Bbc Whistleblower Programme

[Andreamay]

here here

but it does worry you though doesnt it? makes you want to look after everybodies children!!

[Guest]

When I was inspected in Nov 2003 I was given a Good grading and asked to have a seperate form for parents to sign agreeing to me seeking emergency medical assistance for their child. I pointed out this was in my NCMA accident book but the Inspector said she "had to find something for me to improve upon"

In November 2007 I was inspected and given an Outstanding grade, with no areas of improvement as "provision is outstanding in all aspects" - the Inspectors "target" for me was to keep doing what I'm doing, which seemed fair.

The Inspector who made initial contact with me in July 2007 asked whether I would have a child with special needs with me when she was due to visit and I was suspicious that she was box-ticking to meet a quota. I was uncomfortable enough to check with Ofsted, particularly as I was aware that our Early Years Team had raised concerns about this Inspector already (& a childminder had made a written complaint about her) The Inspector was off on long-term sick (stress, I was told by the girl who answered Ofsted's phone - confidential or what!?) and another Inspector called in from another area to cover for her. It would appear their targets have a lot to answer for!

Nona

[Guest]

The nursery that has been closed down is 5 minutes down the road from me! I didn't have a clue it was finally going to shut until the program said- I think it was a very last minute decision by the sounds of it!

 

I agree with all the comments everyone has posted so far- it was horrid viewing. But as plenty have said nobody would have been interested in seeing a program about good early years providers (well except for us!).

 

Keep smiling- we are all doing fantastic jobs! xx

[louby loo]

I have not watched the programme. I have however, worked in a nursery with such bad practice that I can understand the concerns brought up.

 

One example of how bad the settng I was in - after asking the manger about my CRB and being told 'oh I haven't even sent it off yet' (I had fiilled it in two months previous) I was then asked by the same manager to sit with a child as she used the potty........she got very angry when I refused! health and safety had to be seen to be believed, and one day they ran out of both nappies and food.......-that was the day I left!

 

It's a double edged sword... and they should show examples of good practice, but I for one welcome programmes that make parents/carers think twice before leaving their child with anyone. Perhaps someone should make a programme that helps parents, and explains what they should be looking for. My example was from a brand new setting with a very high 'corporate image' which is what the parents saw and liked what the company wanted seen.

[Guest]

Well Whistleblower certainly gave the shock factor and has probably succeeded in scaremongering amongst parents, many of whom already face worry or guilt when putting their children in day care. I'd hate the thought of practitioners handling my children in an aggressive way, calling them s**t bags and pushing their face into a mattress when telling them to go to sleep.

 

I don't have anything to do with Ofsted (thanksfully) as I live in Wales and am registered and inspected by the CSSIW. I've never had any complaints in my dealings with them. We receive unannounced Inspections, are asked to complete a self-evaluation and then will expect to receive the visit anytime within the following 3 months. I must be doing something right as my Inspector told me a few years ago that if she became pregnant she's earmarked me to look after her child.....she's now due in August and has already requested me to care for her baby from April 09 (pressure or what ??!!)

 

Andrea, it certainly does make you want to look after everyone else's children and protect them from harm OR perhaps we should become Inspectors and tell Ofsted where to shove their targets and concentrate on ensuring children are cared for and their basic needs are met.

[Guest]

I also watched the programme and was horrified by what I saw. I feel so sorry for poor parents as they must be worrying about the daycare their children receive. I think the staff in the settings were very inexperienced and were given no training or guidance - this brings up the issues of poor pay, low morale and lack of training and qualifications. Unfortunately, some of these settings employ young inexperienced people because they can get away with paying them less money. Most of the staff seemed unhappy with the bad practice of the settings in the programme but didn't know what to do about it.

As for Ofsted, the inspector said that their reports were not worth the paper they were written on. I think this is unfair on all of the settings who have received good reports as it denegrates their achievements and committment to working with children. I hope that these practices are the minority but unfortunately I am concerned now that we may all be judged the same.

 

Sally

[Guest]

Well said, Cannonbolt - and what a compliment your Inspector has paid you!

I always get a real "buzz" when parents choose to leave their child in my care. They are leaving the most precious thing in their life with me, often for long hours and in the most important stages of their development and I try never to lose sight of that fact.

Wouldn't life be great if every childcarer out there felt the same!?

[Guest]

I was annoyed at the comment that Ofsted are in and out giving the impression to prospective customers it is a flying visit. I had my inspector for two days. Yes bad provisions are out there but there are some faboulous ones as well with well trained staff. The government should be giving money to these provisions if the staff are well trained to retain them in the settings as we cannot ask the parents to pay more than they do. The BBC should balance it back with a visit to a good nursery to show parents it is not the norm to have that poor standard of care.

[Hello Kitty]

Whilst I agree with those of you saying that it should be a balanced view - the whole point of the programme is whistleblowing - showing up bad practice. I am sure there are excellent day nurseries around but I've had experience of about 15 in various roles from student to assessor and I would not have been happy leaving my children in any of them. They have often been staffed by underpaid, underqualified girls and they are girls too, usually under 19 as most older ones move on to jobs where they are appreciated! My whole argument as an assessor was that these young inexperienced girls were not good role models for the training ones. Typically as this programme showed, the decent workers give up trying to make things right and end up leaving. The nurseries have trouble recruiting good staff so will take on anyone like this reporter!

I got the impression she had been given the names of the settings she went to but I too would be interested to know if she had been refused anywhere else. It would have added impact to the fact that the poor settings had taken her on so easily.

