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Original poster

Anyone planning on watching the childcare programme 2morrow nght?

113 replies

woodpops · 11/08/2004 16:07

There's a programme on TV tomorrow night about some horror private nurseries. Is anyone planning on watching it. My mum said it might be best not to watch it as both my ds and dd go to private nursery. Do you reckon it'll put stupid ideas in my head about the care that my kids recieve there. Not that it should cause the nursery is great and ds and dd are extreamly happy there.

OP posts:
FairyMum · 12/08/2004 13:20

I think it's a shame that the debate after this programme will not be about practises in nursery and how nurseries should be run /inspected, but rather it will be used by people to argue that all children are better off at home with their parents than in childcare. Just read the the Daily Mail (the leader I think) today......

nutcracker · 12/08/2004 13:28

I have also just read the Daily Mail, and i don't think i want to watch the programme.

Have to say though, that i'm not really surprised at some of what i've read.
When i was 16 (erm 10 yrs ago) I did my school work experiance at a nursery and some of the staff were truley horrid to the kids.

I left after the first week as i just couldn't bare the shouting and screaming staff.

FairyMum · 12/08/2004 13:41

I have no doubt that there are lots of nursery workers who aren't very good. I think it's probably difficult to get and retain very good staff because the work they do is under-valued and under-paid. I hope the debate will be about how nurseries are ran, rather than using it to scare women back to the kitchen sink......

Northerner · 12/08/2004 13:56

I agree FairyMum.

vict17 · 12/08/2004 14:00

Is there a http link to the Daily Mail article anyone?

MeanBean · 12/08/2004 14:00

I think a good rule of thumb is never to let anything that the Daily Mail says on the subject of women and children have any affect on your thinking or actions whatsoever. That way lies madness.

CathB · 12/08/2004 14:13

I agree with Fairymum. Its not the programme so much as the underlying agenda that isof concern. For the likes of the Daily Mail its all the fault of a) working mums and b)the Government. Childcare is is really important issue on all sorts of levels and needs to be addressed properly and it probably wont be as it will be hijacked by other agendas.

Not sure if I will watch or not. I know it will be distressing but feel horribly attracted to it.

I have no doubts about the nursery our two got to, especially now DD 1 is old enough to talk about her day (her biggest whinge is that they will keep trying to get her to eat vegetables).
Hopefully you should be able to tell if your child is unhappy at nursery from their behaviour. From my (admittedly quick) scan of the paper it sounded as though the parents sensed the children were unhappy. Perhaps the programme will do something constructive and advise on the more subtle clues you might miss.

enid · 12/08/2004 14:13

I wont be watching it as I don't like those kind of sensationalist programmes. But I have to say it doesn't surprise me as I have first hand seen some really unfeeling treatment of children by nursery staff. Sorry .

CathB · 12/08/2004 14:14

Why does the Daily Mail hate women so much anyway? It used to market itself as a womens paper at one time (yes I am that old)!

fabarooney · 12/08/2004 14:27

I will probably watch it and then wish I hadn't. When my 2 were younger they both went to a private day care centre. I visited quite a few first and found the quality varied so much it was frightening. I was in a position to wait until a place was available at the nursery of our choice but feel sorry for the mums who don't have that luxury and have to take the first place available. It sounds as though we're going to get loads of mums on mumsnet feeling dreadful the morning after it airs.
On a slightly different tack, I think that the more involved parents are encouraged to be with the nursery, the better it tends to be. They are proud of what they do and have nothing to hide. Our nursery had got to the point where they were going to install webcams in all the rooms (password encripted for parents use only) so that we could log in and have a peek at our children during the day.

Jimjams · 12/08/2004 18:48

well ds1 went to a dreadful nursery for 4 months- and I wish I had seen what went on there. It would be upsetting, but I can nly imagine what they said and how they treated him now.

