advise from CMs please - travel cot used as playpen, all day?

[voile]

Hi there,

I'm more of a frequent lurker here than a poster.

Would like help to make a decision - not sure if I am making a mountain out of a molehill!

Is it normal CM pratice for a dc to be put in a travel cot for large chunks of the day? Its came to my attention that this is happening every day my child is at the CM's house. He is often placed in it, sometimes along with another baby - similar age, approx 1year old - and spends much of the time he is indoors in it. Its like the cot is being used as a playpen which I've no prob with in principle for short periods e.g. if she is on the phone or has to nip upstairs etc but it seems my ds is not really getting the opportunity to crawl or move about a lot. Though he is going out in car to shops / school run etc so is not in the cot every hour of the day as such. But when he is not in the cot he seems to be in bouncy chair / sort of rocking car seat.

There are several other children there and possibly she is doing this to keep the small ones out of harms way - all the mindees are in a corner of the kitchen - not much space for them all at all - but part of me thinks it is just lazy and my dc is losing out on interaction and physical / mental development?

She was CM for my older child and up til now I've been happy with her but now her business has grown a lot and she has helpers some days and there seems to be more children there and its a bit crowded. My older dc says that she is "quite shouty" now as well and has shouted at my baby at least once, though my older dc is known for telling fibs at the moment so not sure what to believe. But I wonder if she just doesn't have the patience anymore.

Feel like taking dc out and finding an alternative or AIBU?

not normal practice

I totally get that it's useful for short periods of time, as you say

all children and babies especially need space in which to move freely without hindrance

I would be a bit hmm about being in bouncy rocker/car seat for prolonged periods too

If you don't get a reasonable explanation then yes, seek alternative care

NB shouty ain't that good either

I wouldn't be happy as a parent and doesn't found like appropriate or normal practice to me.

Thanks for your reponses. . you are confirming my gut feeling thanks x

good luck voile x

I would approach her about it... explain your feeling's and that your not sure about your older child's comment's.... do you not have a daily journal of your child's activities throughout the day.... a baby need's stimulation... If it is the case that your child is in a playpen for long period's of time i would be on the search for another CM FAST!!!!!!

Cm's are expected to give babies full range of the space that has been registered as their provision - babies are required to have more space per capita than toddlers and other children - the older the child the smaller the space required. This is so that the crawlers have the opportunity to move freely around and explore.

Your cm is required to deliver the EYFS - have a look on the web at what activities she should be providing for your dc and armed with this approach her about the play-pen travel cot issue.

Your CM will have had an interview with ofsted to prove that she was able to deliver the EYFS to all the children she cares for - CM is far more than 'watching over a child' these days - Ofsted would not have expanded her practice and given consent to changing her registration if she couldn't convince them that she knew what she was doing...

Shouty happens every now and then... If you notice her being shouty then you can bring this up with her. If your older dc repeatedly complains about CM being shouty and or your baby is not happy when you drop off and when you pick up then there is an issue.

Sounds to me as though a good CM has bitten off more than she can chew and is struggling.

I wouldn't be happy with this. I used to put DD1 in her travel cot for the odd 10-15 minutes to try and get some thing done. (she was a horror, started climbing the second your back was turned)

She hated it! I can't imagine a child wanting to stay there long.

Thanks for your thoughts.
starball ds is so docile I don't think he would complain I'm afraid. So that probably makes it easier for her to leave him there.

poppie I get told v little, other than how many dirty nappies he's had.

Nether that is really interesting...ds def not getting the chance to explore and it does feel like the children are being "watched over" rather than anything else. Yes, think she has bitten off more than she can chew.

Ok, am going to give notice, which feels really nerve - wracking to do, especially given I thought we had a good relationship. I'm really disappointed about the whole thing. I think I'm going to take the coward's way out though and not say why I'm giving notice!

Travel cots are for sleeping in only.
I wouldn't dream of putting a minded child in one for any other reason, except if I needed a rare emergency nip to the loo for a couple of minutes.
You say all the mindees are in the corner of the kitchen - are they allowed anywhere else?
If you check CM's Ofsted report, it will state which areas of her house are registered for minding, and she should be letting the children use all these areas.

malovitt is right - the CM should be displaying her certificate of registration where you can see it and it will state in which areas of the house she is registered to 'mind' the children. She may NOT mind in any other areas - but she is registered for the square metres that are named - which means she must make them available to the children and babies.

Have you considered going to the Early Years and Childcare Service to express your concerns? if you are determined to leave this CM you may find they are very helpful in finding a new CM who has a good reputation - many good CMs use their development team frequently and will be updating their knowledge and training...

I also wouldn't use a cot as a baby prison - cots are much smaller than playpens and I wouldn't even use a playpen. Sounds like bad practice to me, and also 'a corner of the kitchen' sounds like she's trying to make her life easier by corralling the children. I'd be inclined to make a fuss or move your baby.

