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Nurseries

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Original poster

Kicked out of nursery

48 replies

billericaymumtobe · 22/07/2022 06:48

Hi,

miso my nursery announced on Sunday that they will close at some point on Monday and Tuesday leaving me with a difficult situation due to struggling to take time off work at such short notice. They also said that no fees would be refunded as it was outside of their control. I posted on local fb group saying that I wasn’t happy with the decision and asked parents of children in other nurseries that they thought. I sent an email to the nursery but didn’t get a reply so sent another one saying I was unhappy with the policy and short notice and asking for an apology. Now the nursery owner wants to kick my daughter out saying that my post damaged her nursery’s reputation.
Does anyone know if they can do that? It’s clearly an overreaction from their side as I’m happy with the nursery and staff and just disagreed with a policy. I’m very upset and don’t know what to do. Doesn’t look like the owner will change her mind.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

StClare101 · 22/07/2022 07:33

Hardly a surprising decision by the nursery. Absolute stupidity to blast a service online that you still want to use!

ladydimitrescu · 22/07/2022 07:37

They were well within their right to close, the local health authority would have definitely been involved in that decision also. The late notice wasn't avoidable, it was an unprecedented freak heatwave.
You aren't entitled to money, they still need to pay staffs wages, and if you check the terms and conditions I'm confident there will be a clause explaining this.
They are also perfectly reasonable asking you to leave if you're slagging them off online - why on earth would you do that if you planned on taking her back? They certainly don't owe you an apology and I can't believe you asked!
Lesson learned on your part. Slating businesses or individuals on social media rarely ends well.

Mariposista · 22/07/2022 07:40

I completely agree that they should not have closed and left parents stranded but if you slag them off on a public forum and whip up opinions, I’m not surprised they want nothing more to do with you.

Thegreatestshowoff · 22/07/2022 07:43

I agree with you, OP! Loads of nurseries close to us stayed open, as did schools. There were pictures all over of the kids enjoying water play and eating ices and so on. If the provider chose to close, didn’t give adequate notice to parents etc. then they need to refund. Nothing wrong with a bit of social media so long as what you said is true. Surely the whole point of paying for nursery is so that you can work? OP has paid for nursery and then cared for her own child…

butterflied · 22/07/2022 07:45

I don't understand why you're surprised. You badmouthed them on social media and decide you're owed an apology?

Nope. I would have done the same as them.

Ostryga · 22/07/2022 07:55

God what a lot of drama over nothing. As a parent you should expect to have to sort work out etc at short notice as that is the nature of having kids.

Badmouthing a business over social media is incredibly immature. If you have a grievance raise it with the nursery manager and go from there. I’d kick you out as well tbh.

At the end of the day it’s your child who loses out here. I would delete the post, and in a mature manner speak to the nursery manager, apologise and grovel. But I wouldn’t be surprised if it doesn’t work.

TooHotToTangoToo · 22/07/2022 07:56

You'll find it's exactly the same at school op, my dd school closed on Tuesday, due to the weather, they told us at 6pm the day before.

As for fees, I can under your frustration, however it really is out of their control and other than food (which they probably had to pay for anyway), their expenses are the same.

As for slagging them off via sm, can you not see how that might upset them, especially if it's a privately run nursery? It's out if their control, they closed to keep staff and children safe and they have a parent slagging them off on sm. if I was the owner I'd be more than a little upset.

With a privately run establishment, they can pick and choose who to do business with, and if they don't want to do business with you due to your behaviour they don't have to.

Maybe speak to people in private before launching into confrontation publicly in the future

Glitteratitar · 22/07/2022 08:06

So you complained about them on Facebook and then you emailed them demanding an apology. An apology for what? Would you rather they stayed open and you sent your child to a place that wasn’t equipped for such hot weather?

midsomermurderess · 22/07/2022 08:10

Posting on Facebook, that sounds malicious. You did that before talking about it with them, no wonder they are done with you.

