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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

4 staff and 8 kids at the park and not a spare nappy or a baby wipe between them

63 replies

totalmisfit · 16/06/2008 12:01

just took dd to the park. There happened to be about 8 toddlers from a local nursery with 4 staff members to look after them. They seemed pretty good with the kids, if a little indifferent.

Then this little girl walked past me and i got a whiff of poo from her nappy. There were a couple of nursery workers close by so i thought 'one of them will notice in a second and change her.'

I had to run after dd at that point as she was heading towards the swings. About 10 minutes later there was a scream from one of the staff (not the one who must have been the little girl's designated playworker but one of the others) 'look at her nappy, it looks awful hanging down like that!' (below her skirt). Cue more screams and peals of laughter.

The woman who was in charge of her said 'Well i didn't bring a nappy to the park, did I?'

So she does nothing about it. The little girl walks off in my direction. Nappy falls off. Poo everywhere. More screaming and laughter from the women who are supposed to be in charge of her. Then one of them guides her over to where the picnic tables are and starts trying to change her, but of course she doesn't have any nappies or wipes on her. None are forthcoming from the other staff either.

I was literally down to my last nappy and couple of wipes myself,and i was saving them in case dd needed changing so i wasn't much use, i'm afraid. They had a pack of tisses between them and so she was trying to clean her up with those.

I'm just a bit at the lack of preparation and at their attitude tbh. Surely it's nappies and wipes are a prerequisite for taking large numbers of toddlers to the park?

or am i just being horribly judgey?

OP posts:
TheTeaspoonLady · 16/06/2008 12:04

Poor little girl.
Did you say anything to the carers?

Original poster
totalmisfit · 16/06/2008 12:08

i was tempted. then i thought 'they'll probably tell me to bog off for being nosey' so i kept quiet. now i'm thinking i should have said something.

OP posts:
CrushWithEyeliner · 16/06/2008 12:09

they laughed at her/ about it?

That is appalling

KatyMac · 16/06/2008 12:09

Well I would ring the manager at their Nursery - I consider that to be awful

I work in childcare and it is not acceptable imo

wotulookinat · 16/06/2008 12:09

I'm glad those women don't look after my child.

ComeOVeneer · 16/06/2008 12:10

Do you know which nursery it was? If so I would be tempted to go there and ask to speak to tha manager about it. May not achieve anything, but at least you can feel you tried to help. Think if that was your child, you sent them there thinking they are being well cared for .

MarmadukeScarlet · 16/06/2008 12:10

Do you know which nursery they are from? TBH I would call their manager/owner of the nursery.

I think it is unacceptable to leave a child in a dirty nappy so long that it falls off.

wotulookinat · 16/06/2008 12:10

and I agree with KatyMac. Ring and complain.

edam · 16/06/2008 12:12

What a horrible bunch of people they are. I do think you should ring and complain. They need to know they can't get away with behaving like this. Poor babies.

MONKEYMONKEY · 16/06/2008 12:15

Do you know the name of the Nursery? Could you report them?
If that was my DS I would be so ANGRY do you think they would tell the parent?

Original poster
totalmisfit · 16/06/2008 12:15

i'm glad you've all said i should contact the manager and complain. I needed a mumsnet verdict as i wasn't sure if i was being interfereing and judgey.

yes, i've got a pretty good idea which one it is. they wear a pretty distinctive yellow and green uniform.

i agree, all i could think was 'what if that was dd? how would i feel? will her mum even find out that that happened today?'

OP posts:
Habbibu · 16/06/2008 12:20

Oh, poor little girl. I'd be furious if that was dd. Yes, please do complain.

KatyMac · 16/06/2008 12:21

I have to be honest - if I heard my staff behaving like that I would treat it as misconduct & do an investigation

JODIEhavingababy · 16/06/2008 12:24

I'd be furious and sad if my DS was treated like that... I would definatly complain... Why on earth did they go to the park without nappies, thats just asking for trouble!!!

MrsTittleMouse · 16/06/2008 12:29

Another vote for complaining to the manager. I am so for that little girl who had to go around with a dirty nappy and was laughed at. How dare they!

kayzisexpecting · 16/06/2008 12:31

And another vote for going to the manager and complaining. Its horrible.

Original poster
totalmisfit · 16/06/2008 12:33

Right - have just spoken to the manager and told her what happened. It was the place i'd suspected. She just listened and said 'well they do have a bag with first aid/nappies/medicines that they take out on every trip'. I actually saw the bag in question and as it was transparent and they left it by the swings. i could see there was a first aid kit/bottles of medicine but no wipes or nappies.

She said 'thanks for telling me/ i'll look into it' but that was about it. ho hum. not sure what else i can do, if anything?

OP posts:
Habbibu · 16/06/2008 12:33

It's also kind of vile in a public park - nappy falls off, loads of toddlers running around.

Love2bake · 16/06/2008 12:33

They sound totally un-professional and a terrible representation of the Nursery. I think you should definately report it.

Hulababy · 16/06/2008 12:34

I would contact the nursery and complan. Awful way to treat the little girl, esp laughing at her. Poor little thing. I think you really do have to complain if you possibly can - imagine if it was your child?

Miyazaki · 16/06/2008 12:35

I complained to a pre-prep a while ago, was at a farm park when what I presumed to be a TA (very young) pushed a child so hard she had to sort of run forward not to fall over. I confronted her, she was the TEACHER. I called the HT and she issued disciplinary proceedings.

If I was that childs parent I would want to know.

So, what did they put her in if the nappy had fallen off and no clean nappy?

witchandchips · 16/06/2008 12:35

not a good idea not to bring nappies to the park BUT if it was a group of MNetters with their children my guess is that we'd be laughing too. also i would so much prefer them to take them to the park without spare nappies then to keep them inside all day

Hulababy · 16/06/2008 12:36

Seen you have complained. Doesn't sound very good response. Can you take it further? Follow it up with a letter of complaint - don't nurseries have to keep a log of all complaints for OFSTED? If they don't respond with an adequate answer - log it with OFSTED.

Miyazaki · 16/06/2008 12:38

Phone the teacher back and ask her to call you with the outcome when she's looked into it. If you want to do something more I would phone your councils Early Years service and ask them.

MrsTittleMouse · 16/06/2008 12:38

Good idea of Hulababy's to get it in writing.

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