complaining at the creche

OK, I've been putting Emma into the creche at the gym I go to for 3 months now. There is one wonderful staff member there & Emma just loves her. but the manager is awful....anyway, today I left really cranky & the receptionist could see I was upset & came out & asked me. I said it was nothing, & she said "no, tell me, it really needs to be said" so I told her & she said I wasnt the only one feeling that way. Anyway, when I got home, another staff member there asked me to put it into writing because it is really bad. So here is what I have put, I will probably change it, but it's a rough guide. WDYT?

I am writing this letter in regards to the crèche coordinator at the MALC. I have been leaving my baby at the crèche for 3 months now & am not happy with the standard of care being given by ***. I don’t like to make complaints, but feel that in this situation it is necessary, as if nothing changes, I feel that I would end up cancelling my membership as I want to know my baby is being looked after adequately.

Today *** asked me to come & pick up my daughter early. She came into the gym saying “I just can ‘t get her to settle, and I can settle any baby.” When I arrived in there I couldn’t understand why she had come to get me. There weren’t a lot of children there & with 2 staff there didn’t seem to me any reason for it. My baby wasn’t terribly upset, but did want some attention, which I don’t think is too much to ask. Another parent was also asked to come & collect their child early too.

When I was collecting my daughter *** complained to me that she had tried 3 times to have a coffee without success. I don’t understand when the crèche is only open for 3 hours why she has to have a coffee during that time. She also said “I think I just feel like being ****ed off today” which is unprofessional & definitely shouldn’t have been said in front of the children.

I am getting to the point where I dread the days when *** is working because I know my baby is going to have a bad morning. I have total praise for ___, who is a wonderful & caring person who I am totally happy to leave my baby with. I would love to see the crèche run by her as she really seems to have a wonderful rapport with all of the children & this seems to me the most important quality of someone running a crèche. __ & ___ from reception also seem to have a great time helping in the crèche. I can’t understand why the person running the crèche is the one who seems the most unhappy in there.

I am not the kind of person to complain normally, but I feel that in this case something needs to be said. A crèche should be run for the benefit of the children, not for the comfort of the staff. I hope that this matter is looked into as I would hate to leave such a great facility because of this. I would also appreciate if my name be kept confidential in any dealings with this matter.

Linda, it sounds spot on to me.....good examples of why you are concerned, without being over emotional: you have stayed objective.

I hope you get a good result.........

Sounds good. As Lucy said you have stated your concerns and reasoning behind this. If others are also feeling the same way and the complaints are put into writing they can't ignore it. Good Luck.

I agree Linda, Striaght to the point but not b!tchy!

Good Luck!

thanks guys! I don't want to seem like a crazy unreasonable Mum or anything. Yep, I'm overprotective, but I really feel that this is fair. I'll let you all know how it goes...

I think it sounds great too and you aren't being over protective at all!

Also, I can't understand either why she needs a coffee during those 3 hours, surely she could plan for that and have one right before?

I agree with the others Linda. You have wording it so you get your point across about the issues you are having without being nasty about it. It doesn't help this womans case if the other staff don't like her though. I hope you get a response to your letter.

Good for you, Linda! My sister works in creches (speech and language therapy) and she can see the good ones and the awful ones - you don't want your child in one where she's not getting good enough care. I hope it works out well for you and your daughter.

Well said Linda, I can't believe her attitude. Coffee WTF???? Poor dear unable to have a coffee for 3 hours, that must have been so tough. Silly woman, I hope she gets fired. And swearing in front of you too, extremely unprofessional especially in front of the children.

When I worked in a creche staff weren't allowed to drink hot drinks like tea or coffee whilst in the same room as the children (scalding risk).

Your letter was worded extremely well. I'd be surprised if it didn't achieve a positive result :)

Well done Linda, it sounds great!

Linda, A very well written letter! I hope they do some thing about it, it's not acceptable or professional the way that person was acting.

Thanks again guys. It's so great to have a sounding board for things like this. I'm so nervous about delivering it tomorrow!!

Good on you for writing the letter. I hope it has the desired effect. My goodness - why is coffee such a big deal? Sometimes Mums who are looking after their own kid/s would be lucky to get a coffee break in three hours, and she's getting PAID to do it! I would imagine that she probably wouldn't be required legally to take a break until she'd done at least four hours work anyway. Good luck - I hope that something changes as a result of your letter.

Well, I did it, and now I feel bad!! :( It has been passed on to the personell managers & the gym manager spoke to me & said he really appreciated it & could see that I had valid points raised. I guess I'm stressing that she will know it was me (and i'm sure she'll find out) and it will just make matters worse....

Oh, I feel like an idiot!!!

No, you are definately not an idiot, I really believe you have done the right thing for Emma and the other kids at the creche.

Bathsheba I think you're right. I'm pretty sure OH&S would have something to say about all these places that have child carers, who are waltzing around with hot drinks.
My DD has been going to childcare for about a year now and I go in and drop her off and pick her up at all different times.. I have NEVER seen them with a mug or anything hot.
Even for the Mother's Day after tea, there was NO tea. Nothing that was hot and spillable.
I think it's fair enough too.

Umm.. i believe that's what a "tea break" is for. :rolleyes:

Linda, I understand your concern (they may not drink coffee, but I did have a smoking issue at our kinder not too long ago :confused: ). Anyway, i made it clear to the Director that i didn't want the particular staff member to be told who had brought the issue up. And i sa her run into the room as soon as i went out to the car. I couldn't wait to go pick DD up that afternoon. For the first time ever, DD was extremely upset. I asked her in the car what wa wrong and a a 3.5 yo DD said she was told off by S***** because I told her that DD had said she saw her smoking. :angry: Apparently she ws also excluded from activities. Well that was enough set me ablaze. I rang the director as soon as i got home and told her how disappointed I was in the way she handled the situation. she lied and said she didn't say anything, but then had to let it slide, because how else would DD know i brought it to their attention if they didn't confront her.
I told her that nobody had a right to question my child without either of her parents present.
I think she knew that if i was doing to cause a problem for them, i was well aware of where to go and what to do. All i wanted was to bring to their attention that there is a problem and they need to change the way they behave in front of the children.

In short, there is nothing more valuable to us than our little ones. Anyone who is responsible for looking after them and doesn't do so, needs to be pulled up on it.
Don't feel bad. You are a normal *caring* mother!:thumbsup:

Awwwwwwww Linda, don't feel like an idiot you did the right thing. If she's not doing her job properly then she needs to be told. The only reason you even did anything is obviously because they've had lots of complaints about her and they asked you to make a formal complaint, in doing that they are probably looking to give her the sack so she won't be there to give you any flack (well hopefully not).

But you totally did the right thing for Emma and all of the other children that are in her care.

Lut, thanks for that, its nice to know someone else who has done the same thing.

I found out today that her husband was the manager, but isnt any more & it is since he left that she has been doing all this, because she cant get her own way anymore. Anyway, I am feeling a little better about it, but still super nervous about Monday when she will be on....