2 year check, family told a nursery would be better!

[VeggieSausage]

Child with language and communication issue that I had referred to see a health visitor, was told at 2 year check that it was probably as he was with a childminder and would be better for him to be in a nursery.....parents agreed and child will be moving when they find one they like - humph 2 mums made redundant this week too - one already given notice.....

[Tracie Morrison]

Child with language and communication issue that I had referred to see a health visitor, was told at 2 year check that it was probably as he was with a childminder and would be better for him to be in a nursery.....parents agreed and child will be moving when they find one they like - humph 2 mums made redundant this week too - one already given notice.....

Thats harsh! As long as his needs are addressed through play/socialising surely he would respond any setting - why didnt the Health Visitor suggest some activities for home/setting instead of making an assumption that childminding setting is the cause and nursery would be better!
Bet you're annoyed, I would be. Sending Hugs xx

[Mouse]

Something similar happened to me & I was fuming. I'd identified speech & language delay, which the HV kept saying was nothing. When mum eventually pushed for a referral, the HV told her not to take any notice of what I said as I was just a cm and wouldn't really know anything about it. She told mum to talk about it with the pre-school as they were the ones who would deal with it. This is the pre-school lo had been going to for 18 months & where they hadn't even noticed he has a serious problem. She suggested mum increased his hours at pre-school

Luckily mum refused and said she was happy where he was. She told the HV he goes to pre-school to get chance to mix in a bigger group, but comes to me for everything else.

[sing-low]

Sorry to hear this Veggie - what rubbish and very unprofessional of the HV.

[caz3007]

It just goes to show hv's have no idea what we do. My nephews wife is training to be a hv, time to properly educate her.

[Simona]

Child with language and communication issue that I had referred to see a health visitor, was told at 2 year check that it was probably as he was with a childminder and would be better for him to be in a nursery.....parents agreed and child will be moving when they find one they like - humph 2 mums made redundant this week too - one already given notice.....

If I were in your position I would report this straight away to my EY team as an issue to address immediately
While I appreciate that there maybe cms who could improve on helping children's language development the same goes for nurseries and this is out of order....sad if the parents did not argue with the HV.

In future Education and Health will have to work together as the DfE is changing all the guidance...someone ought to send HVs a copy of the EYFS 2014 and make sure they read page 13-14 (2.5)
I am appalled that a HV can make such statement without prior knowledge of the input a cm is contributing to the child's progress and without initiating a 3 way discussion and support integrated working as referred on page 14 of the EYFS

[VeggieSausage]

Sadly mum has taken all the HV's advice on board and obviously wants to do the best for her child.....HV told her that in a larger group he will have to speak up for himself rather than being with people who are aware of what he wants and doesn't have to try to communicate - totally did not understand the issues with this child at all.....

[Simona]

Sadly mum has taken all the HV's advice on board and obviously wants to do the best for her child.....HV told her that in a larger group he will have to speak up for himself rather than being with people who are aware of what he wants and doesn't have to try to communicate - totally did not understand the issues with this child at all.....

I feel like crying after reading this....or maybe throwing a tantrum would be better to ease the frustration
Yes it is obvious that your input was not sought at all as you would know the child and how he interacts in your setting...very sad really but let's hope the child does well although the HV advice is one that leaves me wondering.

[funemnx]

Wow! That's total rubbish! HV need educating on what a CM can offer - one-to-one attention!

I had a conversation with one of my mum's yesterday - she's a nurse, studying to be a HV. She asked me what my steps are if I notice a child is falling behind in one or more areas of development. From what she tells me a child doesn't see a HV nowadays from 10m until the 2y 3m check in this area unless the parents visit in the meantime. If the child is not in a setting and the parents don't pick it up, nothing is noticed until then!

[SYLVIA]

I had something similar, where a child here wouldn't even say her name when she first came.HV told mum that she should go to preschool as well as to me as it would help her to develop her speech. But to be honest, I didn't see an improvement from the preschool. But I worked hard with her here making sure she had plenty of time and opportunity to use her voice in lots of different ways and her speech and language was fine by the time she went to school. I feel that if they are quiet children by nature, being in large groups only makes it harder for them to speak up. Sorry to hear about your situation, I'm sure more children will come your way soon

[sarah707]

Regardless of how mum is dealing with the information - this Health Visitor needs re-educating

if it was me I would put in an immediate strongly worded complaint to the Health Visitors - and their boss. They cannot trample over childminders like that we are all supposed to be working together.

Poor child will be completely lost in a big setting

hugs xx

[smurfette]

I lost one this way too., not sure how the speech therapist thought he would do better with one adult to 12 kids but there you go! I was so upset as he had come on leaps and bounds with me., he visited about three months after he left and was really unclear! Hugs for you xx

[twiggy]

One of my parents was advised by her health visitor at the 2 year check to send her LO to a pre school to increase the number of children he interacts with. I have 6 children most days when I work with an assistant and we go to groups and meet up with other childminders. Thankfully the mum refused as he,is really happy with me, has lots of friends and he is doing really well in my care.

