How often do you get updated by the nursery?

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Kite22 · 03/09/2021 00:47

I suspect they consciously make a special effort for the first few days to help reassure parents when they first leave their little ones, and, once you have been leaving them for a few days, it falls into more of a routine.

When you say 'sent pictures' - by what means ? Were they printing them ? Or e-mailing them to you ? Or do you have one of the systems such as Tapestry where you can log on and have a look at things the staff upload ?

Also, how old is your little one? If Under two, then he will be in a staffing ration of 1 adult to 3 children, and also babies sleep more, so staff have more time, whereas if older, the ratios (and activeness of the dc) mean the staff have far less time to be uploading or printing or attaching pictures regularly.

Generally though, if a child is non verbal, you usually get more information (eg what they have eaten) in one form or another - there are so many different ways Nursery put this information out to parents though, not one 'correct' way.

Ultimately, they should do their best to find a level that works for both staff and parents though. Not having any communication for two weeks seems strange. Do you not ask when you collect ?

CelloYouveGotABass · 03/09/2021 03:19

Ours do a sort of collage each day on Facebook and we get a written report of what they’ve eaten, how they slept and what activities they did

Tumbleweed101 · 03/09/2021 07:09

The key person may be on holiday at this time of year. You may get an influx of photos next week when term starts again! I’ve been getting photos etc for colleagues who are away but not had time to upload them with my own to do.

StarfishDish · 03/09/2021 08:28

The first couple of weeks, we had 29 updates each day! That included photos, meals, toileting etc. Now, its about 10 but they did say that they'd be quieter phases as they start new babies settle in etc

Whinge · 03/09/2021 08:32

The past two weeks I haven't had any updates on what he's done, no pictures. Just what he's had for meals. I understand they are really busy but I just wondered if that is normal?

Not normal in my experience. Yes you usually get more updates in the first few days to help reassure you. However no updates for 2 weeks isn't great, I would expect updates / photos each week, especially if he's in every day. How often is he at nursery?

Shirleyphallus · 03/09/2021 08:35

We don’t get updates, our nursery has a no phones policy for their staff as they said the children would get really distracted by being photographed and the staff taking time to write up what they were doing, they’d rather focus on the children in the moment

We get a verbal update at the end of the day instead and occasional photos / artwork sent home etc

FuckingFlumps · 03/09/2021 08:40

The past two weeks I haven't had any updates on what he's done, no pictures. Just what he's had for meals. I understand they are really busy but I just wondered if that is normal?

Not normal at all and not encouraging that after only a few weeks of him being there they have stopped updating.

As others have said it's quite common to have more initially to reassure parents they are settling OK but I'd not be impressed at no updates at all. Even if his keyworker isn't there someone should be uploading some pictures or updates at least once a week especially if he is there full time.

I'm assuming they use an app or online system to show these updates so it's literally a case of add picture and add comment. Yes it's a pain to have to do extra if a colleague is away but to do nothing at all is pretty unusual.

MindyStClaire · 03/09/2021 08:41

We don't have an app, so in the baby room we get a handwritten book that lists food and sleep and a few sentences about what they've gotten up to that day. There are occasional photos, but I've noticed some staff are much more likely to send photos home than others.

In toddlers (2+) and preschool (3+) it's just a verbal update and I'm not sure we've had any photos.

We're happy with the level of information we get and very happy with the level of care. Our daughters (3 and 1) eat and sleep well at nursery and the staff notice when they don't do what's usual for them. If you're happy with the care I wouldn't worry about the updates - better for the staff to be spending the time caring for the children.

LakeShoreD · 03/09/2021 08:46

How old is the child and what type of nursery is it? If he’s 3 and half in a school nursery then I would say that’s to be expected but if he’s a baby then absolutely not ok.

Original poster

Ames19 · 03/09/2021 09:26

Thanks everyone!

He's 2.5. It's all on an app. I don't even get updates of what he's had for breakfast anymore. Just get snack and lunch time. No update on nappy changes either. He's recently had to up his dose of movicol so sent him into nursery with it and they keep forgetting to give him in when he's there.

His key worker came out with him yesterday and I was asking her how he has been? What he's been up to? But she said she hasn't been in the room today so she wasn't sure!

He doesn't talk much yet, waiting for speech therapy so he can't tell me what he's been up to whilst he's there. Well he says choo choo and car so assuming that's what he's been playing with.

I do understand they are busy but I would like to know what he's doing through the day!

OP posts:

FuckingFlumps · 03/09/2021 09:33

Honestly from your update they really wouldn't be instilling me with confidence.

All the things they are not doing are quite basic such as giving medication, someone handing over who can at least verbally tell you about his day and tracking what he has eaten.

I know it might not be possible but if there was any way of putting him into other childcare I would be looking to move him ASAP. Your expectations are not unreasonable.

Whinge · 03/09/2021 09:35

@Ames19

Thanks everyone!

He's 2.5. It's all on an app. I don't even get updates of what he's had for breakfast anymore. Just get snack and lunch time. No update on nappy changes either. He's recently had to up his dose of movicol so sent him into nursery with it and they keep forgetting to give him in when he's there.

His key worker came out with him yesterday and I was asking her how he has been? What he's been up to? But she said she hasn't been in the room today so she wasn't sure!

He doesn't talk much yet, waiting for speech therapy so he can't tell me what he's been up to whilst he's there. Well he says choo choo and car so assuming that's what he's been playing with.

