webcam nurseries - would you use one

[redshoes]

What's the consensus? Reassuring or unnecessary?

Unnecessary - would really not like it at all.

I think it is unnecessary. I trust DD's nursery staff to look after her; I don't need to check up on them.

Message withdrawn

The problem with webcams is that if you happen to 'look in' at a point when your child is: Tired/ has had a tussle over a piece of lego and lost/ not in the mood to play - you will get a negative impression of what may have been a positive day. We own two nurseries and knew when we set them up that we would not install webcams. Interestingly, no parents have asked for them.

No - When I went to inspect one nursery, they had webcam/cctv and it made me not want to put DD there! As we were waiting around for out host to show us around, we sat watching the staff not playing with the children etc... Certainly made me decide not to use that nursery as it didn't seem to improve the level of care!

My DD goes to nursery very happy, and that's all I need to know! Anything else, for me, is unnecessary!

i have!!!
Nursery managers don't know whats wrong with em, you ask them a simple thing and theyre on the defence straight away, of how BRILLIANT they're staff are, at the end of the day i only asked if they would be installing it! Just thought it would be nice see what my DS son doing during the day. On another occassion after the Jamies Kitchen programme i asked about the ffod they were given and they were straight down my throat again, i asked how often they given smiley faces, once a mth they told, ds often comes home telling me he has them and its more than that!! One the staff told me we dont fry them we oven bake, i should think not fry!!

I wouldn't base my decision on choosing a nursery on whether or not they had webcam, but it would be nice to see what ds does when I'm not there. I would love to observe him playing and interacting but that's just because I'm fascinated by everything that he does.

I personally wouln't do any work- I'd be sat watching dd all day.

I would use one - not to monitor staff or whatever, but to see what my dd (21 months) does, how she plays with her friends, things she does during the day when I'm not able to be with her basically. Sometimes, we come to nursery to pick her up and just watch her for few minutes before actually announcing to her that we are there - it can be so wonderful, seeing her pushing a dolly in the buggy and laughing with her friends when they bump into eachother, or when she's "cooking" in the "kitchen" and "feeding" her dolly and so on. I miss her during the day and that would be a nice insight BUT I think I would get too addicted and probably wouldn't be able to get on with my work.

me same to Pixiefish.... i wouldnt be able to do anything

Interesting. One nursery near me charges £50/day, and that has a webcam. Seems successful too, has expanded from 12 children to 34 in 2 years! I have been toying with starting a nursery for a couple of years and am looking at what sells. Thanks for the input

there is a webcam scheme for nurseries can't think wot its called thou, the parents pay about £7 a mth if they want to use it.

I wish they had such things when I left dd1 to go to work. As I had an incredible guilt complex about it, it would have been fantastic to see her having a good time (assuming of course she would!!)and would have made me feel better too. It would also have been good to see her play, and integrate etc as mentioned before, as you can never see what they are like when you are not there can you, ifykwim.

i think this is a great idea, i'm a nursery nurse and know that usually a child cries and screams for about 1 minute only when the parent leaves. i usually gave the child a cuddle then they would quite contently go and play with the other children or activites. Now i am a parent and have experienced the anxiety when leaving my child of 15 months, maybe only for a couple of hours, feel quilty when he screams and clings onto me, but 2 mins later when i look back through the window, he is away exploring or still cuddling the nursery nurse. What i am trying to say is webcams are a good idea only to see there child playing, not to monitor staff etc... it has my vote x

i think it's a good idea, if only from the point of view that the staff are all aware that parents can see what they're doing!