This is the height of lazy childcare and I’m so sick of it

[WizardLizard86]

Just back from a church playgroup and at various points it absolutely reeked with small kids needing their nappies changed. I’m not talking babies, I mean toddlers who at some points are actually waddling uncomfortably with full stinky nappies. The minders seem to just do a nappy change en masse before they leave.

Their ‘carers’ are mainly a big group of childminders (no I’m not slagging them all off just these ones!) who just sit having a chat while their charges free roam and they either don’t check or pretend not to notice. An occasional few are parents who are actually sitting right next to their child but still don’t get up to anything about it for ages.

There’s two changing facilities and a box of spare nappies of all sizes and wipes etc so it’s not that. The changing rooms are just off the hall so no one needs to go anywhere else to sort it, and they’re empty most of the time.

I’m a nanny there with toddler twins and triple checked their nappies loudly to make a point but it doesn’t change anything. (We’re not there anymore and they are napping so I’m not slacking off)

It’s so unpleasant for others not to mention gross and uncomfortable for the child, I feel like they’re should be a sign up or something but it just seems such a basic point of childcare it shouldn’t need to be stated.

is it common at other playgroups? I don’t know what the answer is I just wanted a vent. Puts me right off my coffee and hobnob I tell you.

This is concerning to me as a childminder. We have very strict rules here in Northern Ireland and all the Chikdminder’s I know do a wonderful job. Some childminders are unregistered and that’s illegal. The system is different in England .

It’s sad there are such bad childminders around (although I’m not surprised given my own childhood experience with one).

I have to say though, all the local childminders in my area seem excellent. I take my baby to the library structured story/song sessions and several childminders go there. They sit on the floor and interact with the kids. You can’t really chat during the group but we chat after. They’re really lovely and affectionate to the toddlers they care for. I’ve also noticed that they all know each other and the children they care for, so if one needs to change one of their kids they ask another childminder to mind the rest.

They need to be reported higher up as matter of urgency.

It's neglect - plain and simple.

These people give childminders a bad name! We're lucky enough to have the most incredible childminder, and she'd never let a child go without a nappy change (or leave them to their own devices while she sits chatting and eating biscuits - but that's a whole other issue!).

I know of a family with 3 kids age 4/5 and a 6 year old all are still in nappies day and night.
When asked about it parents said its hard work to potty train, and there not ready either.
There local school wont take then untill they are potty trained.

I’m so glad to hear this. As a childminder myself and former nanny this is how myself and fellow childminders behave. Perhaps certain childminder stick together.

Seems to me two obvious problems - both created to help - both ended up totally unhelpful.
One: Forcing women out to work with no incentives to look after children - in fact sthm penalised - which forced children into inadequate expensive childcare - Two: Creating disposable nappies instead of reusable washable ones. I can tell you - you got them out of nappies pretty quickly and we have created a nauseating land fill problem. Yep poor kids and poor mums. Two steps forward four steps back.