help please- having MAJOR issues with our pre-school- where do I stand?

[MyFourCubs]

Hi all. In a nutshell, both my little munchkins have severe intolerances. My ds has been on neocate since he was 8 weeks old- he is now four. he was dx with dairy/soy allergy but allergy testing last year was clear but he still fails every food challenge we do- stomach cramps, major diharrea, even cries and says his mouth hurts if you try and give him a miniscule amount of dairy. he regularly sees a paed who regularly sends his pre school a letter confirming the presence of food intolerance. the situation with my dd is similar- she is on elecare and also cannot tolerate dairy /soy though her tolerance is not AS bad as my ds.

My problem- the director at their pre school has told me that legally she does not have to accept intolerances even if they have a letter from a doctor. She has said that she will only accept a letter confirming true allergy from an allergenist, and she wants the kids regularly tested every 6 months or else she will giev them "normal"food. this sounds unbelievable to me. Can anybody tell me where I stand legally please? or who i could contact to find out?

Thanks :)

[RmumR]

I'm sorry i don't know where you stand legally but that sounds ridiculous!
Why would she even want to give them food they are known to be allergic too, does she want to watch them have an allergic reaction. seems very strange and a bit nasty too.

[InSaneOne]

i don't know where you stand legally but i would definately be changing centres. thats is not acceptable care of your children.

i would even go so far as to take it further - maybe to the head office of the centre and even to the media.

[JabberJaw]

i don't know where you stand legally but i would definately be changing centres. thats is not acceptable care of your children.

i would even go so far as to take it further - maybe to the head office of the centre and even to the media.

:iagree:

I would be out of there faster than she can say "intolerance"

[kiwichuck]

:iagree:

I would be out of there faster than she can say "intolerance"

hell yeah, me too :thumbsdown:

[MyFourCubs]

The problem is it actually is a very good centre and the teachers are great. My eldest dd went there as well so we have been with them now for 6 years. My ds also has autism so change would be a massive things for hima nd I really would rather avoid it. The problem really is only the beurocratic director who doesn't actually teach just decorates the centre with red tape.:rolleyes: I am hoping that she will be reasonable if I can prove that she cannot do what she is doing. Who is in charge of legislation? anybody know?
Thankyou:hugs:

[sueliz]

What an awful woman - it's a shame she will likely cause some people to leave the centre and miss out on some great teachers.
Can you have your paed phone her and talk to her about this?
Better still - go to the next committee meeting or parent/teacher night, (if they have those), and bring it up there in front of other parents. Not in a nasty way, but in a 'this is my concern, can something be done about it??' way...

ETA - also ask to see the centre's policy of food allergies and intolerances. I believe she cannnot refuse this - these must be available for parents to read if they wish.

[The Fox]

ummmm food intolerance's and allergies aside who the hell is she to tell you what foods your kids will eat
My DS has the same intolerance's as your kids and his centre didnt even need a letter they just took my word for it
also if there is food your dont want your kids to eat for any reason then they should respect that

[presley]

:hair:That is SO OUTRAGEOUS it makes me so mad!! I mean - why is she even in childcare if she doesn't care about children?? It's nothing to do with what letter she has on record from whom, if she has been advised by a medical professional that your kids have an adverse reaction to specific foods then she need to avoid giving your children those foods FULL STOP!!

But if she's the director...then that gets tricky. In terms of who to contact, if there's any superior of hers (like if it's part of a chain)., start there. Otherwise, try the consumer affairs ombudsman (?I think that's what you call it) - the same place you'd call if you'd been refused in returning faulty goods or stuff like that - after all, you are paying this centre for a service and they are not providing it adequately. So you could at least call them and see if there's anything they can do - I mean, there must be some kind of regulatory body for childcares.

