Child Care Complaints

zhk89 on 15/06/2023 - 16:33

Hi Everyone

Last eve when my wife went to pick up our 18 mo kid from the child care she was shocked to see a casual staff dragging the baby with one hand to keep up with her walking speed. He fell down in the way so she picked him up again with one hand and continued walking / dragging the kid till my wife shouted on her. Went through the Supervisor etc at the time and was told to be contacted by the Operations Manager. Got the call today from that person and the owner on the side to say that they did not find any substantial evidence for it and will also put that staff to toddler rooms now. We were also given the option to drop out the kids if we want. This will be without any notice period to be given (usually has 2 weeks notice period).

There is no CCTV inside the room where it happened. Is that all they can do?

PS: The other staff has always been loving and caring towards the kid.

There is no point of dropping out as our loss is more due to child being comfortable with other usual staff in there. Also what are the chances it cannot happen at the other child care.

Any suggestions here please?

Education & Work

Comments

  • Porker on 15/06/2023 - 16:40
    -5

    He said, she said, they said.

    Did you actually see the incident or just going off the testimony of your wife?

    Was your wife aware of the circumstances for what she saw? Did she see or understand the reason why the child was being handled in that manner? Was it for the child's safety or was the educator angry/frustrated?

    • zhk89 on 15/06/2023 - 16:53
      +1

      was evening time so child was brought back to the room for Nappy change and was taken back to the main area where all kids are gathered. there is no understanding of the reason a child being dragged with one hand. its a 18 mo kid not a toddler trying to run away. He cant even run atm.

      • payless69 on 15/06/2023 - 17:59
        +1

        while you're at it: Sue Wikipedia too:
        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toddler

      • jolee3 on 15/06/2023 - 23:16

        Without seeing it it's he said she said so I can't comment on the incident, but an 18 month old is definitely a toddler and if my kids are anything to go by, they definitely try to run away. My currently 19 month old also resists nappy changes and it's like tackling an octopus to get the job done; I can get pretty frustrated by the end of that and she's my own child that I'm wiping the butt of…can't imagine I'd be in any better mood for someone else's child.

        If you can't trust the centre anymore then you have to leave. You can't stay for your own benefit and expect that the centre will bend over backwards to appease just you, in your pursuit of persecuting this staff member. There are shortages of childcare workers everywhere at the moment.

    • zhk89 on 15/06/2023 - 16:53
      +2

      going with testimony of my wife? What else will one need? A CCTV like that Operation Manager?

    • trapper on 15/06/2023 - 19:10
      +9

      Did you actually see the incident or just going off the testimony of your wife?

      lol what? wtf

      • Gervais fanboy on 15/06/2023 - 19:14
        +8

        My reaction exactly, lol.
        Imagine saying that to a stranger irl. You’d get decked on the spot.

        • jacross on 16/06/2023 - 10:22

          If someone is prone to violence in the face of a reasonable sorority then their character is definitely suspect and very little ethical insight or integrity could be drawn from them.

          Edit: I'm just going to leave it as is. It's funnier than what I was actually trying to say.

          • Gervais fanboy on 16/06/2023 - 10:49
            -3

            @jacross:

            in the face of a reasonable

            So yeahhhh, this is where i lose you. There’s nothing reasonable about being disrespectful to a stranger when you have 0 clue about the actual situation.

            sorority

            Not sure how that word really fits there but whatever, keep trying mate.

  • Pcosmic on 15/06/2023 - 16:50
    -2

    Harden up

    • zhk89 on 15/06/2023 - 16:54
      -1

      As in let it go? or something else

      • Pcosmic on 15/06/2023 - 17:01

        Kid needs to harden up. It's how they will grow up to have strong arms

        • zhk89 on 15/06/2023 - 17:02
          +6

          or Arms dislocated?

  • 7ekn00 on 15/06/2023 - 16:56
    +19

    If that is happening in front of your face, imagine what is happening behind closed doors :/

    • zhk89 on 15/06/2023 - 16:58

      agree. we do trust couple of staff in the room who are genuinely good and been very caring with the kid all time but understand they cant be there all time. If she is doing that to my kid it would be the same with everyone else in there. Moving to the Toddlers room is that the solution to it?

    • 7ekn00 on 15/06/2023 - 17:20
      +2

      Ask your son, he should say "f-cken oath" ;)

    • pjetson on 16/06/2023 - 14:46

      knew ALL f-words

      I must be way out of the loop. Just how many f-words are there?

  • CurlCurl on 15/06/2023 - 17:27
    +1

    We were also given the option to drop out the kids if we want

    Sounds like you may have form complaining.

