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View Full Version : Giving Childminders a Bad Image



Greengrass74
03-08-2011, 02:44 PM
We have had a great day today with all our mindee's at a Fun Family Day at one of our local parks, however I was absolutely shocked :eek: to see another group of childminders standing in a group smoking, one of them was even wearing a Polo shirt with her Childminding name on.

Now I am not an anti smoker, and have got no problem with people smoking, but this is the sort of thing that does give childminders a bad name, as everyone could see them smoking and the children they were looking after around them.

After all we are professional people giving a professional service and classed as being "On Duty" whilst looking after LO,s. You would not see Police Officers, teachers, nurses etc smoking whilst "On Duty"

Surely if they where that desperate for a smoke then they could of took it in turns to go and have one somewhere away from the children that they were looking after, whilst one of the other CM watched their LO's.

Maybe it is just me and others think it ok to smoke whilst working.

Rain or Shine
03-08-2011, 02:51 PM
I completely agree with you Dave. I can't imagin Ofsted would hae been thrilled to see something like that. With any job these days you don't smoke at your desk or in your work van so whats the difference, clearly these minders were working.

I was put off a nursery a few years ago because when I drove past the staff walking with the children 2 were smoking :eek:

boxtree7
03-08-2011, 02:52 PM
yes i agree totally with the above .... don't we have a smoking policy. If i was part of the group I would have to say to something. It drives me mad as well when parents come of the school playground and stand around by the gates smoking ... Move on !!!

BuggsieMoo
03-08-2011, 02:53 PM
I couldn't agree more. As a business they are not allowed to have smoking on their premises during working hours - I personally feel that this should extend to they should not smoke around the children. I wouldn't be happy if a Cm smoked around my child - being a non smoker myself. If they want to smoke fine, but like you said do it out of sight.

Lisa x
http://www.lisasladybirdschildminding.co.uk./home

catminder
03-08-2011, 02:59 PM
I totally agree they were out of order smoking like that. If they had children round them then they must of been still 'on duty' and therefore were wrong to do this. I'm not a smoker myself but have no objection to others smoking if they wish, but NOT near children.:angry:
I wonder what they do when childminding in their homes? Hopefully not smoking on the premises when childminding but it makes you wonder :panic:

Roseolivia
03-08-2011, 03:06 PM
I agree with everyones comments, a big no no if working.

AliceK
03-08-2011, 03:08 PM
That is terrible :panic: . Whether you are a smoker or not you do not smoke around the children and not even in front of them. I class myself as a non-smoker even though I do actually enjoy a cigarette of an evening sat out in the garden with my cup of tea but as a childminder you just cannot smoke like that in front of children. If my OH is around when I'm working (he's a smoker) I don't even let him smoke in the garden as I don't want the children seeing him smoking so I send him round the corner by the garage. We have a nursery just up the road and there are always members of staff stood outside on the pavement smoking. I just think it looks awful. As a parent I would be livid if I saw my childminder smoking near my child.

xxxxx

mrs_scottydog
03-08-2011, 03:11 PM
I agree with everyone too, I'd be unhappy if I had a childminder and they smoked near my son. Hx

Stormy
03-08-2011, 03:53 PM
A big no no for me.
I am very anti smoking anyway, but I agree with Dave this makes CM's look very unprofessional.
The majority of us work incredibly hard and respect our job, children and families and these minders do us no favours at all :angry:

jane5
03-08-2011, 04:43 PM
On my course I was told that we are not allowed to smoke whilst in charge of mindees and that even includes nipping in the back garden for a ciggie whilst the mindees are asleep upstairs. From the minute the 1st one arrives until the last one leaves we are not allowed to smoke.

I dont know whether they were laying it on a bit thick and it is just good practice but they gave us the impression it is the rules just as we are not allowed to go over our numbers. :huh:

ChocolateChip
03-08-2011, 04:44 PM
That is really bad :angry:
At the end of the day what people do in their private time is up to them but we have a duty to be a positive role model to the children and I'm pretty sure that is a breach.
Like Dave said you'd think they could work out a way to take turns to sneak off, like I do with my cm friends when we need a wee, lol!

Penny1959
03-08-2011, 05:07 PM
I sm totally against this - and if I knew the name of the childminders smoking - and any not smoking who allowed their mindees in range of the smoke - I would report them to Ofsted.

I refer to the Statutory Framework pg 27 - at the bottom of the page
Legal Requirement
Providers MUST ensure that children are in a smoke free environment

underneath it says about outdoor space and no smoking policy

Dave - check out the wording yourself - these people are not only giving the rest of us a bad name - they are breaking the LAW and the requirements of registration.

Penny :)

Greengrass74
03-08-2011, 05:31 PM
I sm totally against this - and if I knew the name of the childminders smoking - and any not smoking who allowed their mindees in range of the smoke - I would report them to Ofsted.

I refer to the Statutory Framework pg 27 - at the bottom of the page
Legal Requirement
Providers MUST ensure that children are in a smoke free environment

underneath it says about outdoor space and no smoking policy

Dave - check out the wording yourself - these people are not only giving the rest of us a bad name - they are breaking the LAW and the requirements of registration.

Penny :)

Thanks Penny, I have already had a look at what Ofsted say about smoking as the more I think about this the angrier I get especially as everyone else agrees that it is wrong. We are all trying to raise the profile of childminding and show parents how professional we are, yet a few still manage to spoil things.

I am meeting our Development Worker tomorrow regarding something completely differant but I will speak to her, she will know who at least one of them was as like I said one was wearing a Polo with her business name on.

peanuts
03-08-2011, 06:11 PM
a great big NO if working.

Penny1959
03-08-2011, 06:17 PM
Thanks Penny, I have already had a look at what Ofsted say about smoking as the more I think about this the angrier I get especially as everyone else agrees that it is wrong. We are all trying to raise the profile of childminding and show parents how professional we are, yet a few still manage to spoil things.

I am meeting our Development Worker tomorrow regarding something completely differant but I will speak to her, she will know who at least one of them was as like I said one was wearing a Polo with her business name on.

Really pleased to hear this Dave

As ex NCMA and LA staff - I know your DO will ask you to report it as you saw it

However you DO also has a 'duty of care' and once you have told him / her she needs to report herself - you may need to remind him / her - as I do know some DO who will 'forget' this duty of care.

Penny :)

karensmart4
03-08-2011, 07:23 PM
I think this is horrible truely truely horrible :eek: :eek: whats wrong with these people??

I went to our local Playday with my mindees today, we were going to look in the Ambulance, but I gave it a wide berth after seeing the Paramedics leaning against the side of it having a cigerette :panic:

Erika
04-08-2011, 07:12 PM
I'm a smoker but I have never smoked in the company of my children, and I'd be furious if someone else did it when they were in the role of taking care of them.