[Nowhere]

OMG, I would get the pead to call the school and explain the stuation to her, she has NO right to interfere with there health care none at all

[overitand36]

what a fool of a women obviously never seen a child with a severe reaction that has needed an epi pen or ambulance

its amazing how some people need a dead child to wake up

a agree with sueliz bring it up at a committee meeting and make them give you their policy in writting

[Chunkydunks]

WOW!!! Thanks to my dietary CHOICES for DS the first DC he went to changed a lot of the foods they used to serve up to the kids.

I can't believe that she's said she will feed YOUR children "normal" food because they have intolerances and not allergies. I'd be taking it further, not sure who to sorry, and if that so called policy isn't changed I'd be changing centres.

[WorkingClassMum]

Human Services (http://www.community.nsw.gov.au/parents_carers_and_families/child_care.html) in NSW is the regulatory body for Child Care Centres

I'd contact them on Monday morning and see what they say

Good luck :hugs:

6
8 Food and nutrition(1) Centre based or mobile children’s service
The licensee of a centre based or mobile children’s service must ensure a policy is developed and maintained that:
(a) is consistent with the Food Act 2003 (http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/xref/inforce/?xref=Type%3Dact%20AND%20Year%3D2003%20AND%20no%3D 43&nohits=y) and the regulations under that Act, and
(b) is consistent with the Dietary Guide for Children, and
(c) ensures that each child provided with the service is given food and drinks that are nutritious, adequate in quantity, varied, offered at frequent intervals, appropriate to the developmental needs of the child and any special dietary needs of the child and appropriate to the culture and religion of the child, and ...


Link (http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/fullhtml/inforce/subordleg+260+2004+FIRST+0+N#pt.6-div.1-sec.68)

[*Cj*]

You could try

If you have concerns about the standards or safety of a child care centre, contact the Central Licensing on 9716 2100 or 1800 619 113. You can also email your enquiries to cslicensing@community.nsw.gov.au (cslicensing@community.nsw.gov.au).

http://www.community.nsw.gov.au/parents_carers_and_families/child_care.html


If they can't help they should know who can.

xxxxxx Good luck that is shocking.

[KatiesMum]

Best of luck hun

that is terrible. :hair::hair::hair::hair:

[Dreambeliever]

She is being ridiculous and unreasonable.

if she continues with this attitude id be telling her its also for religious reasons and if she doesnt respect this then she will be receiving a call from your lawyer about discrimination! (but thats just me being a bish :D)

i agree with PP's about getting your pead to ring her and bringing it up at the parent committee (if the centre has one).

if this doesnt work then i be taking it higher, all the way to regulatory body if need be.

hope she comes to her senses soon.

[peanutbutter&jelly]

My first stop would be the National Childcare Accreditation Council - http://www.ncac.gov.au/

That's unbelievable! Surely anything from a paed in regards to a child's welfare shouldn't be taken lightly. Clueless twit!

[Opinionated]

Wow, what a twit. Warn her that unless she can assure you that your childs intolerances are catered for, you will have to contact human services.

[Little-Pink-Hen]

Wow! Yep like pp have said contact nsw docs and ncac :yes:
at our center we have a whole range of dietary requirements that include parents bringing in food from home, alergies, vegitarians, vegans, intolrances and religious diets there isn't a day out of the week that at least 3 kids need different meals
and if a parent says they are alergic we take their word for it!
Anaphlaxis needs medical information though to able to have epi pens safely on sight iykwim
hope you get this sorted!

[luvmyboys]

There is no legislation in regards to who she needs a letter from, she is obviously being pedantic and a letter from a dr should suffice, the only reason we even ask for a letter from a dr is when there needs to be an action plan or medication. Are they a stand alone centre or part of a group? I would ask her to show you where it says you have to provide that info, if it is just their policy ask her what is her source and then let her know that you are going to ring the National childcare accreditation council to clarify the issue. Sometimes centres do have policies that are made in the best interests of the children that aren't necessarily a 'requirement' but this doesn't sound like one of them.

[Aussiemummy]

Who provides the food?

If your providing food then things should be fine, if the centre provides food and you don't wish to change centres then I'd suggest to the centre that you will provide food for your children instead...??