  • FoxJump on 15/06/2023 - 17:33
    +4

    Find another childcare.

  • dtc on 15/06/2023 - 17:34
    +5

    What are you actually wanting to be done? Have the staff member fired (leaving the centre open to an unfair dismissal claim based on your testimony that is not backed up by any other evidence)? compensation (which you wont get). Ability to leave (already offered). And investigation (already done). You want CCTV in every room (do all the parents agree to have their child filmed and that film stored forever?)

    There is no point starting anything unless you know what you want from the end of it. What do you want?

    • zhk89 on 15/06/2023 - 17:47
      +2

      Because everyone will not agree for a cam and without a cam its just what my wife saw so we leave as is? Unfair dismissal i found very interesting as the staff is a threat to the kids not just my kid. Unless you have someone doing this in a public or having a cam footage its termed as not backed up by evidence?

      • dtc on 16/06/2023 - 10:19
        +3

        You want the centre to fire someone having conducted an investigation which determined there was insufficient evidence to make a finding one way or the other? Thats an easy unfair dismissal case. If you keep pushing it, the centre will just fire you and tell you to go somewhere else. How will that make you feel - that its 'unfair'?

        Your choices are (a) live with it (b) harden up and stop treating your child like a precious object that will shatter or (c) take your child out of the centre. You are not going to get any other options. Pick one and go on with your life. Your child will suffer far worse during their lifetime (wait until you come across primary school bullies)

        I say this as someone with teenage kids. The kids are not scarred for life, this is a you issue.

  • [Deactivated] on 15/06/2023 - 17:38
    +2

    GoPro on the kiddo

  • lordezekiel on 15/06/2023 - 17:41
    +5

    You could always, you know, look after your own child? Your welcome to let other people do it, but dont think/expect any other human being on earth will care for your little spwanling as much as you do.

    • dBagDealer on 15/06/2023 - 17:56
      +1

      Strongly agree. Children don’t deserve to be put through the capitalist system at such a young age.

      Its also simply impossible for child care workers to show the same amount of care and compassion to all children.

  • bobbified on 15/06/2023 - 17:48
    +1

    We were also given the option to drop out the kids if we want.

    They're offering to let you out without the two weeks notice, but you don't want to do that. The fact that you're not pulling your child out says that you don't exactly think it's unsafe, so in your mind, what were you hoping the best outcome for your complaint would be?

    • Pcosmic on 15/06/2023 - 17:56
      +4

      The employee sacked obviously

      • zhk89 on 15/06/2023 - 18:19

        Not just sacked. Taking it further so working with children check gets revoked.

        PS nothing else against this staff as we never even saw her before yesterday.

        • SBOB on 15/06/2023 - 18:36
          +2

          Not just sacked. Taking it further so working with children check gets revoked

          Won't happen so either give up or take your kid out of the centre.
          Tell your wife you'll keep trying if it helps you save face in the house.

    • zhk89 on 15/06/2023 - 18:17

      Yes there are definitely lot of good people in there. Cannot blame the whole centre or sue them all. Yes i will be filing a complaint further to the education dpt to have the staff’s working with children check revoked or terminated whatever i give a **. Its just not about my child. Such person does not deserve to work with any child. Hope i can save someone’s child being mistreated/assaulted as such.

  • trapper on 15/06/2023 - 19:07
    +9

    Take your little one out of there.

    There is no way I'd entrust the care of my baby to a center where my wife had already seen him mistreated.

    Also this worker, who already isn't treating young children properly, will now likely have a grudge against you that could be directed at your child.

  • Deridas on 15/06/2023 - 19:31
    +6

    I can see you're hurting.
    The most important thing is just to calm down, breathe slowly, take it easy, give the kid a hug.

    Unfortunately, this sounds like a he says, she says situation. Based on what you wrote it sounds like the Childcare Centre did what was reasonable and expected of them.

    If you still feel anger and hurt after some time to settle, then the best thing to do is to take the child out and go elsewhere.

    One complaint, with no other witnesses, is not going to go very far. If this is one of many, then I'm sure the Childcare Centre will do something about it (imagine if something really bad happened and made it to the media and they found the worker had multiple complaints in the past). On the contrary, if this was a worker that nobody has made complaints before, the childcare centre can't possibly act unless there's good evidence. Imagine if every childcare worker who has had one complaint gets fired, there won't be any childcare workers in the country.

    • zhk89 on 16/06/2023 - 01:52

      Appreciate the way you have put it in. Thanks

  • JIMB0 on 15/06/2023 - 20:33
    -4

    Why doesn't your wife stay home and look after the kids?

