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Original poster

Nursery: Children painting with no clothes on?

170 replies

Jzee · 20/11/2004 18:29

I'm pretty sure I heard this correctly, but it was mentioned to me recently that so as to stop the children's clothes getting covered in paint a nursery allows the children do painting naked. I don't know if this a regular thing, or perhaps they started off with nappies and knickers and ended up with nothing? I imagine the children find it fun, but personally I think it's a bit cold and a bit unusual. What are your opinions?

OP posts:
Stripymouse · 20/11/2004 20:19

Like to point out that these stringent checks are not so stringent. For a start, when a new member of staff is employed, the checks can take several weeks to be processsed - that is if the paperwork is all ok. Often the forms are filled in incorrectly by the applicant or the employer and take much longer. Also, Ofsted are slow to notice when the CRB checks have yet to be completed - as someone who has just overseen several of these forms etc. as I am committee officer in a playgroup, I am talking from very recent experience and not just a one off issue either. It is possible for dodgy people to work undetected - unlikely and extremely rare, but possible. Don?t be fooled by the "new stringent checks" rules - just not true. Not convinced they are that in depth either as mainly address based info and only goes back for a limited period of 5 years research.

Stripymouse · 20/11/2004 20:22

Hulababy - you are right. i do trust the staff to look after my DD and to take her to the toilet - but that doesn?t mean that I wouldn?t ever question their actions. Personally, stripping children down to pants or naked for a painting session in November is one of those situations that I would question and discuss directly with the staff as I would feel it unnecessary and inappropriate in a community village hall (obviously, don?t know the details about this nursery so would be different). Sure, trust them but not in blind faith thats all.

Slinky · 20/11/2004 20:22

If the CRB is not through, then nurseries/schools will NOT allow you to have unsupervised access to children.

Mine took 5 weeks to come through - in those 5 weeks, I was accompanied by another member of staff when taking a child to the toilet/changing nappy.

Hulababy · 20/11/2004 20:23

So what's the answer Stripymouse - to kepp my child by my side until she is of school age??? And then what? Chances are in reception and primary there are going to times when your child is changing in front of an adult - for PE, etc. Do you stop them from doing that too?

Even if I didn't work I would still choose to send my child to nursery - for my own sanity to start with.

In the two nurseries DD has been out new memebers of staff are not allowed to change babies/toddlers, etc. on their own until checks are through.

What about childminders? They are on their own with babies and toddlers? Should we be worried about that too?

But where does it all stop?

Slinky · 20/11/2004 20:24

And would like to point that most abuse against children is actually carried by a member of their family!

Hulababy · 20/11/2004 20:25

Surely most nurseries are in heated enclosed buildings /rooms, not drafty church halls - that'd be more like a playgroup?

Slinky · 20/11/2004 20:25

Oooh and I volunteer in the Reception classes during the week - two sessions include a PE class and help run the PE afterschool club - both involve helping kids getting dressed and undressed!

Hulababy · 20/11/2004 20:26

Sorry - this thread has started to really bug me now. Get so fed up with the stick nurseries get. yet the vast majority are great, and do wonders with the children they look after.

Slinky · 20/11/2004 20:27

Me too Hula!

Get mightly peed off myself!

misdee · 20/11/2004 20:27

oh dear, naked children painting, whatever is the world coming to .

dd1 nursery school asks that children are sent in in old clothes for painting, bit so many parents dont. i have heard kids getting a telling off at the nursery gates for coming home covered in paint/mud/water etc. dd1 did foot painting the other week, assumed she removed her trousers for this, or rolled them up. the paint here in their underware, they run about in the summer in swimsuits etc etc. There are no more paedophiles in the world (%wise to population) than b4, its just its more known about now. And ian huntly was a cartaker, not a trained professional working with kids. he slipped through the net so to speak because of nakme changes and loopholes etc. he should;ve been put away years ago for aleeping with underage girls but he never did.

