Sick from child care centre...

[Nai]

I have my DD in a Community Cooperative Childcare Centre- which is a parent run centre. I know many people who have moved thier children to this centre from "commercial" childcare centres and say the difference is amazing. One difference is the number of illnesses the kids have picked up - or more to the point HAVEN'T picked up. If you are looking at alternatives, check out a Community Coop centre as well as FDC. I also sit on the Board of the centre so so get to have a say in how it is run and understand what really goes on. It is very enlightening to say the least

[Madissun]

I haven't heard of that before Nai, how do i find out more and if there is one in or near my area?
Thank you everyone for your replies. The reasons i didnt want my son in family day care are now cropping up again, eg. not being able to control visitors to the carers house etc. Its so hard trying to make a decision!

[Nai]

In Melbourne they are usually called Community Childcare Cooperatives but some are known as other names. If you look up on the website for your city council they are often listed there. Where in Melbourne are you? I might know of some in your area.

[Pretty Butterfly]

I have worked in both CC centres and FDC, and would definatly choose FDC. Most FDC mums will not keep a bub there while they are sick. I agree that building up immunity is good, but for a young bub to need that much antbiotics, in my opinoin, is much worse. It seems way to excesive.

That centre needs a huge overhaul, and if any of the kids have green runny noses, or persistant coughs, they are not permitted to be in the centre. It seems badly run to me hon. JMO, but i'd take my bubba outta there....

[Bathsheba]

I've worked in ChildCare (Early Learning centre for 0 - 4yos) and whilst it is true that they are often a little sicker in their first few months it is up to the centre to be right onto infection control. It sounds to me that the staff are not being strict enough. It is quite hard to tell a parent who has rocked up to the centre with a sick child (this happens all the time) and tell them to take the child home. Many parents just don't have any back up or are casual workers and will tell you "if I don't go to work today i won't get sick leave or I might lose my job". A good director will stand firm though to protect the other children and the staff. I once got chicken pox from a child that was brought in at 7.30am with spots all over her!!!! I had to tend to her... so i caught the bloody pox! It took the parent half an hour to return to the centre to collect her child! Poor kid, I could tell she was sick... but often parents will outright lie and say: "She was upset in the car, that's why her eyes are all red" or "she had a late night, that's why she's grizzly".

I have been on the other side of the fence and had a sick child which meant I had to stay home. But that's what you have to do. That was 10 years ago for me and employment wasn't as easy to find as it is these days... these days, honestly, parents need to try a bit harder to obtain backup care. The consequences are bigger than they imagine. If the bug hits the staff in a big way it means discontinuity for all the children of the centre as relief agency staff are brought in.

I would change centres. it doesn't have to be that way.

Regarding FDC. It is a hard job. Because you don't have a co-worker it means that going to the toilet is very hard (basically have to wait until all the kids are asleep, or pop them all in cots... I haven't done it myself but I have used 2 FDC women and they were the bee's knees. They had teenage daughter to help after school at least... I felt very comfortable leaving my DD with them. Trust your intuition when choosing any care option.

[Isadora]

Oh my goodness Bathsheba, I cant believe parents leave their kids at daycare when they are that sick. Thats sad. However I guess at the same time I can understand that the parent wont get paid/may lose their job etc etc. I think its about time the government stepped up and made a few changes to childcare!