is it a normal thing hear fro daycare centres

[karen135]

dd has been at her day care centre for almost a year ds has never been to day care so i looked into him going into the toddlers room but when we go for his visit theres one person in there with 7 children than after a little while this went up to 8. is this a normal thing i worked in day care in the uk and you was never to be left alone regardles of how many children you had.

[mythreelittlemonkeys]

yup Karen I think this is the case...terrifying me actually!Seems alot of children for 1 person, especially as little ones at this age need so much care and nurturing. I am now looking into montessori or a more intimate/nurturing environment for DD at 2.5, more similar to playgroup as we know it back home. What horrifies me here also is the fact that the tv is on in the bigger kids rooms, and that there doesnt seem to be the same productive element there is in nurseries/playgroups back home...my friend DS's (she also english moved here recently) are absolutely bored at daycare here, too many children per carer and not enough creative stuff (ie the old pasta shape piccies, loo roll monsters :) ) being done with them. I remember my nephew coming home every day with some amazing creation, going on little nature walks, doing things like planting seeds and grass heads...and that was the norm!
seems more here that 1) it is pretty institutionalised, and 2) it is more of a general babysitting service. Perhaps peoples expectations are just different as they havent experienced anything else...I just worry this kind of daycare will not be what i expect for my DD. So far only found a place in Shenton Park - which a bit far! Though my friend says her neice goes somewhere near to Freo that is more how I have described...

[Miss_Vicki]

i always thought at that age it was a ratio of 5 kids to one care person.
I doubt i couldn't trust a care person to look after my child safely with 8 kids at a time ..

[karen135]

i thought as much reason being why i have told them he will not be starting next monday and the reason why also may keep looking but not sure i want to now all the day care centres seem to be you pay for all day or dont go i woul dnt mind putting them both in somweher that does half day sessions for 2 mornings a week but cant find anywhere i have not even looked into daycare in kwinana yet

[mythreelittlemonkeys]

Think it 1-4 in babies room in WA, then goes up to 1-5? but 1-10 or something by time 3...
Nowhere around Kwinana does half days...really annoying! no occasional care either! I can only find one in Perth which about as much use as a wet fish!
The best I found is Wombat Wallow in Medina (local for Kwinana) and she is in the babies/toddlers room there on a 1-4 ratio...the director there is Scottish and very open to comment/suggestions... I like the supervisor too,a dn funnily enough she a pom too :)
I am seeing someone in a meeting today so will ask about official ratios for you Karen :)

[Ally Jane]

my best friend works in child care and in their centre(abc) its 1 to 5 in babies and 1 to 10 in toddlers...which i personally think is ridiculous,i wouldnt want to control 10 toddlers by myself! :eek:

[karen135]

i have seen the wombats wallow and did think of going to view this one for them both i will give them a ring find out what they have in the way of spaces

[karen135]

my best friend works in child care and in their centre(abc) its 1 to 5 in babies and 1 to 10 in toddlers...which i personally think is ridiculous,i wouldnt want to control 10 toddlers by myself! :eek:


oh wow 1 to 5 in babys thats awfull it was hard enough at times with 1 to 3 in the uk but ge 1 to 5 i just would not do it

[ShadyCharacter]

Our daycare centre has 1 to 3 babies, and 1 to 5 toddlers. BUT, there always has to be a minimum of two carers, so for babies, anywhere UP TO 6 babies is 2 carers, for example. So two babies still = 2 carers. I wouldn't be happy with anything less :no:

[Chumbo]

Yep the ratio in WA is 1:4 in babies, 1:5 in toddlers ans 1:10 in the kindy room. But in some centres the toddlers room will accept kids who are 18 months that means that the ratio has to go back to 1:4. We have the best ratios here in WA compared to the rest of Australia. But I do totally disagree about it being a babysitting service and that is why childcare staff feel like they do because of parents saying that exact thing and just treating staff poorly and like baby sitters.