[littlemiss605]

Sadly mum has taken all the HV's advice on board and obviously wants to do the best for her child.....HV told her that in a larger group he will have to speak up for himself rather than being with people who are aware of what he wants and doesn't have to try to communicate - totally did not understand the issues with this child at all.....

Or... He will be totally lost and scared to speak up, therefore not being heard at all. In a noisy environment so not hearing speech sounds quite as clearly? A bit like " turn the tele off while your reading to your child so they can focus on the words clearly and not be distracted". far easier to have quiet time with 3 than a room full of 30? Sheesh... Who trained her? Why are some, possibly many HV s against us??

[watford wizz]

When I did 2 year check training we were told by HV that some are afraid of us doing their job for them/ taking it away. I have had this comment in feed back from 2 HV who have received my checks but in a positive way that we are working together. I am appalled to hear of what this HV has advised and would definitely be writing to complain! So sad for you and the child. I often have had the opposite where HV has advised smaller setting as child is struggling in large nursery. Just don't understand this HV logic??

[Simona]

Come on everyone...this kind of thing has been going on....and on ...and on for years and years with CMs ...the good ones who bother to follow legislation and regulation that is....always the ones ending up with egg on their faces because the so called 'professionals' take no notice on our input or standing in this so called 'professional partnership'

What good will it do to 'complain' about the HV? or educating her? she should know her job and I am sure she does
Complaining means taking on the Department of Health...why not let the EY team who are part of the Education establishment deal with this

Has anyone got a copy of 'The Common Core of Skills and Knowledge'?

that is the document we should be waving under the HV nose...and EY ...not a complaint.....so that all start taking providers seriously and not walk over us...worth reading and keeping with all the documents...it has more value than any other document I have ever come across
Archived or not it is still very relevant and used at Uni all the time

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.g...ommonCore7.pdf

[LauraS]

Wow! That's total rubbish! HV need educating on what a CM can offer - one-to-one attention! I had a conversation with one of my mum's yesterday - she's a nurse, studying to be a HV. She asked me what my steps are if I notice a child is falling behind in one or more areas of development. From what she tells me a child doesn't see a HV nowadays from 10m until the 2y 3m check in this area unless the parents visit in the meantime. If the child is not in a setting and the parents don't pick it up, nothing is noticed until then!

In this area, the 2y check is only carried out if the parents feel it is necessary ie have identified a problem. So a child wouldn't be seen by any medical professional from 9-10m until they start school, potentially. My son was last seen by a hv when he was six weeks old as he didn't get called for a 10m check either.

[Simona]

In this area, the 2y check is only carried out if the parents feel it is necessary ie have identified a problem. So a child wouldn't be seen by any medical professional from 9-10m until they start school, potentially. My son was last seen by a hv when he was six weeks old as he didn't get called for a 10m check either.

That is very interesting but not surprising...it means,once again, that each LA can do as they please and comparable to each inspector using his/her own interpretation of legislation?

The 'Healthy Child Programme' is part of the reforms for the EYFS and include Health and Education and will kick in in 2015 although it is mentioned in EYFS 2014 page 14

I wonder what the point is of having a statutory framework when LAs can decide to bypass it...wish we could do the same!

[bunyip]

Child with language and communication issue that I had referred to see a health visitor, was told at 2 year check that it was probably as he was with a childminder and would be better for him to be in a nursery.....parents agreed and child will be moving when they find one they like - humph 2 mums made redundant this week too - one already given notice.....

Really feel for you, Veggie.

If this health visitor hasn't met you and been to your setting to see how you work, then I'd want a word with their manager to find out how they justify such a judgment with no knowledge of your methods. How do they know that the lo wasn't (or wouldn't have been) worse without the efforts you've already put in? How do they know you're not trying your damnedest and getting no response? - which means the child needs better HV support than simplest the further disruption of moving to a new setting?

I can at least offer 2 pieces of anecdotal evidence, not to show that I'm a wonderful person, but rather to demonstrate that CMs can very well be a good place for developing speech and language.

1. I recently signed for a 3yo to start with me in June. He has already had a few short 'stay and play' visits where mum stays to drink coffee and chat, or we meet for an hour in the park (whilst all the nosey parkers in the village gossip that we're having an affair .) Mum said to me how naturally settled he seems already, and she could tell because he talks with me and the other mindees. Then she dropped the bombshell: he hardly said a word for his first 3 months at a group setting (preschool) and, what is more, the staff didn't think this worth mentioning to mum until it came out by accident.

2. My grandson's erstwhile S&L therapist stopped me (in the pub, of course ) a few weeks ago and asked if I'd consider minding her as yet unborn 1st child next year, after maternity leave, all being well. Flattering, but if a S&L therapist prefers a CM to a nursery, maybe she should have a word with your HV ??? ???

[wee_elf]

When I was expecting my daughter the health visitor on my team said she would always recommend for children to go to a cm over nursery as they have the opportunity to be heard.