daycares dont care?

Question

I was just on the website 'daycares dont care'. Its a sad fact that they actually dont, even the one i work in.

I work with toddlers, aged 2-3. But even yesterday i had 13 kids in the one room aged between 18 mnths & 4 years. Even tho the room only holds 8 children. The most ive had is 20 kids in one room by myself for over an hour.

I feel bad having to sit all the children on the floor, but it is the only way i can look after them when there is soo many. Im not saying things are this bad all the time, but ratios are NEVER kept.

The managers r so nice tho. Its hard to say anything because they have helped me through hard times with my family problems etc.

When they see the room in such a state with 2 many children, they just tell us new staff are starting soon & not 2 worry. I know it takes ages for them to get staff because we have to wait at least 7 weeks on police checks but i dont think it should be this bad.

In the future i hope to open my own daycare. A good one.

has anyone else had bad experience at daycares?

im 21 by the way

they mention on the daycares dont care website that staff dont even care about the children, they just see them as little bags of money, this is very true from the managers point of view, but in the staff that work with the children, they love them all so much i dont like the way the website has made such a statement, trying to tell me how i feel about the children i work with when they dont have a clue.

Answer 1

I do not think that this is true about all centers. I work in a child care center as a preschool 4's teacher. In my room, it is a 1:12 ratio. We are always on ratio, in every room. We never put more kids in a room then it is licensed for. There is a way that you can anonymously report the center to the state. Then licensing will come in, see they are off ratio, adn something will be done about it. The managers will never know, because it could have been a parent that did it...
I would not want to work in a center that was not following the rules because it is not safe, and YOU can be held liable. If you work in child care, then you are a mandated reporter. So call the licensing people, and get them to come in. This is not safe for the children, or for you.

Answer 2

I used to work at a REALLY BAD home daycare that sounds a lot like the one you're at. But now I work for KinderCare in Columbus, OH and they STRICTLY enforce the ratios. If you even step out of the room and leave the other teacher out of ratio you will be fired on the spot. Same goes for th other rules. If you don't sanitize the changing table and wash your hands, you will be written up. Some things, like the dress code aren't enforced but anything having to do with the kids is. My kids go there too and I love it. I peek in on them all the time and they are always being supervised and interrracted with. Also, I had to wait almost 2 weeks to get my background check back and they wouldn't let me work until the results were back. Also, we get the usual random drug tests. My advice would be to throrougly check out the day care. Talk to other parents, ask to see their inspection reports, etc. Are the kids there clean? Is the facility clean - floor swept and free of things babies could choke on, freshely washed sheets on the beds, clean countertops. Are there latex gloves available, all those things should be checked out. Good luck on opening your own center!

Answer 3

I have been in many daycares as part of my job, and when I was pregnant I was really nervous about finding a good one because none of the ones I had been in were up to my standards, not even close. I got lucky and ended up finding the best dacare ever. My daughter goes when I am working Wed, Thurs, and Friday from 8:30-3:30pm, and has been there for 20 months now. I love it so much. The provider's whose home it is, is a registered nurse and has been running this daycare for 17 years. She has 2 full time helpers who I adore. They have an open door policy, no knocking, you just walk in so you see what the kids are doing as soon as you walk in. There are good ones out there, you just have to do research.

Answer 4

I'm sure there are some bad ones out there, but I have yet to run into one. The only one I have had a problem with was a home center. She was registered and had a great daily curriculum, with the promise that she was only taking 6, 5 if she aquired an infant. I picked my girls up one day (they stayed in the basement for the day) and she had 11. 2 were infants. What a nightmare. But the centers are amazing that I have taken my children to, and I feel that they are the next best thing to staying at home, if not better (activiteis and interacting with other children!)

Answer 5

I work for a preschool that is for kids with disabilities. We are supposed to have certain numbers of staff to kids. It sounds like 20 kids in the age ranges you suggested are not within state guidelines where I live...you might want to check that out and report the place you work in for it....because they obviously are not worried about ratios of kids to adults...one person caring for that many kids is impossible...what about breaks for you and bathroom times? Do they come in and take over so you can go on those?

It is bad...where I work we have so many kids per 2 adults and no more....sometimes it is more but we also have an extra adult in the room. I really think that you need to check with the state ratios and the state childcare department for more information on what is what...that place you work in needs shut down.

Answer 6

That is the reason I stopped working in day cares and did Nanny work instead. I am a Nurse now but I remember the feeling of working at a fast food childcare center. It's not good for anyone.

Answer 7

It sounds awful. I have always said that I will stay at home with my child and have...but I live in the U.K. where it is possible to do that because the government help you so much. Even single parents have this option...true they dont have much money to live on at all...but they have "something" their rent is paid in full and they have money every week to live on in addition to coupons for milk and fruit.
The government will also pay for a certain amouny of childcare for single parents who want to work...I understand that peoplke dont have this much help in the U.S....do you think they should?