Guess who was holding my baby when I went to collect him...

[Washersaurus]

The nursery chef ! He has been sat in the room before when I have been to collect DS2 from nursery, but today he was actually holding DS2 when I arrived. I'm not very happy about it tbh (he smokes aswell), how do I go about raising it with the nursery manager without upsetting everyone?

Actually I agree about the smoking - surely he shouldn't be allowed to smoke where the children can see him? I would complain about this.

But I don't think my child would come to any harm if he was held by a chef or a handyman.

I see it as a good thing

barring the male input (good), most nuseries I know- inc where my sister manages- the staff prepare lunch but are still counted in numbers as still on site

Are you qualified in picking up children then? I'm not!

If CRB checked and (i assume) in full view of staff then don't see what the problem is. This is, of course, providing this isn't a daily arrangement as a substitute for not having enough nurses.

Having said that, I NEVER allow my staff (chef, butler, stable boy, scullery maid) to associate with my dearest darlings.

"I do not expect the kitchen/cleaning/gardening/maintenance staff to be helping out.". what a snobby attitude.

I'd be surprised too Washer, I would imagine there would be stricter rules about who held my child - it doesn't seem very professional. Why wasn't he doing stuff in the kitchen?

Also I'd be questioning who else they allowed to hold the children.

I mean I'm sure it doesn't hurt the child but it seems illogical if he is employed to do catering that he is sat there holding a child instead.

Doesn't make sense to me.

'Actually I agree about the smoking - surely he shouldn't be allowed to smoke where the children can see him? I would complain about this.'

but yes on that- ds1's play leader used to smoke with her staff by the door in full view (long time ago) and we pulled him sharpish when he was pretending to smoke

Actually I think experience and empathy with children matter more than qualifications at nursery level.

Having seen some of the students in NVQ childcare when at college last year...

I wouldn't like it either tbh

Does it mean they don't have enough staff?

I think you do have a point about the smoking. Especially if he is the only male worker, a lot of the little boys will WORSHIP him, and might get the idea that smoking is cool. So I would mention to the manager that it might be a good idea for smokers to hide behind the bike sheds.

However, YABU to judge the chef as any less worthy a baby-holder than any of the other staff.

If they don't have enough staff and they need the chef to help out, that's another matter altogether, as that's quite clearly unacceptable.

oh also- ost nurseries use unqualified staff dont they? opr has that changed? and childcare students too

Would you tell the receptionist she wasn't allowed to hold you're pet because she wasn't qualified?

What about a nurse? Would she be qualified to hold you're child, bearing in mind she has no NVQ's in childcare?
Or is just what you percieve to be working class occupations (gardner, maintence worker, cleaner) who you dissaprove of?

Sue them.

Alternativly you could just forget about it, does your nursery never have work experience people in?

Puss, good point about the receptionist at the vet's. Similar kind of thing.

The contract is between you and the trained staff. Not just anyone who happens to work there. It might be a nice thing but I think you'd need to hang around and get the feel of the place before jumping to conclusions. It might just signify an informal attitude - as long as they are very confident in other respects and professional etc then I would take it as a good thing.

sorry but I am and at this whole attitude of him being in the kitchen in his place. If this was a woman would the attitude be the same? I don't think it would.

At the nursery my ds used to go to they did have a male member of staff, and some parents adtually requested he not be allowed to change their children's nappies even though he was employed to look after the children.

Ahh but the point here, is that the expectations when you put your child into nursery is that they will be looked after by fully qualified nursery staff - and that means just that. It is by no means snobbery on my part that I wouldn't want chef or maintenanace staff to hold him. I'm paying them to look after my child, I expect the standards upheld and I do see a chef (or other) holding the child as a slip in standards - not to mention unhygienic - not all chefs are full on with hand washing after touching raw meat etc

There's no need to bring the class arguments into it. I doubt it is about class, it seems to me to be about protocol.

Wannabe - I would feel exactly the same if it were a woman.

i would;nt be too ahppy about this either

"fully qualified nursery staff " - what world do you live in?? I have done work experience in a nursery which involved picking up children and I had no qualifcations.

i would;nt be too ahppy about this either

i mean happy

wannabee, there was a dad at baby club stopped his 13 week od coming as the boy babies could see her weighed naked

sorry irrelevant to thread

Puss if it upsets you tell them! he could be qualified for all you know and doing bank hours

oh no the receptionist at our vets looked after my dog for two weeks while I was on holiday! and what with her not being qualified and all! oh no wait, she's a vet nurse.

Sorry but this sounds like massive snobbery, looking down on the working class, cleaner/cook/gardener . but it's presumably ok for the 16 year olds who are just out of school to hold him because they'll be working towards their qualifications.

Not all people in nurseries are qualified btw - most are working towards qualifications and are paid a pittence which presumably makes them working class as well.