere and it’s a mess. staff aren’t happy saying that the manager isn’t supportive. I’ve also noticed mould around the window sills. Staff stand chatting and children have accidents. I’ve been into other rooms to get something and children are often left to cry as apparently nothing will soothe them. Would you raise concerns and how?

Report. It's really worrying that after a month you're not sure who to report your concerns to, this should absolutely have been covered in your induction safeguarding training. You can report anonymously to Ofsted or the LADO at your local authority if you don't feel able to speak directly to the manager. Please don't not do anything though, safeguarding is everyone's business and ratios are there for a reason.

Ratios have gone up. At preschool age it's something like 1:15 with certain qualifications. Even Level 3 staff it's 1:8 so 2 staff could be 16 kids. It's also a recommendation rather than law, I believe.

Not saying it sounds great. Sounds like one place I worked which has a huge staff turnover as it was horrible to work there. I've been in my current place for 4.5 years and yes, sometimes we're understaffed and things could be cleaner, or children are 'left crying' (if they have had 1:1 cuddles for the past 3 weeks!) but management is good, staff are pretty happy, kids are mostly happy (which kid wouldn't rather be at home with family?).

Your setting should have a whistleblowing policy. It should be published on their website. Follow the process to the letter.

If no whistleblowing policy, then contact the LADO at your local authority.

This would absolutely not happen at the setting I work in. I have an office role but will absolutely step into a room to comfort an upset child or help with first aid. Leaving children to cry or have accidents is not on and not standard in childcare.

How awful. I hear this sort of thing a lot and even most of the responses on this thread seem to point towards this kind of situation not being unusual. Then we are puzzled why CAMHS waiting lists are years long for older children but if the majority are having sub standard care in their early years that could be so damaging long term

Completely normal. I worked in an "outstanding" nursery where the was so much mould and slug trails every morning, massively out of ratios, kids crying all the time, just rubbish. Manager never around, no one cared.
I complained to ofsted on several occasions, no action from them.
Mould was hidden from parents with pictures, fabric, furniture. It was/is a joke amongst staff. Grim. It's still there too.

Where would you put your kids?

It's common. Lots of nurseries are pretty dirty, run on minimum ratios and babies cry.

It should be physically safe though and if it isn't the OP should raise it - with her line manager or the nursery manager, or escalate to Ofsted if it is still unsafe.

@Ifoughthefight Get lost. For most parents it's not about a 'big' house, it's having ANY house to live in.

Being hungry and on the streets isn't going to be best for kids is it?

Ofsted, OP. It is pure neglect that a child has been left to cry until they’ve vomited. You are absolutely doing the right thing.

(I really hope a bun fight about SAHMs and working mums won’t derail such an important thread. There are several threads on this topic daily.)

God this is so depressing, it makes me sick to think of such small kids crying all alone. I put my DD1 in a nursery and to be honest never felt happy about it. DD2 went to a childminder which I think was better. I always remember thinking when everyone used to say “oh they stop crying as soon as you’ve gone”. Because after the first few days they realise you’re not coming back for a long time no matter how much they cry.

@Newsenmum I have no idea, but I'd try to avoid nurseries if I could help it. That's only because I've worked in them though, I appreciate a lot of parents won't know about half the stuff that goes on. It's not nice, but unfortunately that's just how most nurseries are.

@Newsenmum and one of the reasons why I left the childcare sector altogether.

As someone who worked in childcare, in your opinion did childminders/nannies provide better care than nurseries?

Another thing, when I first started, I went to speak to the manager and she seemed to huff when she saw me as if she couldn't be bothered to have the conversation. I have only seen her once since I started, due to her being in the office or wfh. I think everyone is just expected to get on with things and not bring things up or ask questions

Out of interest, if you had to use childcare what would you use instead - childminders? A nanny?

Report!!!

Ideally a nanny in my own home. I appreciate it’s not an option for most though as nanny’s can be more expensive/hard to find. I just think the saddest thing about nurseries is most of the children are of an age where they could not tell their parents how they feel/what they see etc. In my experience they are massively overstimulating spaces and staff cant tend to the needs of all the children. It’s just not possible with the staff to children ratio.

A mediocre to good childminder is generally better than nursery for under 3s in my experience - firstly their houses will be much cleaner than most nurseries, less illness, generally they are older and mothers so tend to have life experience and common sense, and the main benefit is there is only one person for the baby to attach to, and one person that you have personally chosen for the parent to deal with, and trust.

From 3 a mediocre to good nursery can provide lots of social benefits.

Do you actually assume people go to work for all those things? Don't you realise most people work to put food on the table and keep roof over their head?
What the actual F?

You are absolutely delusional. What a nasty response. Are you one of the SAHMs who think they're better than everyone else?

P.s. not saying all SAHMS are like that.

That's also really worrying. Please report your concerns.

OP, the manager sounds awful.

Please report.

That's actually really reassuring to me. I have a really lovely childminder who only minds two kids most days, max three a day and my child is her youngest (just under 2). She's a mum herself but her kids are grown up. I chose her over a nursery as I just couldn't see how a nursery can meet so many children's needs

You're really assuming A LOT here, and being terribly unfair on working mothers. Not all of us could afford to be SAHM mothers. We weren't taking foreign vacations or buying expensive clothes. We were just trying to buy groceries and keep the lights on. On MN, we often warn young women of the hazards of stepping off the career ladder and staying at home; we hear their stories all the time. Scared, stuck, no place to go and no money to do it.

Think before you just come out with something hurtful, please. Moms that work elsewhere deserve just as much support as SAHMs.

I think the whole situation is just hugely less stressful and overwhelming in a family home vs. a nursery. We know from research for example that group size for under 2s should be a max of about 8 children but most baby rooms are double that, and the babies are doing longer shifts than the adults are.

Contact your union for advice. Also, immediately start keeping a DATED diary of events and issues. It will help build a picture of what is troubling you. Things like child vomiting and how it was handled and what happened when you approached your manager. This will also protect you if shit ever were to hit the fan

Being a child care professional, listen to that uncomfortable feeling that you have. You know what is and is not good practice