I absolutely agree with the others, keeping babies/toddlers in play pens for long periods of time is very poor care/practice. And it does sound as if she's bitten off more than she can chew. But you do say you were happy with her until now so I think really, you should speak to her before giving notice. Could she be 'coralling' the small children in playpens and chairs just at pick up and drop off to keep them safe while the door is opening and closing? Could they actually spend the rest of the time playing on the floor? I think you should make sure you know what's really happening here, given that you had a good relationship.

thanks very much for further comments. Using phone so its hard to scroll up and respond individually.

But your comments are thought provoking Yes, read Ofsted report- 2 rooms are said to be provided, but my older child says they are not allowed in the other room, but they do get into the garden a lot.

Thanks for tip re Early Years team, will def look into that.

It is definitely very prolonged periods in the cot, and yes it does seem like they are being "corralled" in one corner, there really is no space to move about let alone play with toys.

Thank you for these further comments, they have helped me make my mind up. It would be easy to be swayed by my previous high regard for my CM but my children come first. I am going to give notice this evening, it is disappointing though.

Voile, I certainly would not be happy to have a baby or toddler in a travel cot for prolonged periods when they were not asleep, or indeed corralled in a corner of the kitchen. I too would be looking to move my little one somewhere more suitable for their development needs. Strategically speaking, though, you might want to line up a better alternative before giving notice (especially as things may turn sour once you do and you may not in practice want to see the notice period out.

However (being a bit pedantic I know) it is not true to say there is any obligation for a CM to routinely use all the areas registered for childcare. We have a very large house and all the rooms, upstairs and down, have been inspected and registered as areas suitable for childcare. But the total available area is several times the area required by law for minding the number of children I care for - I once worked out how many children I could have in theory (if floorspace was the only constraint) and I think it was about ninety! So in practice I can choose which rooms to use, and even use different rooms on different days, though I mainly tend to use the playroom for obvious reasons. The issue I think is whether she restricts them to using a smaller are than the law requires to be provided.

minder- I wasn't aware there was a minimum amount of space required by law. Do you know what size the space should be? I would say the space the children are in is about 2m by 2m max, poss more like 1.5 * 1.5m. But obv the bigger ones get into the garden. Incidentally it is the toy room they don't seem to be allowed in, well the younger ones anyway. The bigger ones, say age 8 plus can go in there, poss for peace and quiet I imagine. And yes, going to see a couple of CMs next week (but also thinking about a nursery as he enjoys company) and think will go for after school club for older dc. Not sure if we will last the notice period to be honest!

minder- have googled the space requirement. It something like 4.2 sq m per child under 2. for each child!

OP, I hope you have given notice and are looking elsewhere...

Alliwant- yes, notice given this evening at pick up. Said our circumstances had changed. Sad, but have to do best for dc.

Voile - yes that sounds about right. It was less than I was expecting, but to be fair, some families have a lot of children in a fairly small house, and it is supposed to be a home from home environment..

Minder- that is a lot more space than what the mindees have at my CM's house. I thought the official requirement sounds relatively reasonable, as you say to take into account house sizes etc. In this house they are all crammed in a space together that's really small, total size much smaller than the 4.2m for each child iyswim, so no wonder really the babies aren't allowed to crawl about. .
Thanks again for the wise words from all of you, it gave me lots to think about and lots of really useful info.

If that's really the case and she's penning them in then you should report your concerns to Ofsted.

I really wouldn't want to cause trouble by reporting to Ofsted. I actually feel guilty enough about giving notice as I think she genuinely does care about my dc . Am I even giving notice justifiably?? Possibly I'm making too much fuss as they only go a couple of days a week?

But I want to just pay notice and not send them back at all. WIBU to do this?. part of me feels guilty about cutting off the arrangement sharply like this, after all my family have known her for years etc, but I can't face sending them there again..but dh thinks it would be bad manners to not send them back, even just this week.

no, don't feel bad about withdrawing immediately

If you feel unable to report to Ofsted you can ring your local Early Years team at your LEA and inform them, they will be interested in hearing of poor practice and may take action that won't have the impact of a complaint to Ofsted

I'm glad you have given notice, but could I urge you to consider what other posters have said about the LA Early Years team and Ofsted?
By feeding back/making a complaint to them, you may well save other children from being on the receiving end of a less than high quality environment.

I totally understand why you hav given notice without telling your childminder why, but feedback may have helped her to improve her practice.
Not every parent will notice or have an older child to tell them what's going on, and it's for that reason I think you need to consider offering feedback to prevent other children having the same experience.

I hope you find another childminder that offers your children space to explore and play :)

I think you have done the right thing giving notice, i would only use a travel cot for a minute while i nipped the loo or answered the door or somehting. As a childminder i would really appreciate feedback, i understand you not wanting to say to her face but could you maybe send her a letter/email with your reasons for notice, she may not realise there is a problem and you could prompt her to make some changes.