I do understand they are busy but I would like to know what he's doing through the day!

Wow that's shocking.

You should be getting basic information like what he's eaten and nappy changes daily. As for forgetting to give him movical, that's just not acceptable, and I would be having a word with the management.

Please don't write this off as they're busy. They're not providing basic care information and forgetting medicine, there's no excuse for this.

JennaPenna · 03/09/2021 09:39

We have the Tapestry app for pics and get a report on paper handed to us everyday with everything on, food, nappies, sleeps, what they've been up to.
You should deffo bring this up, not sure how they think you not knowing what he's had, been doing is acceptable.

MindyStClaire · 03/09/2021 10:04

I would be very unhappy about the medication, and the key worker should be able to quickly check what happened in that room that day if she was elsewhere. If he's on movicol I assume you need to know what's happening with nappies even more than most (no personal experience). Doesn't sound overly impressive. Apart from anything else, if you're worried about speech surely it would be good for him if you could talk to him about his day - not that you need huge detail, but we always chat "did you enjoy playing in the garden? What did you see on your walk?" etc.

Whitewolf2 · 03/09/2021 10:14

Yeah agree that’s not good at all. I’d ask to speak to someone more senior if they keep forgetting medication. They should have a way of tracking this. We have an app and get photo updates at least once a week (for the 3 days at nursery). At pick up we always get a run down of what they’ve been doing, eaten, naps etc.

Original poster

Ames19 · 03/09/2021 11:25

@MindyStClaire I do ask him about his day and talk to him about nursery once I've picked him up. I'll ask him if he's had a nice day? What he's been doing? Has he been out in the garden? What he's been playing with? But as he doesn't speak much all I get is choo choo and pink car. If I ask him a question he says yes but he says yes to everything so it's hard at the moment.

We've got an 8-12 month wait for speech therapy. Looking to go private. Nursery are aware of this and have said once he's settled in more they will do a 2 year review and help with his speech.

It's just hard at the minute with him not talking 😩

OP posts:

FuckingFlumps · 03/09/2021 11:30

We've got an 8-12 month wait for speech therapy. Looking to go private. Nursery are aware of this and have said once he's settled in more they will do a 2 year review and help with his speech.

Honestly I wouldn't expect this to come to fruition. If they cannot even give him medication or tell you when he was changed or what he ate I wouldn't bank on them doing extras to help him. I'd look to go private so you're not left waiting for them to do the review.

Is there no other childcare places available that he could move to? He's still got a few years before school so plenty of time to settle somewhere new. Personally I'd want him somewhere I could totally trust.

MindyStClaire · 03/09/2021 11:30

Oh sorry, I didn't mean for a second to imply that you don't talk to him! Just that it's much easier if you have a broad "morning out for a walk to the beach, afternoon in the garden on the bikes" idea of what he did so you can actually have something to say that relates to his day. If that makes any sense!

Ohsoquiiieeetttttt454333 · 03/09/2021 11:35

If they’ve got an app I’d expect daily updates, email the nursery - oh just concerned our ap isn’t working as we’ve not anything on it for two weeks…, chase up the 2 year review and ask for a meeting with their SEN lead re SLT

UndertheCedartree · 03/09/2021 11:37

At my DD's nursery we had a book that was written in twice per day.

girlmom21 · 03/09/2021 11:42

We have the tapestry app but don't get daily updates - more like 3 times a month. But one of the room staff come out with DD every day and tell us about her meals, toileting and daily activities.

It seems strange that there's no communication at all!

Kite22 · 03/09/2021 18:33

I wouldn't be expecting staff to do the two year review with a child who has only started attending within the last month.
Some children take that long (or longer) to get used to the whole new experience of being at Nursery.

Agree with others though about the medicine, and, whilst that is an issue, a report on nappies.
I wouldn't worry too much about detail of breakfast - I mean, how much can people say about it? There is an element of letting them get on with it when your dc are cared for by others.

RightSaidPleb · 03/09/2021 18:39

We have the Famly app and after an initial flurry when my DS started, it did dwindle.

As it was a key 'sell in' to the nursery I did complain and it's since got a lot better

I get all meals, snacks, nappy changes and nap times. Plus some photos on what they're doing most days

I did used to get specifics for my son on areas he had shown interests on and ideas to work on at home but that's probably more like once a month now

I'd be raising it with management, especially in light of the medication

FTEngineerM · 03/09/2021 18:42

That’s not cool.
We noticed a difference in cute photos of him playing after a few weeks but still get every thing that touches his lips and exits his body. And if we ask they send one as soon as they read it.

Whinge · 03/09/2021 18:57

@FuckingFlumps

We've got an 8-12 month wait for speech therapy. Looking to go private. Nursery are aware of this and have said once he's settled in more they will do a 2 year review and help with his speech.

Honestly I wouldn't expect this to come to fruition. If they cannot even give him medication or tell you when he was changed or what he ate I wouldn't bank on them doing extras to help him. I'd look to go private so you're not left waiting for them to do the review.

Is there no other childcare places available that he could move to? He's still got a few years before school so plenty of time to settle somewhere new. Personally I'd want him somewhere I could totally trust.

This poster raises a good point about additional support, and if it will actually happen. Think back OP, what did they say when the mentioned the app, and updates? Did they say you'd get regular updates, photos, information about food, sleep, nappy changes etc. I bet they did, yet look at what they're actually providing...

I think a chat with management is needed, and if it continues then another childcare option might be the way forward.