He went to to a lovely nursery for over 2 years following that experience (and the owner just had him in this morning to do me a favour- even though he officially left a few months ago- she even did him a huge party when he left and framed a picture and a letter saying how honoured she was to have known him, how beautiful he is and how she has many fond memories of him). So I'll watchthe programme, thank the lord I got him out of the evil place, but secure in the knowledge that he had a happy few years at nursery- and ds2 is having the same experience now.

When I ask ds1 where he went this morning- he answers- very unusual so he must have enjoyed it.

champs · 12/08/2004 21:11

am watching and am quite sad.

discoinferno · 12/08/2004 21:15

That poor little girl all she wanted was a cuddle.

champs · 12/08/2004 21:42

yes... i really feel sad now but have to keep watching.

champs · 12/08/2004 21:43

please dont say he died

champs · 12/08/2004 21:45

i am crying now....

discoinferno · 12/08/2004 21:49

so am I. This is terrible but I can't stop watching.

Jimjams · 12/08/2004 22:05

I suspect that the evil nursery we removed ds1 from was like that. (it's a big chanin nursery - looked good on the surface) Also found out that they broke Ofsted rules as they segregated my son - left him sitting in a room by himself. Not for behavioural issues though just because he was a bit odd (didn't know he was autistic then- just seemed very passive). Second time we caught them doing that I removed him. They told me he 'liked' sitting in a room by himself (with no toys).

They also refused to let him have pudding as he ate his chicken nuggets and chips with his fingers (well tried to - they wouldn't let him). I'd told them he couldn't use a knife and fork- he was 22 months old. At five he still can't use a knife and fork- as he's dyspraxic. I suspect he was like that little boy Zak in the film- rather confused at to why he was being shouted at.

unicorn · 12/08/2004 22:15

Awful awful awful..
what can you say.. the "care" workers are all too young/overworked/underpaid.
That is NOT an excuse- just a comment.
My dd was at nursery from 18months and fine.. but when they moved things around she had a different staff, and things definately changed.. i had an uncomfortable feeling with one of the workers (that perhaps she didn't like dd)...
Anyhow when it was time to take her out the nursery was awful about giving back our deposit... took ages...
Showed me what a money making racket it is.
(ds is not at nursery.. I stopped working)

champs · 12/08/2004 22:15

horible, just horrible. am not violent but felt such rager towards adults on film. shouting calling kids idiotic, imbecille, minger. I do think the filming could have showed the nursery that had no probs, they just mentioned it at the end.
Jimjams, glad you got your littleun out. "he likes sitting alone?!" YEA RIGHT oops caps. I'm sure some kids who are not autistic find knife and fork difficult, infact ds1 didnt eat with knife when he started school, he doesnt use one now by choice. most kids I know like to eat chips with fingers. Give him a big hug from me, ---- thanks btw for helping me get thru ds1 incident at school.

champs · 12/08/2004 22:18

unicorn--- sorry you had to stop workin, it is sad, there are good nurseries out there, but i dont trust anyone incl childminders to look after my kids, not that i think they'd do anything, i just have niggling doubt. which is why ds1 didnt go. ds2 wont be either till he can talk but i do want him to go at some stage as ds1 found it hard settling into school.

juniper68 · 12/08/2004 22:26

I couldn't keep the tears in either
I hope it makes other nursery staff re think their ways and has a positive effect.

Totally agree about showing the good nursery but as we know they don't get the balance right in these types of programmes.

I think the parents of the baby who died were ever so brave talking about him. They probably only did so to try to save other children

juniper68 · 12/08/2004 22:27

I felt like jumping in the tv for Zak. His poor parents must be haunted by it.

chrissey14 · 12/08/2004 22:29

how can this sort of pracrtice be allowed to happen?

ZolaPola · 12/08/2004 22:30

god - it so sad - problem is we do leave our kids in the care of 18 yr old girls with little life/childcare experience and they are underpaid! IMO, the only solution is for the gov to force nursery owners to invest some of their profits in staff training & dev to motivate them, make them stay beoynd such a young age & avoid such a heavy reliance on agency staff. if anyone's interested, e-mail comments to
www.daycaretrust.org.uk
excellent charity aiming to promote quality & affordable childcare.