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Original poster

Pre-school parent rota - charging parents for no-shows

117 replies

ponygirl · 05/01/2006 20:29

Our pre-school has just (re-)introduced a parent rota system and we have instituted a fine for parents who do not show up for their rota-ed sessions. Our understanding was that other pre-schools operate this system, but a parent has rung our chair today and claimed we are breaking the law.

Does anyone know where we stand on this?

OP posts:

lockets · 05/01/2006 21:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

paolosgirl · 05/01/2006 21:20

Chatee - our Rainbows and Beavers have the same thing, which is brilliant. Sadly though, there are 2 mothers who refuse to help, so the group has been cancelled .

At the last Beavers when they were asking for volunteers for the term, there were only about 3 volunteers (inc. DH) out of about 15 who volunteered - the rest stared at the floor. Luckily, our Beaver leader is very persuasive

hercules · 05/01/2006 21:21

That's great you can get leave, I cant.

soapbox · 05/01/2006 21:22

Hee hee - your beaver lady must be a bugger{grin]

paolosgirl · 05/01/2006 21:23

Lockets - there's a difference between needing voulnteers in order for the group to run eg our ainbows/Beavers, and parents coming along if they feel like it

PeachyClair · 05/01/2006 21:23

I didn't have to check my Rainbow helpers if only occasional, in fact i didn't have the facillities to. That was as current as June

hercules · 05/01/2006 21:24

I thought anyone working with children now had to be checked regardless of being left alone.

paolosgirl · 05/01/2006 21:24

Can't you book leave in advance, Hercules?

Our Beaver leader is called Brown Beaver. DH still finds that hysterical

chatee · 05/01/2006 21:24

rainbows helpers= if they are helping on more than 3 occasions per year then yes they have to be crb checked....even if they are not having unsupervised access....

paolosgirl · 05/01/2006 21:25

Nope - occasional helpers don't need checked, but for insurance purposes, parent helpers can't be left alone.

hercules · 05/01/2006 21:25

No. I'm a teacher so have no choice in the matter. WHen I'm on holiday so are the kids!

paolosgirl · 05/01/2006 21:26

No - I meant for evening things like Beavers etc.

PeachyClair · 05/01/2006 21:27

Sorry- recruit from people who want to volunteer?

I don't know Paolosgirl or anything about her BUT I used to work for volunteer organisations (macmillan cancer Relief and Home Start to be specific). Recruitment is a NIGHTMARE! Everyone has a reason, and everyone's reason is valid. Genuinely valid, too. Most of us who do volunteer for Rainbows (as Is aid, I used to be a Guider until I moved) find it a nightmare but do it anyway.

We had a waiting list of thrity famillies in mys ection alone at Home STart because no-one wanted to volunteer.

PeachyClair · 05/01/2006 21:28

That must be a new thing about Rainbow hewlpers then, when I was there they hadn't even gotten rounfd to checking some of the older leaders (new ones checked as they come in), my assistant had been there for 12 years, was checked in may.

hercules · 05/01/2006 21:28

I have a toddler.

lockets · 05/01/2006 21:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

rummum · 05/01/2006 21:30

ORDER... ORDER..

Ladies... get a grip...

Don't forget we are talking about pre-school and not a Day nursery

I think you've all scared poor ponygirl off!!

I know of several pre-schools that do this, and the parents are not left on their own with the children.. or end up running the session!!.

I think it would be a good idea for all the parents to get to know what their child does during the session..
I'm sure all MN know ..
who their childs key worker is..
do their children recognise their drinks when the mums forget to put their names on it!
Do the children drink out of a CUP or their drink bottle...
how is their childs 2 and a half hours structured...

I think the parents would probably only be needed once every term...
3 times a year...
7 and a half hours..
thats not too much is it??

hercules · 05/01/2006 21:31

but rummumm, if you cant help,you cant help.

PeachyClair · 05/01/2006 21:31

Exactly rummum

And also, not every mum lives in an area where there is a choice of pre-school or has transport to get her to an alternative

paolosgirl · 05/01/2006 21:31

Peachy - helping out at Beavers and Rainbows is a bloody nightmare for me, as they are both on the same evenings. I know in advance when my turn is coming up, and I have to take my son to Rainbows while I help out there, and then vice versa. It's hard going, but I do it because I don't want to let anyone down, and I don't want my ds or dh to lose out.

paolosgirl · 05/01/2006 21:33

Well said, rummum. It's ONCE IN A BLUE MOON, for heavens sake.

spacecadet · 05/01/2006 21:34

I was chair of my local pre-school until i had dd, then stepped down to become a normal committee member and they had and still have a parent helper rota. In the welcome pack it was stated that a avoluntary rota was operated but that it was voluntary, no one can be forced to do it if they dont want to,parents were asked if they were happy to help and only put on the rota if they agreed but tbh everyone seems more than happy to help when its their turn and in fact one mum loved it so much that when we needed a new assistant, we gave her the job! parent helpers arent allowed to be unsupervised with the children and musnt go into the toilet area etc. I dont agree with fining though, I personally would not send my child to apre-school where you could be fined for not helping, parents should not be pressurised in that way, after all voluntary means just that.

rummum · 05/01/2006 21:34

If you can't help... you can put a donation in the pre-school charity box [read fine]

spacecadet · 05/01/2006 21:36

i would like to add though that i thourougly enjoyed the times i helped out when ds was at pre-school as it gave me a good oppurtunity to see what he was doing.

PeachyClair · 05/01/2006 21:36

You're actually lucky- technically, we weren't allowed to accept mums with siblings into the building. I actually left my Unit because no mums would help, they'd dump their kids at the end of the road (seriously) and on several occasions I was sat there with 16 girls and no adults (who had agreed) which is way against regs, and if I had been caught wouldn't have done my prospective teaching career any good either! I used to drive 40 miles to cover it, as well.

And of course, they're lucky to have you volunteering too. I miss my Rainbows (the girls, not the blinkin set up!). I have a kids drama thing going now but it's a family venture and it's a n-parents-no-kids-deal. guess who gets left with the kids while the aprents work on props tho..

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