Nord Anglia admitted it had had 'a tough year', but outlined plans for recovery (see box).
Amid the closure turmoil and potential mass redundancies facing staff at Nord Anglia's Cheadle headquarters (NW, 25 August), some demoralised nursery staff expressed dissatisfaction at how their nurseries were run.
One complained on the Nursery World online forum of being 'treated like dogs'. Others claim that cost-cutting is leading to falls in quality of care.
Meanwhile, in a pre-close trading update for the financial year to 31 August issued last week, Nord Anglia said it was selling some of the underperforming Petits Enfants nurseries as part of its plan to 'rationalise loss-making units'.
As a result of cost-cutting, staff at some Leapfrog nurseries say they are being asked to clean and work in the kitchens. They voice concern about hygiene because of a lack of essential supplies of baby wipes, tissues, toilet rolls, paper towels and soap. One nursery claimed it had to wait 'up to six weeks for a delivery' and another said, 'We get told the same thing: they've been ordered but didn't arrive.'
The poor quality and quantity of food has also been highlighted at some nurseries. One nursery nurse said of her setting, 'We're sick of being creative on the daily record sheet in describing the meals we have fed our babies. It doesn't matter how creative you are, a packet of minestrone soup with plain boiled pasta defies description.'
Another said, 'On occasion we haven't even had enough food for the children to have more than one sandwich and if someone drops theirs first, there's no more to give them.'
At one nursery, 35 staff signed a letter of complaint about conditions, and others said that their managers were not getting adequate support.
Although it is not clear how widespread the problems are - Nord Anglia owns 101 nurseries with 9,736 places - staff members and parents in various parts of the country have contacted us with similar concerns. Some have posted comments on the Nursery World online forum.
One called 'Sad Parent' urged management to 'listen to their staff'. She added, 'Why did it take two members of staff to hire a carpet cleaner at their own expense and stay after work before the management offered to pay? ...These girls are battling daily with inadequate menus and equipment, lack of direction and poorly prepared staff rotas.'
Another forum user, 'Big Brother', accused staff of being destructive, saying, 'Do you not realise that budgets need to be met and if they are not, what may happen? No business can run without making a profit, even if it's a childcare company!'
Others lent their support. One parent said, 'There's no doubt that the care my child is receiving is of the highest standard.'
A Leapfrog manager defended her nursery. She said, 'Although there have been changes within the company, my nursery has not suffered in any way.
'The children are still cared for to a very high standard by staff who are happy in their work... The menus are prepared with great thought and there is always plenty of food to go around. I find it sad that I and many other managers take great pride and ownership of our nurseries, ensuring that we maintain a good reputation within our community, only to risk this being ruined by a few.' She added, 'Please do not assume that all the nurseries are the same.'
But nursery nurses 'should not have to write the babyroom menu and cook,'
another user said. 'Ask Ofsted if this is your job. Your priority is the children and their welfare.'
Nord Anglia is seeking to reassure its shareholders. A trading update stated plans to implement a 'comprehensive improvement plan for the nursery division'. This will focus on strengthening divisional management, the sale of loss-making units, targeted marketing to increase occupancy and 'substantial revisions to the capital expenditure programme, to include completion of the re-branding of all units under the Leapfrog name'.
Nursery-specific pricing is planned.
