Should I worry about not having details of DS' key carer's qualifications?

[YellowRoseofTexas]

I am planning to start my 9 month old at nursery in August, at 4 full days per week. The nursery gets good Ofsted ratings and the parent company consistently makes a list of "Best Places to Work in the UK". So I assume the staff is excellent. As yet I've only really interacted with the nursery director, who projects a kind and professional manner.

I asked the director for some information about my DS's "key person" (who seems really lovely but I didn't get to talk to her on my last visit.) The director said she does not send out staff's CV to parents, but told me that the woman has been with the nursery for some time and was previously head of the another age group until now she has stepped down to work in the baby room. The director invited me to come spend some time with DS' carer, and I'll be doing that soon.

I'm new to all this so wanted to ask you all:
a) should I at all concerned at not having details about her experience and qualifications, or is this standard practice?
b) any pointers on what to look for when I go spend time with her, questions to ask her, etc.

Many thanks!!

I work in a nursery and the thought of parents wanting to see my CV is a bit strange. Do you not trust the judgement of the nursery management to select the right staff?
In answer to your questions
a) You can always ask the woman about her experience and qualifications.
b) I expect the key person will have lots of questions to ask you about your baby and there may not be time for you to ask your questions.

In most nurseries the key person is not the only person caring for your child. Children are cared for in a group situation with the key person taking responsibility for the paperwork side, i.e. planning and assessment.

I agree lots of carers will be looking after your child, however I would like to know exactly what qualifications carers had, especially in the young child age group.

I would have thought that each member of staff were in a handbook, with piccy and brief rundown of quals and experience, a bit about them and how long they have been with company etc. A few of the nurseries I have associations with do this and it's much appreciated by parents.

This one sounds like a chain / group if so they often have staff profiles on the website.

Can I just add to that though, that a lot of the carers I have had the pleasure of working with have few qualifications, but are as equally dilligent, caring and proffessional, so qualifications are not the be all and end all of a quality carer IYSWIM.

I think it's fair to ask about qualifications, but not to see a CV - you have to trust the nursery's judgement about who they hire.

You have to trust the nurseries hiring policy.

My ds is in a nursery and what I liked best was that he formed bonds with all the staff. He's been there two years an he knows all the staff from all the rooms. There is no way I could know all their qualifications but it doesn't matter because I see how they interact with him and he forms strong bonds with them.

The only thing my nursery does is send a weekly newsletter and in that they will congratulate staff members who have just passed exams.

I wouldn't get hung up on the key worker. My ds did a settling in session and I sat in the corner and watched how they interacted with him, this progressed to waiting outside the room and looking through the window. It is more about the dynamic in the room than his relationship with one person. He shouldn't be dependent on one person. He should feel comfortable with all the carers in his room.

Do you mind saying the company? Sounds like the same as mine. If that's the case I would be very comfortable with their hiring policy.

The company is Bright Horizons. (Same as yours, Digging?) Everything I have read about them inspires trust, so I am honestly going into all of this assuming the best. In asking for the key person's qualifications, I was just trying to do my best to "do my homework" as a parent.

I agree the dynamic between carers and child is the most important thing. But it still feels odd not to know more about the person who will care for my small baby for 40 hours per week.

Good point though, atworknotworking. If she's caring and engaging with my DS and helping him develop, specific qualifications are not so important.

Same company. I am very happy with them.

You have to go with your gut. I visited one nursery where all the babies where sitting in bouncy chairs. One little boy gave me a huge smile as if I was the first person who had looked at him all day. When we walked past ten mins later he was crying and the staff were just ignoring him and tidying up.

At ds' nursery they are much more hands on with the kids and they encourage parents to come in and spend time in the room. I would definitely advise you to do so and that will put your mind at ease.

The culture at my nursery is very much 'one big family' so the keyworker will not be the sole focus. BH are also very keen on qualifications so I think the staff will be well trained.

No harm in asking the keyworker what experience she has though.

Sound like an advert now but I really am happy with it! Of course different centres may be different.

I meant to add - it is weird when your child has a social life you k ow nothing about. Sometimes when we're out on my off days he will end up playing with a nursery friend and it takes a while for the other mother and I to click how they know each other!

That is so funny to think about your little one spotting his nursery friends when out and about.

So reassuring to hear you've had such a good experience with a BH nursery. Exactly what I need to hear! I had a really good impression on my visit but as a nervous first-time mom, I keep second-guessing myself. I will go up and spend some more time there this week.

Thanks again!

It wouldn't e normal for you not to worry! It is very hard to leave your baby with strangers for the first time but the thought is worse than the reality. Once you are sitting back at your desk it is amazing how quickly you het into the swing of things!

You'll be fine and so will your baby!

diggingintheribs @ social life

Our DD quite often would chat to adults, whom she obv knew not to mention children (adults were fellow parents of course)It was very on occassion

And you have to get used to being called 'ds' mummy by all the kids! You lose your identity!

I dint think the carers know dh's name!

Yes of course thats why I'm awnw now I can't remember me real name, or even if I ever had one

Hi yellowroseoftexas- I am looking at a BH nursery twm. Where did you read about them? I would be interested to read more as I looked at another chain nursery and felt as if all the fees went on a glossy brocure and the head office calling me repeatedly to see if i wanted the place.

My son will be going to nursery in sept (still chossing where). he is very shy and we recently had a bad experience settling in at a local nursery- it was his third time there without me, i watched them playing outside from a distance and he was left on his own for alomost 30 mins. he wasnt engrossed in playing or anything, he looked totally lost. In the end this, and a few other isseues made me decide to take him out. The nursery had seemed fine on our visits. So- this is a very long winded way of asking, how do i learn to trust the staff are doing as they promise as I wont know whats going on? I know lots of staff will be fab, but this experience combined with general upset at leaving him to go to work have left me pretty paranoid.

Hi Krisskross. Sorry that I am just now seeing this...very curious to hear how it went for you today. I read good notes about Bright Horizons on MN threads when I searched, but I suppose I'd really focused on the fact that the company had consistently made the "Best Place to Work" lists in both the US and the UK. I have been a bit obsessed by the idea that nurseries often have a high turnover, so to me, this was a major bonus as they'd be able to hire and retain better staff.

I actually went up and spent more time observing this week. Previously I'd done short visits but this time I just hung out in the baby room for about an hour and a half. I observed the staff doing all the right things: genuine smiles, pats, cuddles, singing songs, even a bit of sign language; engaging the babies with questions and making sure the babies were interacting nicely and gently with each other. The staff seemed to have good teamwork between them as well. However, I really felt as though they were stretched too thin and some of the babies went too long (for my liking) without interaction.

The oldest ones, who were crawling and pulling up and getting into everything, definitely got attention as they demanded it! The ones who were crying got attention, though maybe not as quickly as a mother would give it. But the image that sticks with me is of one little one, who wasn't sitting up quite yet and therefore was in a baby chair, who was very "good" and quiet, sat waaaay too long without anyone picking him up, cuddling him, etc. Easily 30 minutes. My DS isn't mobile yet and is very mellow and quiet, and I just had this feeling that he would be that child...the one overlooked.

Now, I was only there a short time, and I am admittedly completely new to the world of child care and quite naive. But I have spent the day today calling childminders, hoping I can find an alternative. (As well as checking my math several times to make sure a really, really can't afford a nanny, which I can't.) I honestly don't know what I will do.

Love to hear what it was like for you today. How old is your DS, by the way?