Issues with nursery

[Flipzandchipz]

I just wanted some opinions really. Sorry it’s a bit long

DS has been going to nursery since he was 1. He’s 3 now. We never had any issues with the nursery. Then the nursery manager left and someone else took the job. And then it felt at drop off/pick up that there was tension with the staff.

We had a parents evening and were talking to his key worker and it was really good. He is a bit behind with some milestones and we felt it was helpful. Next day at drop off we found out she had left. She had only been there 3 weeks.

He very rarely had a change of key worker in the first year. This year he is on his 7th or 8th key worker.

The new manager abruptly left and was replaced by the assistant manager and a new assistant manager appointed. Then they annnounced that the original manager was going to come back as mentor twice a week. Then the assistant manager left and was replaced.

There have been various messages asking parents if they can put off bringing their child in due to staff shortages or advising that they can’t open yet because they haven’t the right ratios.

There have been 3 occasions where I’ve noticed bruises but nursery haven’t noticed. One was quite a bad one on his back across a couple of ribs, one was his left cheekbone, another was scratches on his chest. I’m not suggesting anything untoward as they seem like things that would occur playing and I know at that age there are fewer staff to kids. But, you can tell they must have hurt enough for him to have cried and it concerns me that they haven’t noticed.

And then we had some issues with nappy changes. One pick up I realised he had pooed when we got home. It looked like it had been in his nappy a while but I gave them the benefit of the doubt and didn’t say anything. At another pick up he wet through to his trousers and when I changed him the nappy hadnt been put on properly. Again I have the benefit of the doubt - it could have been DS fiddling with his nappy. At another pick up though I realised I could smell poo very strongly. There wasn’t any on his clothes that I could see but once we got home we realised all his clothes and body smelled and his bottom hadn’t been cleaned properly. It was that bad I could smell it on my coat where I’d hugged him/helped him into his car seat

I did mention it to the manager and she said she would have a word with the staff. It’s the first ‘complaint’ I’ve ever made. She said his key worker would phone for a catch up on an agreed a date and time but she didn’t ring and the manager didn’t respond to my email asking to reschedule.

Things have been slightly better but today he has come back and his back and clothes smell again and we’ve also found out his current key worker is leaving too.

it just feels like since the original manager left it’s all started going a bit shite - literally!

He seems to really enjoy going but am I overthinking things or does this seem a bit crap?

I don’t think you are overthinking at all. I would be very very unhappy with this.

I would set out your concerns in an email, ask for a meeting with the manager to discuss it and then send another email afterwards summarising the discussion and what was agreed to deal with your concerns.

And tbh I’d be looking for a new setting.

A clean nappy is the most basic of basic care and they're not providing that. I would leave on that basis alone.

I don't understand why you're so blasé about this. High staff turnover, dirty and wet nappies not being changed and bruising to face and body are all red flags to me about your childcare provider.

Look for somewhere else.

High staff turnover is a huge red flag. The nappy situation is also not good. I'd be moving.

Totally agree, I’ve worked in one nursery which had a huge staff turnover and the place was crap. I tried my best but if not every staff member is on the same page then it’s just a disaster. I lasted 18 months and also left.

children need stability, regular faces, staff working together

I would remove mine immediately. That's an incredible staff turnover.

Sounds an awful place tbh.

Please don't send your DS back here. Report to ofsted

Honestly it sounds horrendous. I would have already removed him with just a third of the issues you've listed here.

I would actually email Ofsted as well.

I would remove my child from that nursery immediately. The frequent changes of key worker alone must be incredibly unsettling for your son.

I would change nursery asap, the amount of staff changes and lack of personal care plus the bruises that have not been explained is very concerning

The staff turnover alone would put me off.. it's really unsettling for a child to have such a lack of continuity and must be very confusing. The other aspects like not sticking to the meeting you arranged, not responding to arrange new one, nappy issues, not noticing bruises etc - I would be leaving 100%

Thanks everyone, for some reason my notifications aren’t showing for my threads so I hadn’t realised I’d had any replies.

Obviously it all written down like that does sound awful. The events have been spaced out. So the first one you think they may have missed it, there are a lot of kids, they’re busy. But it just feels like now there have been a couple that I can’t put down to a one off that’s been missed. It’s a pattern. I don’t really know any parents so I can’t talk to anyone about their experiences there

DS seems to love going in, he runs ahead to get in at drop off, is happy when I tell him it’s nursery day and goes to the front door, he seems to have enjoyed the day so that’s been conflicting for me as it made things seem better.

Thank you for the advice though. I’m going to start looking at other nurseries and in the meantime set some time aside with the nursery manager.

Did you manage to talk to the manager? Did you decide to leave? Sometimes kids do get hurt and they don't always react or tell an adult but they should have noticed the bruise on his face.
Maybe one nappy I would let go but it seems to be a lot. And so many staff changes is a massive red flag.