Staffing issues HELP

[Clare_Matthews]

Hey everyone,

 

I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice re staffing. We're a new setting (opened in feb) and had a shocker of a week last weekend.

 

We have 4 members of staff (including me) and One member of staff contacted me to let me know that she had aggrevated an exsisting outside of work which has resulted in her being incapacitated long term. She decided that it was best for her health to resign as she would be off for a long period and that long term lifting children etc would only continue to make her knees worse (she tore the ligaments previously)

 

so that left 3!

 

then on the saturday i received a text message from another member of staff.this member of staff had been spoken to on several occasions regarding absentisim, providing incorrect information regarding absence (she claimed she had a contagious disease that i should inform parents of but she couldnt remember the name) when i advised she would need to provide this information she went quiet. only to text several hours later saying she was mistake and that she was off due to diaorrhea.

she also claimed she had injured herself when changing nappies (she stated she bent it back causing bruising to her fingers and knuckles and hands) , this was put in the accident book and we advised she sought the opinion of a doctor if she felt that she needed to (there was no bruising present either straight after when she wrote this in the book or later on)

 

she was in her probationary period and as a result we informed her that this along with her performance (she was always miserable, not proactive at all), didnt do any obs etc that we would not be offering her a permanant position and that her contract would come to an end at the end of the summer term

 

Anyway as a result she worked 2 more days then text me on my personal mobile on the saturday night saying. ive got a new job im not coming back. I discussed with her the fact that she was required to give notice which is required to be worked but she said she wasnt coming back and didnt.

 

This left 2 !!

Hence my predicament, we went from being over staffed to over ratio, i managed to source volunteers last week so i could open with all the children and have also got cover for next week from friends also in childcare. But i really need bank staff . Where do i find bank staff and if people use agencies who do they use?

 

I obviously dont want to use them long term but for us to open after half term i need to recruit 1 member of staff at least. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

 

[eyfs1966]

im not sure where you are, but here in London, I use Staff Bank. Frankly, bank staff are never great. They don't know the setting, the routine or the children, and are expensive, but at least they keep you Legal with regard to ratios when completely stuck.

[Clare_Matthews]

im based in ashford, middlesex (surrey), do you have any recommendations for agencies. Ive contacted tinies i think it is several times this week but im still waiting for them to contact me back!

[LKeyteach]

I don't use agancy either. I'm in surrey but I do know other settings who use staff bank. Sorry don't have contact no but am sure you will find them on google.

Most report staff ok but sgency fees are expensive.

Good Luck

[Foreveryoung]

We have most all staff bar one trainined so could afford to use ex parents as bank staff, this has been great for us as you get to know your parents, know which ones then to drop it to, infact I have a permanent staff member now who has completed training through us start in this way and another ex parent whos on our bank staff just literally sign up to do her NVQ, other bank staff are people family members etc. We do have capita as a back up incase 50% rule is compromised x

Only thing I'd ensuring during induction means of communications that are acceptable are covered and relationships with parents etc.

[Bluebell76]

We have a team of 11 permanent staff and I have on average 5 of my own Supply staff who work when staff are off sick, on courses etc. I advertise locally, interview, DBS etc as I would a normal member of staff but they know that work is ad hoc and if I ask them to work they can always say no. They are very much a part of the whole team, do staff training days, staff nights out etc and once they have been in a few times they know how the setting works and the children. The setting pays 50% of the DBS and supply member pays the other 50%.

[finleysmaid]

im based in ashford, middlesex (surrey), do you have any recommendations for agencies. Ive contacted tinies i think it is several times this week but im still waiting for them to contact me back!

Interesting...i'm not far from you and one of my staff is constantly being hounded by Tinies ...my neighbour works for them but i don't know where she's based at the mo!

I have never had to resort to agency staff so i'm afraid i can't recommend anyone.