Please can I ask your advice on the way nursery handled contacting us today regarding our son?

[mumatuks]

Hi, I've got a bit het up about this and now I have investigated the important part I'd like to see what others think.
DS1 who is nearly 3, attends a nursery 2 days a week. So far we are very happy with the care he receives. However, today the nursery were informed that a child who attends is suspected of having meningococcal infection. Because of this all the parents were contacted at around 12.00. We were out at 12.30 when they rang. The number that was on the 1471 was different to that of the nursery phone number you ring in on, and secondly, despite having both DH's and my mobile numbers they did not try to ring us on them. When I picked DS up at about 4.45pm there was no manageress present. It was a nursery nurse, who I feel it shouldn't have had the responsibility of telling us. I really would've preffered the manageress to be there, purely because that's why she had that posistion, she is in charge. They have given us a letter explaning the situation and with advice about meningitis , but I feel let down on the contacting us part. Should I complain? I certainly don't want to get the nursery nurses in trouble, I used to be one before having my own children and I understand how underpaid and over worked they are, but I want the nursery to promise they will try harder to contact us next time, and also have a more senior member of staff on duty to deal with parents.

Thanks very much for your help. I've been away from MN for a few months now, but it was the first place I thought of for some sound advice!

I wouldn't be very happy about that, you can be sure they would have used your mobile if your DS had had an accident.

I wouldn't mind, but we only missed them by 10 minutes.

not really sure what the problem is. the manageress can't be there all the time and they did inform you quickly and with a decent amount of info. It wasn't imperative that you knew straight away.

I would check they actually have your mobile no though.

Depends with what urgency they needed to get hold of you. If it was a precautionary message then it could well have been someone ringing around a lot of parents, using a different line , so as not to clog up their incoming number, but they may have many calls to make and wodner hwo amny times they tried. If it was a matter of urgency then they should have made more effort to speak to you direct on your mobile(s). Either way I would have expected someone in authority to be available to speak to you when you picked up, indeed making a point of doing so as they knew they had not previously made contact, and answer any questions.

Complain but couch it in terms of you wanting to reassure yourself that they can and will contact you in an emergency situation and have all your numbers to hand.

If it was an emergency with your own child, I'd be furious. But given it's actually about another child – albeit with a risk that the infection might affect others – I wouldn't be so forthright. I would remind them, firmly, that they have your mobile numbers and you expect them to try all your contact numbers if they need to get hold of you. But Waswondering could be right about them being on the phone to parents all afternoon.

Hi, thanks for all replies so far, the nursery isn't big like the size of some of the big chain groups, and I'm not sure on exact figures so I wouldn't like to quote. As for the manageress she was not there. I'm not sure why, she was there this morning when DS was dropped off. (I know she could've had a early shift or a afternoon off) The NN was very helpful, they all were, as well as handing out the sheet of information. They have said it is up to me whether DS attends on Friday or not and I'm welcome to ring before hand to ask for an update on the situation. I will be checking as soon as he goes back, just what contact numbers they have for us. As it stands, they should have home, 2 mobiles and DH work number.
DS is fine and I hope the other little one is well again soon, my worry must seem trivial to what his / her parents are going through.

I honestly don't see the problem. They behaved properly. Is your reaction one of fear? Would you have wanted to know that instant so you could rush round and remove DS from nursery? I expect they were working down a list making notes of leaving messages, then moving on to the next person etc to get to everyone. If they had to do the same for everyone then they'd have to make 3 phone calls for every one child which would mean that a lot of people wouldn't be reached if you think about the time it would take.

i dont see the prob wither

I'm seeeing what you are all saying, and it's exactly why I asked your opinons. I must say though, DS was one of only 5 children left when I went at 4.45, so even if I had gone there at lunch time, I wouldn't have been the only parent to be doing so! It obviously put alot of fear in to every parent there.

no, I don't see the problem- another child may have meningitis. Yours isn't ill- there's no hurry to pick him up, and if your child only attends 2 days a week, he may not even have been in contact with the ill child during the infectious period.

I don't see why a manageress should ahve been there, either, if all the information was on a printed sheet.

Let things settle a little and then tell them that in future you'd like them to contact you on your mobile.

When my LO had meningitis at 6 months the only ones who had to have antibitic cover were me,DH and DS1 and 2.In other words those in intimate regular contact.Not grandparents or friends or Mrs.Nosy up the road who waves every morning.
Is that what you are worrying about?

I'm not worried he has picked up the infection, but I'm more concerned that they only tried to contact us on one option of the home phone. I would've hoped that they had tried at least one of the mobiles. Just going back to the point of worrying about DS picking up the infection, yes I suspose I am worried he could get it, I don't think I'd be a decent mother if I wasn't worried. I do however understand that the risk is very low.

Given the emergency level and danger to your child I think they were ok tbh

I think you are overreacting personally - it is time consuming and expensive to ring parents on three dfferent numbers. I think (hope) they would make more effort to contact you in an emenergency - this was not! The manageress could have been out on a course/ dealing with her own family emergency/ at a docotrs appoitment - but I do agree it was prehaps an oversight on their behalf not to have a senior NN present = prehaps they have never had a suitation like this before!

ok,I just didn't want you sitting there worrying yourself to a frazzle when you don't need to.

i would have been really angry about this. I think if they consider a matter serious enough to inform you prior to you collecting your child then they have an obligation to take reasonable steps to convey that information to you at atht time - IMO that means utilising ALL the contact numbers they have for you.

In respect of the manager not being there that would not have bothered me - she cannot be everywhere and speak to everyone.

I think you're over-reacting. They tried you at home, probably didn't want to disturb you by using your mobile, your child isn't in any immediate danger or has had an accident. The manageress was probably just trying to take the load off the nursery nurses at busy picking up time by calling parents in the day and letting them know the situation if they were available.

Agree with vitomum.

I don't think you are over-reacting. I would definatly want to know about this and I would have come to pick mine up from nursery with blue lights on. They should have tried all your numbers, especially your mobile as surely you are more likely to reach people on their mobiles? I don't think it would have mattered to me if the manager was there or not though.

Agree with Fairymum.

Yup, i dont see a problem really.

Must be a bit of a scare for you though.

The manager or deputy should have been around, even if their shift had finished then they should have stayed on to reassure parents, they were prob. doing paperwork somewhere as it is unusual not to have a member of managment around.
You are always in your right to ask to see Manager, and also once the dust has settled maybe you could ask about if they have all your correct numbers etc.

Hiya Mumatuks, I've been wondering how you are and meaning to email you for ages!

Sorry to hear you've had this worry - I think they'd probably have used your mobile if it was anything more urgent but wouldn't hurt to remind them that they have it for future reference maybe?