Not sure what to do...

**MissTinkerbell** · 19-10-2009, 01:42 PM

Another CM I know and am reasonably good friends with has done something this morning and I know that its not right.

She dropped her mindee off at nursery, took them in and left the other child outside in the pushchair with nobody watching him. It must have been a good few minutes whilst the child was alone - the child was not asleep so it wasn't because she didn't want to disturb him.

Now normalli I've seen her take the little one in with her as I do so not sure what was going on this morning - unless of course she wasn't actually minding this child, although she was holding the pushchair before going in and the person she was talking too doesn't have any children in a pushchair.

Not sure what to do - I have no other reason to believe that the child is not being looked after properly and am sure this is probably a one off?

**mrsgreen** · 19-10-2009, 04:01 PM

lots of the mums (and childminders) at my dd nursery leave there children outside the door while they take in other children. although i agree you shouldnt leave them alone, it would be crazy if 15 pushchairs where bought into the nursery and the school would moan.
was it out side the school? i.e by the main road? or just by the nursery door? maybe give her the benefit of the doubt, she prob thought it would be easier and they would be ok. i would'nt call it child abuse.

**CherryBlossom** · 19-10-2009, 04:04 PM

Hi, sorry don't really have much advice for you-not even started Minding yet so would probably suggest the wrong thing!

If it was me at the time i probably would have said "wheres so and so?" which would prompt her to say "outside" and the you could have acted shocked etc, and hopefully that would leave her feeling embarrassed and not do it again.

x

**Ripeberry** · 19-10-2009, 04:04 PM

If it was by the nursery door, then it would be OK. If it was a few feet away, where the CM could not see it then it would be a concern. But not everyone can get pushchairs into a foyer.

**Mollymop** · 19-10-2009, 04:24 PM

Ummmm....I would say it wouldn't be ok to leave a child in a buggy outside while I went inside.

A few weeks ago a childminder at my school left a mindee outside in the buggy and whilst popping in to talk to the teacher ( some classroom doors open onto the playground) - the child got out the buggy, so not harnessed in, and had disappeared when the minder came out.

The school rang the police while the teacher and minder looked for the child.

They (not sure if it was the police or the school) found the child 2 streets away. The child had even crossed a busy road - gawd knows how!

We still don't know who this childminder was, as one of the teachers from the school told her own childminder, that is how we found out about it.

Scarey!!!!!

**MissTinkerbell** · 19-10-2009, 04:34 PM

Originally Posted by Ripeberry

If it was by the nursery door, then it would be OK. If it was a few feet away, where the CM could not see it then it would be a concern. But not everyone can get pushchairs into a foyer.

We're not allowed to take pushchairs in.. no room. However normally she takes LO out of pushchair and takes him in with her, as I do with my mindee.

She cannot see LO from the classroom as we have to walk down a longish corridor and then go around the corner.

Baby was left near to the nursery door - nursery is hidden from road by a car park and houses and TBH I have left my own when taking big sister in when she was there - but thats my own.

Think I might just give her the benefit of the doubt today and see what happens and then do as Cherry Blossom suggested, if it happens again as I have no other concerns about her as a CM.

Its such a dilemma because I don't want to be a busy body but would feel awful if something happened and I did nothing IYSWIM

**haribo** · 19-10-2009, 04:38 PM

it may be a one off , but if she couldnt see him it was once too often

is there a window she could have a good view out of or was he completely out of her sight ?? if you are good friends maybe you could mention it and say was everything ok as you noticed she left the baby on his own and you were worried

**MissTinkerbell** · 19-10-2009, 04:49 PM

Originally Posted by haribo

it may be a one off , but if she couldnt see him it was once too often

is there a window she could have a good view out of or was he completely out of her sight ??

No its completely out of sight.

**Minstrel** · 19-10-2009, 04:58 PM

Since you're not 100% sure that she was minding this child i would be inclined to leave it this time.

**MissTinkerbell** · 19-10-2009, 06:08 PM

Originally Posted by Minstrel

Since you're not 100% sure that she was minding this child i would be inclined to leave it this time.

I know that I often walk from school to nursery with her and I'm pretty sure thats the child she minds but you know how it is when you see somebody do something that seems out of character that you begin to wonder whether or not the child they have is actually the one they are minding or whether its a different child- not sure if I'm making any snese

**Twinkles** · 19-10-2009, 06:22 PM

If you are friends with her why not mentionthat ' someone' noticed xx in his pushchair on his own outside nursery.
If you both drop off to the same place why not offer to help each other out and one stay with the buggies while the other takes in and helps with coats ?

