Involving parents - Thoughts please

[RaceFace03]

Hi All,

 

I would be grateful for your thoughts on this matter.

 

 

 

My partner was in the area and he had a spare 45mins without a car as it was in the local garage so he thought he would pop in and see me at work. When he arrived I was on my lunch break and was out of the building. So he asked to pop in the room to see his daughter, there was a member of staff in the room at all times and he was never left alone with the children at any point.

 

He then went to sit in the reception area with a member of staff until I arrived, once I arrived he sat with me in the office.

 

Now the owner of the establishment has informed me that this is a safeguarding issue and staff will highly receive written warnings for letting the father go into the room to see his child.

 

I have always welcomed parents into the settings which I have worked in, ensuring that there is no safeguarding risk and staff members are present.

 

Would like to know your thoughts on this.

[Panders]

Oooh harsh! Might it be more to do with staff relatives visiting the setting and not encouraging it more than a straight forward safeguarding issue. Surely any parent would have the right to see their own child in a nursery at any time - and as long as staff were around while other children were present too I dont see an issue personally.

[Rea]

Blimey, that is harsh, would any other parents be denied access to their child?

[Guest]

Does your setting have an 'open door policy' - ie parents are able to come and see their child in the setting at any time (as long as it's convenient and not disruptive)? If so, then there's no issue, surely? I don't see how it's a safeguarding issue if he was visiting his daughter and a member of staff was there all the time?

[sunnyday]

Codswallop - that's my professional point of view - how could that possibly be a safeguarding matter?

[Pimms o'clock?]

'Load of old codswallop' - agree with what Sunnyday said!

[louby loo]

Personally, I would be pleased that the staff had not left him alone at any point- even though he was a he was a known relative of a staff member. (as well as a parent).

 

Not sure if that's come out right - but I know what a mean. Anyway, I really can't see why it's a problem.

[RaceFace03]

Hi,

 

Thank you for your thoughts on this matter.

 

I agree with you I don't see how that was putting children at any risk and like I mentioned before I welcome parents into the setting and if they wish to see their child and spend time with them at nursery I am happy for this to happen.

 

The owner of the establishment stated " This put the safety of the children at risk and impeding the ability of the staff to keep them safe". When he entered the room all the children went over to him and we started to play a game with them and they were chasing after a doll. And the practitioner in the room was not even engaging with the children she was writing books!!!

 

The owner said we should of had some prior warnings and appropriate reason for the parent to come in.

 

I will need to check the policies and procedures, regarding open door policies, but as far as I am aware we have never been instructed not to let parents in to see their child.

[Rea]

Aswell as checking your policies and procedures, I'd have a read of Ofsteds expectations on parents being involved in their childs setting and ask how they would respond to a parent ho complains they're not welcome to visit their own child without warning!

[lsp]

Just out of interest - was the owner on the premises when this happened? If yes, why didn't they deal with this 'safeguarding incident' and ask him to leave?

[Fredbear]

What a load of cods wallop indeed. Who informed the owner. Was a staff member uncomfortable because they didn't know the procedures.

Okay so did the parent sign in to say they were on the premises. If yes and they had explained there presence I cannot see the problem. I suppose the norm would be for parents to drop off and go however how can you refuses a parent access to their own child.

Obviously your not going to leave any adult with any of the children in your care alone who ever they are.

Is this more the owner wasn't happy he was a staff members partner and he had been in the office too.

[RaceFace03]

The owner was not present when this happened.

 

However the staff have not been told not to let the parents in the room to see their child!

 

I had a meeting with the owner (as a staff member and spoke about my concerns as a parent and mentioned my partner popped in the room to see our little girl and noticed there was no staff interaction with the children what so ever).

 

I don't understand why the staff present are going to be getting a written warning, if the owner doesn't want parents going into the room and seeing their child, she needs to make this clear to the staff and put it in the policy surely. ?

 

The owner stated my partner entered uninvited and this was not the case, he asked the member of staff if he can see his daughter, which the staff member agreed.

[Rea]

Not invited? Is the owner saying any member of staff can prevent a parent from seeing their own child?

I'd speak very clearly to the owner if I were you, she needs to understand you wouldnt be able to prevent this without a court order denying access and to think otherwise could be quite a dangerous move for her to make.

I wouldnt stick to a policy that said I should refuse a parent permission to enter unless there was a lawful document backing it up!

Can you imagine the consequences if it got in the papers?

Edited October 22, 2015 by Rea

[RaceFace03]

Rea I agree with you, how can staff prevent a parent from seeing their own child, it is ridiculous !!!

 

The owner is positioning this matter as the staff were put in a difficult position as I am the manager and that my partner undermined my position, as I was not present. This is a load of rubbish!!!

 

I feel that this has been blown out of the water and its not fair to give the staff a written warning, what have they done wrong? NOTHING!!!