FEELING nervous about your child taking the first big leap into education, as they prepare for nursery?
You want to make it absolutely certain that you’ve found the right place for your little one – and one that will cater for their needs the best.
But if you’re yet to start the search and there are plenty of options nearby, fear not, as one former worker has shared five to look for.
Heather, from , worked in a nursery for close to eight years and is now regularly helping parents make the right choice.
According to Heather, there are always ”;;things to definitely consider and look out for”;;, such as ensuring ”;;the hygiene conditions are top-notch”;;.
”;;View the changing station, view the toilets and have a really good nosey and look around.
”;;If anything looks a bit ‘mmm’, just bear in mind like if it looks like that when you are viewing a nursery, just consider it.
”;;Because this should be top-notch. Your child is being looked after in that care, so the hygiene should be up there,”;; she said in the informative video.
Another key point that could be a major red flag is inconsistent staff or high-turnover of staff.
”;;This is a huge one to make sure you look out for.”;;
Heather – who posts under the username @heather_motherhood – went on: ”;;Ask how long people have worked there for and their qualifications.
”;;You want to know everything about these staff members that potentially may be looking after your children.”;;
Following from that one is observing staff interaction with the children.
”;;You want to make sure that they are interacting with them for one – and also that they’re patient and they’re not rough.”;;
The latter is indeed crucial, as one worker at £1,900-a-month nursery ‘’ in vile attacks caught on CCTV’’.
Roksana Lecka allegedly left the children with scratches to their faces and necks and pinch marks on their inner legs and stomachs.
The 22-year-old is accused of “badly harming”;; the tots over a six month period while working at the Riverside Nursery in Twickenham, South West.
The nursery, which charges up to £1,900 a month to look after children aged between 18 months and two years, follows the Montessori method of .
Jurors heard 23 of the children were harmed at the nursery, while a 24th count of child cruelty refers to an offence that allegedly took place before Lecka started.
Heather said: ”;;Make sure you’re looking out and are watching what is going on while you are viewing a nursery.”;;
Another important aspect if finding out what quality training the staff members have had, the lack of it, as well as what level of training they’re on.
”;;If they have more unqualified staff to qualified staff, that for me is a concern.”;;
When visiting a nursery for a viewing it’s also crucial to find out as much as possible about all the policies in place and ask all the necessary questions.
”;;If they’re not able to answer it in a professional and a correct way [...], that is definitely a red flag for me.”;;
