Who regulates child care centres?

[Cass72]

Nope, the kids didn't seem overly happy. She said that they can't get out "at this time of day" due to the sun but that the yard "get's plenty of shade from the other buildings". I'm waiting for someone from head office to do their follow-up call and I will tell her exactly what DH and I thought of the centre ...oops, I mean campus.

DS2 comes home from his centre absolutely filthy. He's covered in dirt, sand, paint, food.... you name it! The kids all run inside when they arrive and then drag their parents around the yard in the afternoon to show them what they're doing. The differences are just astounding.

I'm trying to look into who the parent company is as their website is rather limited. On the whole, it looks fabulous. The pre-preschool and preschool children receive music lessons and they have French words on different things (this must be the learning another language thing) and the centres are "state of the art" designed. Sadly though, walking into it, the rooms are over-crowded, noisy and closed-in.

At least I can send DS2 to his centre in the knowledge that I'm doing the best thing for him.

[Calluna]

There is a law stating the times of day children are permitted outside. Cant remember what it was, probably to stay indoors between 10am to 3pm, like the cancer council recommends. So that might be ok.

But definately report them. If Noone speaks up then things like this keep happening. Even if they do end up being compliant its worth having the centre checked over to make sure. But from the sound of it, they arent.

Your DS current centre sounds great!

[MrsFabuloso]

There are laws and regulations governing how much space each child needs indoors and outdoors. As far as I am aware, all centres (ie, pre schools, long day cares, before/after school cares) need to abide by certain child:space ratios. It may just be that you're used to your centre, and that centre is lucky enough to have more space than is required by law. Maybe this new centre has just enough space to child ratios, and it looks tiny in comparison. The centre would not be able to run if it was not up to scratch.

But I would just check, just in case. It could be that the centre isn't accredited and that's how they get around it.

And I reiterate- that my info is a few years old now and that early childhood has had HUGE reforms since I have actually worked in a centre!

[Cass72]

There are laws and regulations governing how much space each child needs indoors and outdoors. As far as I am aware, all centres (ie, pre schools, long day cares, before/after school cares) need to abide by certain child:space ratios. It may just be that you're used to your centre, and that centre is lucky enough to have more space than is required by law. Maybe this new centre has just enough space to child ratios, and it looks tiny in comparison. The centre would not be able to run if it was not up to scratch.

But I would just check, just in case. It could be that the centre isn't accredited and that's how they get around it.

And I reiterate- that my info is a few years old now and that early childhood has had HUGE reforms since I have actually worked in a centre!

You're probably right - I'm guessing that I'm spoilt from previous experience and that other people wouldn't batt an eyelid. It would be nice to think though that our kids were required to have a little more space.