    • [Deactivated] on 15/06/2023 - 20:35
      +3

      Plot twist - OP is also a wife

    • zhk89 on 16/06/2023 - 01:58
      +1

      Never had such an enlightening question. Wife stay Home. Will contact for more info

      • JIMB0 on 16/06/2023 - 11:45
        +1

        Another advantage is she'll have plenty of time to clean the house and have dinner on the table when you get home.

  • 82norm on 16/06/2023 - 07:58
    +2

    As terrible as it maybe, you’re pretty much screwed. Either stay and hope it was just a one off, or take your child to another centre. Without cctv footage, it’s unlikely to go anywhere further. For those who commented on he said, she said….geez I’d hate to have you in the trenches if it was you’re own partner.

    • zhk89 on 18/06/2023 - 01:26
      +1

      Thanks 82norm. Yes but will try our best to take it further wherever it can be taken. Been contacted by the Education dpt already and they are awaiting our detailed response on it. Yes and thanks for pointing out the He said she said. Guess some people got Trust issues with their He and She so coming out in comments too. Its the bloody Mother of my kid my wife who went crazy while seeing that happen while she went in a happy mood to pick our son up. Not any He said / She said.

  • 2esc on 16/06/2023 - 09:26
    +1

    Question?

    Was the child crying?

    Was the child hurt?

    What was the mood of the child?

    The staff member should not have been doing that as risk of injury.

    I remember as a early teen playing with my baby brother and things i did i most certainly shouldnt have but he was giggling the whole time.

    Now that you've raised the issue i would think conduct should improve if this was a worker that they had previously had complaints about the company will do something.

    Note a lot of child care workers are casual so a child care center can just stop employing them or reduce hours if they are not working out.

  • Ggggggggg on 16/06/2023 - 09:58
    +1

    Take your child out of there… But it's not guaranteed the next one will be better :(

  • afah0447 on 16/06/2023 - 10:35
    +2

    Pay peanuts, get monkeys.

  • kiitos on 16/06/2023 - 11:49
    +1

    What did the worker say when your wife shouted at her? Was there a reason the worker was seemingly hurried? Eg was it after normal hours, was your wife late to pickup?

    • zhk89 on 18/06/2023 - 01:22

      The worker got shocked to see my wife. Sorry this will not happen again. It was 5:10 PM so yes ending time but very usual pick up time from the centre. It was just a usual eve where my wife went in happy to pick him up after the day.

  • jrvb42 on 16/06/2023 - 13:45

    Best not to use child care.
    Anything less than parental care is going to be sub-optimal.
    Hell, even parental care is often not the best.

    • trapper on 17/06/2023 - 19:27

      In a lot of ways child care is actually better than sitting at home alone with mum.

      Children are supposed to be socialised young, this doesn't really happen at home in the modern world with small and disconnected family's.

      • GourmetFoodie on 17/06/2023 - 20:50
        -3

        This is the lie sold to you by people who try to feel better about sending their kids to childcare farms.

        Do you really believe kids who stay at home with a parent don’t get any socialising?! It’s called playgroup, play dates, extra curricular activities, park meets then KINDER etc…they are not without socialisation. Kids parallel play until about 3-4 anyways so they’re not even actually “playing” with other kids.

    • GourmetFoodie on 17/06/2023 - 20:48

      Yep. After touring about 10 childcare centres I quit my career to stay home with my kids. It came down to a simple question: would I rather drive a Porsche OR know my kids are happy and thriving and safe while receiving the best care and learning opportunities available. The government punishes me for doing it but I don’t regret it for a second.

  • Subere on 16/06/2023 - 14:42
    +1

    Start exploring other options and put yourself on waiting lists. We weren't happy with our childcare and slowly transitioned to another one which seems so much better. You could always find another centre and split the days and slowly transition out. That's what we did. Also helped avoid viral outbreaks as a bonus.

    • zhk89 on 18/06/2023 - 01:17

      thanks for sharing your experience. will look into it.

  • GourmetFoodie on 17/06/2023 - 20:45

    Dude, you need to get your kid out of that centre immediately! Wth!!! Seriously protect your kid and make a complaint to the government if you can! Tell other parents and write bad reviews! Seriously! That is a centre that does not care for kids. Management’s response was disgusting.

    • zhk89 on 18/06/2023 - 01:27
      +1

      We are on it. Thanks :)

      • GourmetFoodie on 19/06/2023 - 21:59
        +1

        Good to hear! Good luck man.

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