AIBU to worry about nursery staff turnover and consider moving DS?

[Worriedforson1]

This week we learned my DS's Keyworker at nursery is leaving. She has been there from the beginning and although it is a small business this will be staff number 5 or 6 leave his room now. He has been upset and nervous about going in and we are worried something bad is going on behind the scenes. Why are so many staff leaving? He is our first so we dont know if this is a reason to look at another nursery or usual for nurseries everywhere She is so lovely and has done so much to help him we are worried she is leaving like other staff because of problems we do not see. We are discussing moving him out to another setting - so many leaving is not a good sign, right? Wwyd?

I am a nursery owner. I have a single setting and I am term time only, Mon to Fri 9-3. Over the years I have had lots of turn over.

The vast majority is due to people starting out young then realising to get anywhere tou need money and 30h a week 39 weeks of the year just isn't going to cut it. Then I have the flip side. I have the slightly older staff who want hours that work around their children and school, then their children grow and workers can take on more hours.

My other problem is numbers. We are based in a deprived area so 95% of the children are funded by the local authority. I dont know where this leaves me year on year, some times term on term. I may have extra staff in if I have a SEN child some time more than one, when the child leaves, I may not have another with significant needs and I have not renew the staff members contract.

It is a very, very tough industry. We are expected to do more and more year on year. No one asks us if we can manage what they are expecting, especially with funded children. The checks they want, the learning journals, the paper work is huge, but the funding sometimes is just enough to cover the child at the setting, so pay is rubbish. I admit it.

Then there is the responsibility. I have taken so much from work home with me over the years, mentally and I know my staff do too. Some people just get to the point where they want a job where everything stays at the work place door. Which I get.

It could be a combination of many of these. I treat my staff the way I want a manager to treat me but there are places out there where you are just a number, especially chain settings, maybe there was a change in management, maybe new expectations are in place that the workers don't agree with. I know of setting where you are expected to take things how, where you are expected to do training and courses in your own time, where you are expect to be in work 15min before and 15min after and not be paid for it. This is.wring 100% but the childcare industry is on its knee, many setting have to rely on the good will of their works rightly or wrongly and not all agree, this is due to funding.

It may not be for the reasons of the quality of care, safety etc is why they are leaving, it could be so much more.

@CrazyCricketLady thank you for giving another view about this. I am selfish and when it comes down to it I just want my son to be happy and safe. I dont know what goes on behind closed doors but I always thought this staff member would be there for the foreseeable based on how happy, kind and experienced she is. Seems a shame to all of the babies not just my DS. It makes me sad as I do not know if he needs to leave there now. I cannot shake the feeling that if she is leaving then something horrible is happening. I have no proof just a horrible feeling in my stomach. I cannot directly ask her as she is monitored by staff and cameras so would not speak the truth anyway without getting into trouble. It is such a horrible feeling to sit with and it makes me want to move him.

If you go through with the change hopefully the new place is better. I don’t think there’s anything clearly wrong from what you’ve said other than turnover. Just because the woman seems happy doesn’t mean there’s something you’re not aware of going on. Some people are just cheerful people. Some people are good at putting on a smile. She may like working with children but got a better offer in terms of wages or hours.

I’ve experienced staff members leaving at the nursery my children go to. It can be sad if you like the person and they get on well with your child.

It does seem to happen in waves. I have had that in workplaces before too. I think people leaving makes others think of what they’re doing with their life. Like others say the conditions aren’t the best in the sector as a whole.

@Worriedforson1
You really need to go with your gut sweets, bottom line!

There are good and bad out there do what you think is right.