Just watched Whistleblower about Day Nurseries and i'm interested in what others think about it?

[aims1202]

I am not surprised by what i saw but it breaks my heart. I used to work in day nurseries and my experience was not good. The ones i worked in were not even as bad as those shown on this programme but it was still soul destroying to work in them. They still had staff shortages and did not keep to ratios. Ofsted are a complete joke, they may as well not even exist. It's not really right for children under 2.5yrs to be in institutional care and definitely not in nurseries like the ones we saw on this programme, and there are many like that around. There is an excellent book called 'Raising Babies, why your love is best,' by Steve Biddulph. I recommend it.

[aims1202]

mully79, i am unsure as to why you think that all
childminders would neglect your baby. there are some very good childminders out there who do loads with the children they care for and at the same time they build up a close and loving relationship. i was a nanny a while ago and i never just sat the children in front of the tv. I organised many activties to do and filled the days playing with them. i loved it and i know the children did too. of course there are a few nannies and childminders who are not like this but when you visit them and spend time with them it is easy to spot the good ones.

I am not sure either where the evidence that babies looked after by relatives were worse off was from, as i have read differently, this i think is the ideal particularly for babies who need one to one and to be loved by the carer is better. for older children (3yrs+) it is best to be at a nursery for some of the time.

Those who work would still pay the same taxes regardless of how many people are receiving benefit. Do you think it would be better not to have a benefit system at all? who do you think this have the worst affect on? i think it would be the children. I do think the benefit system should be fairer and include all those who need it including couples, so they can be with their children when young.

[Mully79]

Hi aims1202

I'm literally on my way out here but just to say in reply, I remember my childminder when I was very young, she was not great and was awful with my brother too. Also a relative of mine was a childminder, she was quite frankly a horrible person and I pity the parents who left their children with her. Obviously these things have scarred my view.

I was specific about having contact with other children, and at a childminders, there would be less children to interact with. My daughter is an only child so it was important to me that she spent time with many other children. Also some childminders become so to enable them to stay home with their own children. I would have thought they would care for their own children more so than my own, which I would not be happy about.

[soniah]

I always use to say that no one should look after your child but the mother. I also use to say if you can not afford them don't have them. People use to say if you always think that way you will never have one because you will never have enough money. I had a hard time of it growing up, we struggled and i mean we struggled! I use to be terrified to take my friends home, because we didnt have nothing. My Father worked my mother stayed home. I had a paper round and delivered leaflets on the weekend at 13years. And I still managed to do my homework. But because I had it so hard I look at my Son and think I want better, I don't want him to grow up the way i had too. My Father always said to me 'poverty is only around the corner', and 'it takes a life time to climb the ladder and 5 minutes to fall'. Its so true. I work 45 hours a day, I'm up about 4.30am and I drop my son off at his aunties around 11am and leave him 11.30am then its work for me 12noon-til 10pm. I did however try everything to get my hours reduced, they wouldn let me, I know your all probably thinking well get another job its easier said and done, if i worked in the day I would only see my Son for 3hours. This way I'm seeing him 6-7hours a day. Im so tired and sometimes think of giving up. I guess I've had too much of struggling and i want a good life for my Son. I don't spend my money on luxuries I spend my money on my Sons future!