Adult:Child Ratios

Adult:Child Ratios

by: silverdoor83 - 27-07-06 20:44

Do you always maintain the adult:child ratios for your age group of children?

Do you ever have members of staff who are 'spare' like an extra pair of hands even though you don't need them to be maintaining the ratio? I'm not sure I explained that last bit very well lol

by: silverdoor83

I forgot to add this in to my original post.

What about trainees? Do you count them in your numbers to maintain ratios? How about if its their first day, do you have your normal staff to maintain ratios and then the new person as an extra or spare member so they can learn the ropes before being relied on?

Adult:Child Ratios - 27-07-06 21:53

by: baby_girl

Hi. In my nursery, we always have at least one extra member of staff. Towards the evenings, we're always about 2/3 staff over. Also, a new person isn't counted for at least 2 days. depending on the experience etc of that person, unless in extreme circumstances, i.e. if someone goes off sick, that's unforseeable.
Apart from that we always stick to ratios.
Can I just be nosey and ask why you're asking?

Adult:Child Ratios - 23-08-06 13:34

by: scarlett

we always maintain staff ratios.

students are not included in ratios.

i the manager am always spare.

occasionally we have other staff spare.

as mentioned previously if staff go off sick then there will be no one spare. however ratios are always maintained.

if there are more than 26 children on site then there needs to be an "supernumery"
extra

Adult:Child Ratios - 24-08-06 11:22

by: OliviaDeMorgan

our setting has very high staff to children ratio 1 adult to 3 children. Having spare staff is vital "just in case" - also, we do a buddy system, where one experienced memeber of staff is linked to a less experienced one - that way, high standards of childcare are maintained.

Adult:Child Ratios - 26-10-06 19:25

by: wainy_2001

Geez where do you all work, can i have a job!! don't get me wrong i love where i work but lately it's becoming a joke. we have 2 ladies pregnant and 1 which had a baby in september. we still haven't replaced her, the other 2 ladies used to be full time and now do a job share, haven't got a new member of staff for them and my manager proceeds to take on new children!! we now have in our 0-1 room, 2 members of staff with 8 babies on one day of the week and on the same day in 1-2, have 3 members of staff and 10 children.
we're all getting really annoyed at the moment and it's starting to cause friction between staff. it's not fair on us and it's not fair on the children! However accourding to our Manager it fine and we are not at all stressed, we have a lovely calm room and shouldn't moan about it!! apart from these little short fall backs, i feel my nursery is great, we do all get on great and work as a team, even on these days, but should we put up with it??

Adult:Child Ratios - 27-10-06 18:57

by: scarlett

perhaps you could give some suggestions if the manager cant think how to run the nursery legally!
eg. could the 2xbabies who are over the numbers in one room go to the other room where there is 1 x over which would give 3 x extra which needs 1 x member of staff. this would be better financially for the one day cos you would only need 1 x member of staff rather than 2. for that 1 day.

or could any of the children on the busy day swap to another day?

are any of the older group nearly ready to go up into another room where there might be space, or is that bad too? who is your room supervisor? can she approach the boss with some ideas and suggestions?

Adult:Child Ratios - 27-10-06 19:47

by: wainy_2001

Hi Scarlett, i can see where you are coming from, we have a couple of children that are 2 in January but my manager says she can't move them to the next room because we are not insured for under 2's to be upstairs. Also due to our room being small we couldn't possibly have 12 children in our 1-2 room, there aren't enough table and chair space for them to eat or even floor space to sleep. It's a joke and to be honest in my managers eyes shes always right. But ah well. Thanks for your thoughts, it feels good to talk to people who know what I mean, so thank you.

Adult:Child Ratios - 27-10-06 20:20

by: wainy_2001

Hi Scarlett, reading over that message i just posted, i must apologise because it sounds awful, i didn't mean for it to sound abrupt, i am so sorry. I think sometimes i get a little upset bacause i don't know the answer to the problems and geez it's not even my nursery, i'm just a nursery nurse, i guess i just care about my job and really care and love the children i see on a day to day basis. I get so upset sometimes, even my partner has been on the job centre website for me today - I didn't even ask him to. once again thank you for your advice.

Adult:Child Ratios - 28-10-06 17:37

by: scarlett

i didnt think you were being abrupt.

you have a problem at work and this is causing you to rethink you job and career, so this is serious.
honestly i think you should voice your concerns to either your supervisor or your manager or both.
anyway if there is an accident and you are over your numbers then you are not insured.
keep me posted

Adult:Child Ratios - 29-10-06 09:07

by: wainy_2001

Thanks very much Scarlett I will keep you posted.

Adult:Child Ratios - 29-10-06 20:09

by: mumsie

you might try a phone call to your ofsted inspector, this can be done anonymously, and may well give your manager the incentive to do something about it. its not sneaking! if a child gets injured because you are too busy is it your manager who will be sacked! i dont think so! you have a moral obligation to your children and their parents. dont allow your manager to expoit you

Adult:Child Ratios - 02-11-06 08:34

by: jon000

I was wondering how staffing ratios are maintained whilst staff are out of the room, eg.changing nappies, toiletting and taking tea and lunch breaks?