Preschool committee

[Newhomenewarea]

I have somehow ended up in the situation where I am chair of the preschool committee. I stupidly agreed on the understanding that I was totally out of my depth and the committee would help me out and hold my hand a lot. This obviously hasnt happened, the committee often ignore my emails or text messages I have to remind people constantly to do their jobs as well as do my own.

I have absolutely no experience of EYFS apart from having a child in the setting. It has been a constant PITA with child protection issues, staff complaints, parent complaints, a crappy manager who appears to be just sailing through not pulling his weight (generally likes to sit in an office, lazy about doing staff supervision ect) communication is rubbish, staff have phoned me at home to essentially moan about their work place. The manager seems to view the committee as just an Ofsted requirement and doesnt like us being involved so it feels like a constant battle to sit down with him and even then when I do my concerns are brushed under the carpet or its turned around and made out like I'm picking on him or deliberately finding fault with things, I keep trying to do his appraisal but hes never had one before so is obviously not keen on starting his tradition.

I'm not sure where I'm supposed to get advice from if I have issues with the manager or how I can possibly address any staff/parent concerns when I have no idea how a preschool should be managed. I feel like its having a big impact on my life, especially as I work in a reasonably busy stressful environment anyway and I dont need all this stress on top. The previous chair was supposed to handover to me but never bothered.

Any one know if there is any impartial advice out there that I can talk things through with so I know that I'm doing the right thing. I want to stand down but I'm worried the manager will make things really awkward for me and try to force me to remove my child from the setting as I dont think they'll find anyone else silly enough to do this role

Put CIASS and then the area you live into your search engine (Child Information and Advice Service) and then call them in the morning.
YOur local authority will have services to support and advice you.
Where I live the staff are employed by the EarlyYears Alliance (used to be called the Pre-school Alliance) if it is a stay and play type group.

If it is a PVI (Private, Voluntary or Independent) Pre-school where the dc are left to be cared for by paid staff - this is what it sounds like from your description - then there will be paid local authority staff who have a role in ensuring all is being run as it should.
They are called different things in different authorities which is why you'll need to check, where you live.
However, they can talk to you about everything,

IIWY I’d resign immediately.

Not being rude because you say all this yourself....

You are out of your depth; the governance is awful; and the manager is a liability. It’s a toxic mix and probably only a matter of time until something goes wrong: possibly very seriously wrong. If/when that happens, you will be personally held responsible and the authorities will not be sympathetic to your being out of your depth: in fact, they’ll hold that against you.

I’m aware you fear losing your child’s place, but I can’t see how that is worse than being left to carry the can for a potentially disastrous situation. It sounds so bad, you’d be better off getting your child out of there anyway.

Exactly how I see the manager going to force you to remove your child?

I did this many years ago and ended up in an Employment Tribunal.

Get out fast, it's a well intentioned system to have committees but the reality is fraught with pitfalls.

But, even if you do decide to leave, please do still get in touch with the LA and let them know what the situation is, and why you are leaving, so they can go in and offer support whether you are there or not.