to be concerned about my daycare

[CheerfulYank]

So, my daycare lady's lovely- very warm, friendly, loves DS and he loves her, etc.

But. I am becoming a bit concerned about the children being improperly supervised outside. She has a large, fenced-in yard in the back. (She also lets them play in the front so they can bike on the sidewalk, etc, but as it's not fenced in she's always with them.) When they are in the back, though, occasionally she's in the house doing other things (laundry, putting the tiny ones down for a nap, etc.) I am fine with this for the most part and she has very large windows facing the back so that she can see them if she's there, also there are often older children (8 or 9) who sort of keep an eye on things for a few minutes if need be. (I worked at a childcare center myself for quite awhile and I remember the hysterical parents who never ever wanted an eye off their children for a single second, which is unrealistic obviously.) However, the other day DS and I went by to give her something (I work at a school and it's summer vacation now, so he will only be there one day a week instead of 5) and I opened the gate, walked into the backyard and up to the house without any of the children really noticing. If I'd wanted to, I could have easily taken one of the little ones, popped them in my car and been gone before anyone realized. When I went into the house I had to call the minder's name a few times before she even realized I was there- I think she'd been cleaning the bathroom or something.

It made me feel really uneasy. I am definitely not one of those, "there's a pedophile around every corner" types, and for the most part I'm hands-off when it comes to DS. But still, it seems if there were someone bad lurking about, a daycare would be one of the first places they'd look, and the fact that I could just walk up with no one noticing made me . What should I say to her?

Totally unacceptable to be off cleaning her bathroom while she's being paid to care for children.

I would be very concerned.

I would have been really worried about that situation, not on in my opinion!

is this a childminder setting?

I think not being in hearing distance and in a situation where anyone could have access to the yard and the children is totally unacceptable

i think you hvae to say you are worred about the lack of security. and see what she says

if you feel your children are not safe there, then look for an alternative

it would not be hard for her to havea lock on the gate or a bolt, to stop anyone opening up and walking in

agree with violet. If the kids aren't secure in the garden (i.e behind a high wall/fence and locked gate) then she should be supervising them at all times IMO........and certainly not cleaning the bathroom! What if one of them fell and hurt themselves? Or worse, what if one of them got out of the garden into the street?

I think you need to raise your concerns with her (not in a confrintational way). Just say "I was a bit concerned the other day when I was able to walk past all the children and into the house......etc etc"

At the very least the garden gate should be locked so someone can't just walk in off the street.

While she's looking after the children they should be within her sight, or at very least hearing, wherever reasonably possible - obviously she has to go to the loo or put a baby down for a nap sometimes but cleaning the bathroom isn't reasonable. I take it you're not in the UK? Here Ofsted has clear guidelines for childminders on supervision of the children they care for, and I don't think this would be acceptable.

YANBU

i would just about be okayw ith a CM washing up or doing something in the kitchen directly overlooking garden - as I would do at home. But not for extended periods and not somwehere she cannot see or hear the garden.

She is being paidf to care for your child, not to clean her bathroom!

Good, I was worried I was going to get a bunch of "you can't wrap a child in cotton wool" responses.

Yes, like gingernut I am fine with her doing something directly looking over the children, washing up or whatever. I would be ok with her cleaning the bathroom, actually, if the children were playing in the next room, but not outside. Too much could happen! I will have to have a word with her, which I hate. But obviously will do as it is DS's safety at risk.

Just popping in to say hi to CY. Been a bit busy...

I would find out if she was cleaning the bathroom for a reason.. Such as due to a massive bowel explosion.. if she only has one loo it might have been imortant to sort out asap for hygene reasons.

If that is the case I would then explain to her if any more emergencies happen you would prefer she being the kids inside. If she was just inside washine her bathroom and not bothering with the children... I would be really

Because as unlikely as it is that someone is going to just wander in and steal a child..it must be possible for one of the 8 or 9 year olds to just pop outside, say after a lost ball over the gate etc.

YANBU

anyone can get into her garden and she wouldnt know

sure ofsted would take a VER dim view of this tbh

you need to say something to her now!!!

yanbu, its not on, really not

start to look elsewhere and I cant see her changing her ways TBH

My old childminder had a similarly less than perfectly secure garden -- I didn't have a problem with it and wouldn't have a problem with this situation either, not unless she has small toddlers who would run into the road if the gate was left open by an older child (this is an ongoing difficult situation with our own garden).

But if you are still worried I can't see why you can't ask her just to put a more secure latch on the inside of the gate. It doesn't read to me like (in OP) that CM would be adverse to the suggestion.