Meklk · 22/07/2022 08:12

I'm surprised tbh. Our nursery is doing the same and I'm MAD because I'm feeling sick to ask unpaid/holidays every second week.
First, they should explain what's happened.
Second, give refund.
Just one question - is your nursery name starts from "A"? Because I'm not in the same situation.

Whinge · 22/07/2022 08:18

Our nursery is doing the same and I'm MAD because I'm feeling sick to ask unpaid/holidays every second week.

Why is your nursery is closing every other week? The Op said 2 days; Monday and Tuesday, which presumably refers to the 2 days of extreme heat we've just had.

Hellocatshome · 22/07/2022 08:21

Meklk · 22/07/2022 08:12

If your nursery is shutting every second week that is an entirely different matter to OPs nursery shutting for a 2 day unprecedented heat wave. If your nursery is really shutting at short notice every second week then find another one.

Motheranddaughtertotwo · 22/07/2022 08:24

You come across as malicious and petty. We all struggle with childcare situations, it’s part and parcel of being a parent. I can understand your frustration but an apology would not have solved your childcare problem so I don’t see the point.

cantcomplainabouttheweather · 22/07/2022 08:36

I would have checked the T&Cs before running to social media and demanding an apology

It's pretty crap they closed and didn't offer a refund but at the end of the day they would still have to pay their staff during that time and the decision would have been made for safety reasons - very few public buildings in the UK have air conditioning. At home your child could run around in their pants or even naked to keep cool - they can't do that at nursery plus more bodies in a room just make it hotter. Public transport was a nightmare so they may have found it difficult for their staff to even get to work

Appreciate it was inconvenient but could you not have taken parental leave?

imisscashmere · 22/07/2022 08:43

I assume you have a contract with the nursery - you should read it.

Hiddenvoice · 22/07/2022 09:31

It’s a shame they have to close, did they explain the reason behind it?
I understand you were annoyed but posting on social media was not a good idea. How long did you wait between sending your emails?
Sadly if it’s a private nursery and if you have broken any of the contract then j think they can remove you. If it is a council one then I believe someone from education resources can contact you about moving your child elsewhere- I’ve seen this happen several times and it’s usually when a parent has been abusive online or via communication.

DancingUnderTheLights · 22/07/2022 09:43

I'm surprised they didn't refund you for not receiving service but others have said it'll be in the contract and is the done thing. Annoying but it's hard to judge if you don't share exactly what was said. It does seem quite extreme to kick out your daughter.

jessycake · 22/07/2022 09:55

Some nursery and school buildings are easier to keep at a safe temperature than others, you cannot compare one with another .

Mamapep · 22/07/2022 10:03

Why would you take your view public before emailing them (twice) privately?

Pollydonia · 22/07/2022 10:10

Why would your want your child in a possibly dangerously hot building ?

Mindymomo · 22/07/2022 10:13

You could try sending an apology saying closing the nursery had sent you panicking on what to you and that acting like that wasn’t in character to how you normally behave. Stress how much you appreciate the nursery workers and how much your dc enjoys going to nursery. Take facebook comment down or do another with an apology to the nursery. Doesn’t do any harm in trying.

ClocksGoingBackwards · 22/07/2022 10:17

I wouldn’t be happy with the nursery in your situation either.

If this was about the hot weather then it wasn’t really out of their control because they knew it was coming and could have bought or hired some sort conditioning units. They also didn’t have to wait until the last minute to tell you they were closing. Again, they knew the high temperatures were coming and if they knew they weren’t going to be able to cope with them they should have been able to give notice about that sooner.

Unfortunately though, even though your complaint is valid, if you named the nursery on SM, you lost the high ground. There may well be something in your contract about it.

I wouldn’t apologise to them unless you desperately need their nursery place. They haven’t handled the situation as well as they could have done and they should expect parents to be annoyed about that.

RedWingBoots · 22/07/2022 10:18

Mariposista · 22/07/2022 07:40

If it was unsafe to have children and staff there due to the temperature inside the building they would have no choice but to close at short notice.

They have a legal duty not to cause harm to the OP's child and other children in their care, plus to ensure they don't harm their staff and themselves.H&S legislation gives you a duty to others and yourself.

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