To worry about this DC

[Meer77]

I have started a lunch cover job in a nursery in the last few weeks. I’m not qualified in childcare, I’m a parent myself and this is a school hour job that works well for the moment and I’m happy to be working with children, so this is a genuine question.

The child brings pack lunches, but sometimes has nursery milk. I went to pour him some at snack time and they said he can’t have it as mum is behind on paying. He really wanted some milk and I felt bad.

From the days he has been in, he has consistently had very out of best before food, for example 5 months out crisps, he didn’t eat them as they must have tasted stale and he looked disappointed. Another example, a very very black and mushy banana which again wasn’t edible. And other things too which he hasn’t eaten and have been months out from best before . No one else seems to have noticed or said anything. Would you report this to management, I feel worried about him as he’s going hungry. Btw, I’m not judging.

Only checked because they were like Halloween themed crisps, bones or something. He pulled a face when eating them and left them so they can’t have been very nice and then with the banana being really mushy, and then the others they were date side up in the lunch box and I just noticed it

Thanks everyone who has confirmed this.

I really don’t know why they said that then, management must have said don’t offer milk to him for this reason and then the other staff member told me. So does that mean they’re illegally charging for milk?

This is definitely a safeguarding concern and you need to know who is the safeguarding lead within your setting to report this to.

Was there another member of staff with you at lunchtime to clarify the milk situation with? Only you say you haven't been there long, so in that instance I would have said to someone else that Bobby says he isn't allowed milk as his mummy hasn't paid, is that correct? (Make sure you use the exact wording the child used when asking?. As this does seem an unusual thing for a child to say at the age of 3 (as you later mention speech delays) and I am not sure children always know the true extent of parents financial difficulties (e.g. in the school I work in the teacher buys cereal and milk for a child in the class, he is older but always comes in and just says he hasn't had breakfast and is always given some at school - before anyone asks they are receiving support and the safeguarding team are aware of this family and their circumstances hence the teacher having supplies ready).

Just as well that you looked.
Is there other concerns, the DC looking generally neglected dirty clothes, underweight. I could not ignore it, it's too sad.

Mainly has paint stained clothes but not dirty, but I understand a lot of parents don’t want to send them in their best clothes, and the paint doesn’t always come out. To me, he does look quite under weight though for his age. I haven’t met the parents as I don’t do any hand overs.

The parent may not have registered. In our ridiculous borough only the children of parents who have registered get milk.

Poor little boy. I'd bring him in a snack and smoothie, if you are allowed.

Didn’t the nursery give you any basic safeguarding training? If you ever have even the smallest worry about a child report your concerns to the designated safeguarding lead . Every single time. Better safe than sorry.

Free school milk in cartons provided in the day are advertised as free but there is a charge to school for admin, same as Free school meals are not free but subsided by schools at around 50p each meal. There are different rates paid for FSM's, Universal FSMs and Children without recourse to pupil funding.
None of the rates paid to the school cover the cost.

Last year one of our schools lost 180K through meals and while all the other schools lost money it was nowhere near this amount.

Milk provided during lunch, not in cartons, is free. But you can not have both.

Did you find out how to report this as a safeguarding concern @meer?

Also thank you to @caringcarerfor not letting the secondary school child go hungry but not only that, saving face on his behalf too.
As a teenager he’d be really sensitive to being patronised.

Posts line yours restore my faith in humanity.

Also to the people frothing at @CremeEggThiefI believe what she is saying is @Meer77is in completely new surroundings, with no authority or standing whatsoever and is trying to solve a problem (otherwise she wouldn’t be bothering to seek advice) without getting herself into a confrontation or losing her job.

She IS very definitely trying to help this child✅

She is NOT experienced in the setting she finds herself in

Sounds like she hasn’t received enough training in safeguarding concerns or how to report them

Sounds like she is working with some utter horrors

Think you’re talking about schools, this is a nursery, milk is free for children under age 5
No fees should be charged for free milk.

I have no idea what the charges are, and whether the nursery are charging for milk, but I’m guessing they are, other wise why would they deny it to any child? I only know about the sun cream charge. Not sure what others are.

You should ask them why milk is charged for? Should a child be denied the milk just because parents are late paying I’m sure they pay eventually otherwise kid would be kicked out?

Report to the safeguarding lead first thing tomorrow and you can whistle-blow to Ofsted also. Then contact your local authority safeguarding team. This is not ok. Protect this child please. Like others have said milk is free in early year's settings in portions. This could well be a snapshot of what this poor child is enduring. You won't ever regret taking this further but you could regret doing nothing.

It could be the only meal that child has and he is being denied milk, heartbreaking