**madasahatter** · 19-10-2009, 06:43 PM

It's very difficult as many nurseries are just not geared up for parents/carers with pushchairs. Our school nursery has just been rebuilt and from my point of view the entrance is not an improvement. It now has a tiny gated area just outside the door and because of the lack of space in the cloakroom etc you have no choice but to leave the pushchair outside of the door. Thankfully the ones I have at nursery are very independent and I only go into the cloakroom (their choice!) where I can still see the pushchair, but if I need to speak to the teacher it can be very awkward getting 2 non-walkers out and into nursery. At hometime most adults go into nursery to get their child whereas I stick my head round the door and the teacher sends my mindees out to me (as I explained to her my difficulties in going in)

**HomefromHome** · 19-10-2009, 07:02 PM

i have to take my double buggy to nursery to drop my dd - on mon and tues it also has a buggy board!!!!! i'm lucky in that i can get in mine - i would NOT leave minded kids outside regardless of roads/seclusion etc - i think it's just unprofessional - if they asked me to then i would say they would have to come out and get dd!! she does the whole shy act when we go so have to be on at her to take coat out, put your name, etc etc!
if you cant take buggies in then you should really take the kids in - palava i know, but you never know what can happen...

and i'm shocked at the cm who lost their mindee and they were found 2 streets away!! surely she would have had her reg revoked??

**Amaranth** · 19-10-2009, 09:24 PM

We are not allowed to take prams or buggies into our nursery either. We have to leave them outside. It is away from the main road though and a nursery teacher stays stood at the open door for the whole time. it also has lovely big floor to ceiling windows, so I can see mindees from inside. i would love to take mindees into the nursery with me but it is tiny in the cloakroom and it would be a scary experience for them to be muddled up in the middle of all the crowd. I find it a horrible place to be!!

Having said that, if I could not see the mindees at all times, I would definitely take them in with me.

Sorry, just read that back and it wasn't much help was it?!

**babs** · 19-10-2009, 10:08 PM

at my local school the doors to each classroom open on to playground so u see child into class and teacher stands at door so no need to go into classroom... unless u want to chat and then u go thou main doors into classroom that way.... but i would take children in with me if i had to go into school

**charliegee** · 19-10-2009, 10:19 PM

Originally Posted by Mollymop

Ummmm....I would say it wouldn't be ok to leave a child in a buggy outside while I went inside.

A few weeks ago a childminder at my school left a mindee outside in the buggy and whilst popping in to talk to the teacher ( some classroom doors open onto the playground) - the child got out the buggy, so not harnessed in, and had disappeared when the minder came out.

The school rang the police while the teacher and minder looked for the child.

They (not sure if it was the police or the school) found the child 2 streets away. The child had even crossed a busy road - gawd knows how!

We still don't know who this childminder was, as one of the teachers from the school told her own childminder, that is how we found out about it.

Scarey!!!!!

gosh that is really frightening isn't it!! thank goodness the little one was alright

x

**singlewiththree** · 20-10-2009, 06:16 AM

At our nursery its down a flight of steps (about 10) . If mindee is asleep I wheel him into the doorway (which is coded and you have to ring a bell to get in ) then I leave him at the top of the stairs and stand at the bottom and watch. Then we have to go into a room where I can't see him so do it as quickly as possible. When he is awake I take him in with me and he plays with the toys while I drop/collect. Soon I'm going to have two to unstrap and its going to be a nightmare but its only my DD who is dropped/collected but she isn't very confident.

**angeldelight** · 20-10-2009, 06:39 AM

Originally Posted by Twinkles

If you are friends with her why not mentionthat ' someone' noticed xx in his pushchair on his own outside nursery.
If you both drop off to the same place why not offer to help each other out and one stay with the buggies while the other takes in and helps with coats ?

I think thats a great idea Twinkle toes

Even if you are not friends with her why not suggest it any way

There will be no bad feeling then

Angel xx

**miffy** · 20-10-2009, 06:43 AM

Originally Posted by Twinkles

If you are friends with her why not mentionthat ' someone' noticed xx in his pushchair on his own outside nursery.
If you both drop off to the same place why not offer to help each other out and one stay with the buggies while the other takes in and helps with coats ?

I think this is a good idea especially since you're not 100% sure she was minding this child at the time.

Miffy xx

**lovemyprams** · 21-10-2009, 12:58 PM

I have to leave my minded child/ren outside in pram when dropping off at Nursery. However, the teacher stands by the door and knows me well and will watch the child in the pram for me as she knows I am not allowed to leave them unattended. The teacher has also asked me to take little one to toilet beforehand if she hasnt been at my house - so teacher more than happy to watch minded child/ren.

Also, at hometime when I collect the after school children the teacher will bring the child/ren out for me (I have to collect from 3 different classes so always late for one!). The teacher are always very accomodating at our school so I know I am lucky.

Do you think the child you saw was maybe being watched by another parent/teacher?