Do Nurseries need a regulator?

[mairmaid]

The snow falls and nursery closes or reduces opening hours.

How does this impact our job security as parents?

How much do our employers lose out because of our absence unpaid or otherwise?

Is this a responsible way to operate a nursery particularly in the current economic climate?

How sustainable is it?

Is there a rebate - not a chance?

I do not expect nursery staff to come to work when it is unsafe. However when the municipal bus service is still running and most nursery employees live within the city, why is the nurery closed? Then when it does open it operates from 8.15am to 4pm? Is this some sort of sham for providing a service?

Nursery tell me they are working on skeleton staff, that there can be no rebate because they couldn't manage their business in that way. How do they expect my employer and their future sustainability to manage.

A lot of us are paying for nursery places when our children are not in nursery for a variety of reasons because we don't have any other choice. (Retainers, Nursery acquired infections, maternity leave extension etc.)We cannot simply change to another nursery because DC happiness is important and places aren't that easily available.

When fees go up (and orur salaries stay the same) we are powerless to do anything. It is more like a cartell than a private child- care provision service.

It seems the main priority again is the business investor rather than the customer. Without us customers there is no business. As customers, do we have a voice? Can we start something here to redress the balance?

It sounds like you've got a crappy nursery tbh

Our nursery has never closed due to snow. They did close due to flooding once but didn't charge us. They are open 7 til 6. They are flexible with negotiating holiday breaks etc.

it's not about 'nurseries', it's about your nursery.

wrt payment, they have to pay their staff and run as a business. What are you suggesting?

as customers, you do have a voice: you can change nursery. that hits them in the pocket.

ofsted regulates nurseries for quality.
the competition commission regulates uk businesses for cartel behaviour

Most nurseries operate a high quality business. yes BUSINESS.
They will do the upmost to provide good care and service to children and parents.
I take umbrage with you., had a very trying week endeavouring to keep my nursery open for little thanks!
Had to close on Wed first time ever!!
as only 2 staff made it in (we're out in the sticks)

But you don't have to use a nursery. Are you surprised that they are run as a business? How niave.

We have strict legal staff child ratios to adhere to. If staff can't get to work for very good reasons (no transport and can't walk) then we can't operate a usual service as we would be breaking the law and putting our childrens welfare at risk. We are businesses trying to operate in very difficult circumstances. I will hazzard a guess that every business in the uk has been hit by staff absence during this snow but most other businesses do not have to operate within legally required ratios.
Those staff members who could walk to work were well prepared leaving very early in the morning but not all of our staff live locally and we would be charged with discrimination under the current laws if we turned a suitable candidate away because of where they lived! I suggest to parents whose nurseries have had to close to trust their judgement or choose a nursery with a good repuatation so you can trust their decisions and would only close if they had no staff to operate the setting legally and safely.

mmm have just discovered the nursery a mile away in the same city was operating normal opening hours whilst mine was closing 2 and a quarter hours early. I travel 10 miles across the city and then another 50m beyond to a rural office (2h at 30mph - Its been a long week, sorting alternative childcare each day). Reports from other local nurseries suggest that absence of children left very high staff:child ratios. When other nurseries are open and I can travel a long way to work its really frustrating that the large city nursery that DS attends closes so early.

I work in a small business where cutomers pay when they are provided with a service. If we don't deliver we don't get paid. Am I naive to think that it isn't ok for nurseries, as businesses, to ask us to pay for a service in advance and then fail to deliver?

It's the same when they start school I'm afraid. Every school in my area was closed for 2/3 days last week!

Mairmade - as said, if you don't trust your nursery and if you feel they closed for other reasons then I suggest you choose another nursery. You are correct that most nurseries received less children during the snow but ofsted require qualified staff ratios and a named person in charge and also, as in our nursery, we have a chef preparing meals. If any one of these conditions is broken it makes it very difficult and illegal is most situations to operate normally. Nurseries unfortnately are the biggest bearers of red tape and legislation. Show me another business (apart from schools - which all closed in our area whilst we remained open may I add) that has the same level of government interference. Believe it or not we are just like the small business you work for - we are in business to serve our customers but our customers are children and there are legal, welfare and ofsted guidelines we must follow. As a business do you think we would just close our doors to our paying customers unless there was good reason? I reiterate. It is of vital importance that parents trust their nursery and if they don't then choose another.