It makes me laugh that settings have all these policies and blurb for parents about highly qualified staff and rigorous vetting and induction then you find that some still take anyone who's mad enough to do a million hours a week for 2p.

Phew I feel better now!

Please will someone who works at a good day nursery invite me to visit so I can have at least one positive experience of one in my life...

I'm serious, my view of htem is so negative and it shouldn't be.

[Guest]

I watched the program and am not surprised about the bad practice-we all know it goes on. And yes it should be exposed.

My criticism of the program would be that the reporter was in many ways no better than the settings. She was there unqualified and inexperienced and she was compromising children's safety by doing this. All for a news story.

She also missed a great opportunity to expose the governments push for childcare come what may. Part of the reason settings aren't closed down is because the government needs them open to fulfill it's own targets.

As for the Warner holidays set up-would you allow your small child to be transported in a speed boat with complete strangers even if they were wearing a helmet? None of them were strapped in and I was fearful for the little one without the helmet-he/she looked as though they were going to bounce out of the boat at one stage.

Linda

[fizzy]

All i can say is, those poor kids. It really upset me to watch. So god only knows how their parents felt.

The language used by the workers was dreadful and inexcuseable.

[Guest Wolfie]

I do hope that the programme makers gained permission from the parents of the children shown to show the clips - imagine if you saw that treatment of your child at the same time as the rest of the nation?

[hali]

im sure they must have -it was that poor little bot in the speedboat that got me asking why he didnt have a hat like the others!!!! - bless him

[Sue R]

Please will someone who works at a good day nursery invite me to visit so I can have at least one positive experience of one in my life...

I'm serious, my view of htem is so negative and it shouldn't be.

 

Well, you're welcome to come and play with us!!

 

Where are you?

 

Sue

[Rea]

I'll endorse Sue R's nursery if you can get there

The only pity is that I live too far away to commute.

[Guest]

Hi I also watched the programme and was really upset.I have a 3 year old grandson and my daughter is pregnant again and I would be horrified to find my grandchildren in one of those nurseries.However I am a nursery teacher in a school and i know there are many,many dedicated people out there who run very good nurseries and day nurseries.To all you excellent providers keep doing what you are doing so well.The stick Ofsted use to beat school nurseries with is not achieving good standards-even though children have made fantastic value added (some still in nappies and not talking when they come to me)because KS1 sat results are not always in line with National expectations they want more(more than the 100%we put in now.-still like most other people in Early years education ,whatever sector i do my very best for the children in my care.

[Buttercup]

I am not suprised that some people are getting through the net.

 

I was a childminder for 15 years. My inspection was due last year. unfortunatly i flooded in the July floods in Tewkesbury. My house was ripped apart no floorboards, joists or walls. I rang ofsted to say i could not childmind. They rang in November to say my inspection was due. I explained i had no docucments to show them (all washed away) and no house to show them. They still wanted to come to my caravan and would give me a satisfactory for what I could tell them. Yes I had previously got a Good and was a network childminder but i was not prepared to sit there and tell what they wanted to here whether true or not as I had no evidence.

As it happens I was setting up a playgroup from September 2007 so resigned as a childminder.

 

This brings me onto my other incident. Ofsted came to see me at the building that i would be using as a playgroup. It was set up as classrooms. They did my suitable person check. I asked them if they would be back when all the equipment was in they said no not for 6 - 9 months. I could be running a completly unsuitable playgroup who would know. Parents dont seem to be bothered. I had parents ring for places without even wanting to see me.

 

My confidence in ofsted is very low

 

angela

[surfer]

If you missed it and didn't record it then it's stillon the BBCi site for a few more days.

[Guest Wolfie]

I'm not surprised Angela!

[Guest]

If nothing else, then the programme forced a clearly unsuitable nursery to close - something apparently no other power could or would do. One unqualified worker in charge of 9 babies - i am too shocked for words.

[Beau]

I haven't watched it yet but have downloaded it from the website so will hopefully be able to comment soon.

[HelenaWaterworth]

just a thought, has anyone had any feedback after the programme from their own parents showing anxieties?

I certainly felt like putting a statement out reassuring our parents, even though we did not receive any comments!

[hali]

no nothing just staff comments!!!

[dublinbay]

Nothing from our parents either.

[Guest]

Hi,

I was shocked by what I saw on the programme but sadly not surprised. I know there are some VERY good nurseries out there but unfortunately there are a lot of money making bad practice nurseries.

Ratio's do seem to be a very big problem in nurseries and that is money. 2 staff members to 16 3 yearolds is legal but what is the quality of the childcare been given. How many of us have 16 3 year olds who play lovely, don't wet themselves, don't injure themselves, don't make a mess, don't get upset.

Doesn't happen - so what happens to the children when you have eg - billy wet himself in the corner, jonny has decided to paint himself, sarah has just been whacked by Chloe etc - staff been pulled form pillar to post, staff been pulled away from other areas to cover, children upset by the change in staff, staff moral going slowly down the pan - How do the staff have time to make quality observations, time to stretch the children's learning

I have worked in nurseries and seen this first hand, and left.

Poor wages, bad staff ratio's, low moral, young poorly qualified staff with usually a rich profit making company at the top with little regard for the staff but more inportantly the children in its care.

Sometimes it is bad management but usually it is from ridiculous budgets been given to these nurseries.

 

I KNOW this isn't all nurseries but it is scarily common

 

Net x

[Guest]

I haven't watched it yet but have downloaded it from the website so will hopefully be able to comment soon.

[/quote

 

what website did you download it from, because i missed it

 

Thanks

[Beau]

The BBCi player one but they only have them available for 7 days so you've probably missed it now.