Anyone know about mixed ages in rooms?

[TheLostNights]

My sister is concerned about her little one. She has recently put her 10 month old into nursery. Because of staffing issues, they have now put 0-3 year olds all together. I cannot see how this is safe as clearly there is a big difference in size and some not walking, others running around. It does sound a bit off so wanted to get some feedback from those in the know.

It depends on how many.
If there were one baby in a room of 20 x 2.9yr olds, that would be very different from a set up of 1 or 2 babies with a couple of toddlers.

They will still have to be adhering to ratios, so I'm not sure it is staff shortages leading this, more likely to be child shortages.

This is very common in August when funded children aren't there and many families are away on holiday.

It depends on how many children, how many staff, how big the room is, whether the things in the room are age appropriate etc.

It's not necessarily dangerous, obviously many, many, many people have more than one child so children of different ages being in the same space and being looked after together happens a million times a day! It's odd to think that it's inherently dangerous.

I would be asking some questions of the nursery though, particularly if this was different to what she was told/shown when she chose the nursery. I wouldn't want a small baby looked after in a room with more than about 5/6 other children no matter what age those kids were.

My 1 year old is in a 0-3 room and it’s honestly been great.
its not a big nursery so there’s not that many kids, and they still sometimes split them up during the day.
But my LO learns so much from the older kids, and the bigger ones are so nurturing to the younger ones, it’s really sweet.

Mine is 4 and in a fully mixed room in school hols only, there are less children in the hols so they encourage staff hol then and mix the children rather than have 3 in baby room 3 in toddler and 2 in pre school for example. He's been there since younger and loved the time with the older ones before, and now he is the older one he really likes 'looking after the younger ones' he sits and teaches them things, he will push a buggy with the help of a nursery worker, he will help prep for snacks or hand them out. I've found it a really sweet dynamic

Both mine went to Montessori nurseries which have mixed rooms as standard.
Granted, neither was under a year when they started (and both walking) but it was honestly great. Their speech and social skills benefitted when they were little, and they learned to be kind with the babies as they got older.

DC1 didn’t have any jealousy or roughness when dc2 arrived, which I was sure was in part to being around littler children at nursery

as long as the staff are appropriately supervising, and making sure activities are appropriate for all age groups, I think it is a positive thing

Sister is obviously concerned because some of the 2 year olds look more like 4 and are very boisterous. Her little one, still not at walking stage.
I think it's something they plan to do on a permanent basis, even if there are more babies in termtime. There will be about 15 two year olds in that scenario too. Would be concerned too if I were her especially if it's going to be a permanent arrangement.