mrsmiawallace · 20/11/2004 20:28

was NOT suggesting you or anyone else was like ian huntly!!!!
so no need to take offense.
i was trying to say that in my opinion someone in charge of a childrens group should not impose a naked paining seesion on children without speaking to parents first!
thankyou stripymouse, glad someone else understands that it is not 'normal' for this to go on without consent!
and i was not saying all childcarers are perverts, but it only takes one doesnt it?
just because they have a certificate, does that mean they will never let you down and that you can trust them with your most prescious possesion???
i have not pointed the finger at anyone on this board have i? i have used my own name, so am not a troll or causing trouble, but i am entitled to my own opinion as you are too!
and i think it is wrong.

mrsmiawallace · 20/11/2004 20:29

yes slinky, i was abused from the age of 3 till i was 12 by my father, so does that make it better becasue it wasnt at nursery???
i dont think so!

fisil · 20/11/2004 20:35

ds has had wonderful fun at nursery - once they had a huge piece of paper on the floor, were all dressed in just nappies and did whole body painting. Sounds great - if you can't do that when you're a toddler ...

On the one occasion we tried painting at home I had ds in just his nappies within minutes - in fact even I stripped off to carry him upstairs to pop him straight in the bath! If I was a SAHM I know I would do loads of activities like painting with him, which I would love, but it is also nice to think that he is getting the chance to do all these very very messy things along with other children (if I was a SAHM I'm pretty sure I'd never do messy play when other children were round) and with a huge range of resources, and with someone else's furnishings taking the bashing!

The only (minor) problem I ever had with nursery was when I'd forgotten to replace his change of clothes and I said "oh well, if he gets mucky he'll just run around in his nappy, won't he? That's how he always ends up at home." And they said no, they weren't allowed to. I thought that was a bit extreme - he's only a toddler, after all. But they pointed out that nursery has huge window walls, so I kind of understood. I think it's a bit sad that he misses out on the whole running around naked thing while he's at nursery, but it's a small consolation for what a fantastic time he's having (and we make up for it at home!)

lockets · 20/11/2004 20:36

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misdee · 20/11/2004 20:36

have also answered the door and my dd's have been startkers. they seem to dislike clothes at times.

mrsmiawallace · 20/11/2004 20:37

oh so because I.H slipped through the net, that means it will never happen again?
this is getting off the point, jzee asked if anyone else found naked painting in a nursery odd! well yes it is, i wasnt a dig at nursery workers, or childminders or what they do or dont do for the children they care for on a daily basis, she was asking if she wasnt the only one who would be alamed by this.
there are too many people taking this personally, when none of it was said that way!
stripymouse, has more in depth knowledge than i, however if she works in this environment and knows the system, then yes i would be worried the way she has described it!

Slinky · 20/11/2004 20:40

"So unnecessary to take off clothes that it makes you wonder about the motives, sick world that it is"

That's what I found most offensive!

lockets · 20/11/2004 20:41

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misdee · 20/11/2004 20:41

i also know the system. my sister is atrained nursery owrker,works for social services, runs after schools club, runs breakfast clubs etc etc, and i know how long it takes the reports to come thro. mistakes do happen no denying it, and those 2 girls paid for it with their lives, but cases like IH are very rare.

tbh we really need sarahs law to come into place.

mrsmiawallace · 20/11/2004 20:42

why would you find it offensive slinky, they didnt say it about you?
it was someones opinion, thats how they would feel, same as you would feel quite happy to let it happen?

dinny · 20/11/2004 20:42

Sure they can't be completely naked if not potty trained - how much wee and poo would the staff have to clear up. I wouldn't be happy if dd's nursery did this - not that they would.

Slinky · 20/11/2004 20:43

No they would have knickers/nappies on! Can you imagine the mess

mrsmiawallace · 20/11/2004 20:45

they may be rare, but i wouldnt take the risk.
yes when in school, you cant be with them 24/7 however certain procedures should have to be discussed with parents before they implement them and have the right to 'opt out' should we disagree with it.

CarrieG · 20/11/2004 20:45

Can the no nappies thing be right? I'd not be bothered about ds doing painting in his pants/nappy, but I'm not sure I'd want him to be skidding around in someone else's poo!

Slinky · 20/11/2004 20:45

No you're right, I am quite happy for my kids to take their clothes off at nursery.

I'm more worried about the bloke hanging around outside our school in a "lime green" car who has approached 2 kids already in the last fortnight!

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