A Daycare ?

mamaholmes2010 · May 2013

We started O in a daycare that we loved about 9 months ago. In those 9 months he has moved from Toddler 1 to Toddler 2 room and has cycled through close to 8 teachers-they have a horrible turnover rate. Recently the director also left and the new director seems to be in over her head.

So-

What is the normal turnover rate at your kiddos DC?

Would you consider changing DC's based solely on the turnover rate?

I am asking because I feel like this is an undo hardship for O. He is naturally shy and having to deal with a new person every month just sets him back with being comfortable in school every time it happens. I am also not happy with his current teachers-there was an incident last week where he followed me out of his classroom and into the lobby and they didn't even notice-which is factoring into my decision, but I was already thinking about changing before that.

TYIA.

pitterpatter129 · May 2013

Our new daycare has close to 0 turnover. All the caregivers are adults/permanent employees. Our old daycare before we moved had no turnover with the main teachers, but a lot of high school kids and young adults who were in and out in the afternoons as aides/secondary teachers. The lead teachers tend to stay the same though. Sounds like you might want to tour centers again and see if you can find a more stable place.

sdpookie13 · May 2013

Sounds to me that you already have a pretty good understanding as to what's best for you guys - look for a new place. Especially if you're starting to feel uncomfortable with how things are going and O isn't thrilled about the turn over rate either. We go to a home daycare and she's had the same assistant since we started so we don't have much experience there but at least now you'll have an idea of good questions to ask if you end up looking around "so what's your turnover rate, how long has each teacher been working here?"

Serendipity117 · May 2013

Unfortunately, most daycares have a pretty high turn over rate. I've worked at two different centers in the last 9yrs. Both places have a core of people that have been there for a long time and the rest of the staff is in and out.

I think the problem is that a lot people go into to child care thinking "Yay, I get to play all day. What an easy job!". In reality there is so much more to it than that and some people just can't or don't want to deal with that.

Back to your issue though. If you think O is having a hard time adjusting to the high turnover then you need to do what's right for him. Whether that is getting him used to constant change, at this age I think that is a bit much, or moving him to a more stable and familiar situation. You know your kid better then anyone...

lrn327 · May 2013

Our center has a good bit of turnover in the swing teachers because they are all in college, working on their degrees so they often do a semester or two of "practical training". The main teachers however are required to have college degrees (at least associates, prefer bachelors and some have masters, no kidding!) so they are permanent. We have no teachers at all that are in high school so that's not a factor. All of C's rooms have had two main teachers. In infant, he had two teachers though one long-term sub when one had a baby, and in toddler he had the same two teachers all year. Now he's in early pre-school. Teacher 1 had a baby mid-year and they swapped her out with a new teacher I adore. Teacher 2 (same as the one from infant actually) has been there all year but is taking a month leave right now because she's doing Teach for America next year, after C leaves her class. So, really not a lot of transition. C's in quite a fearful and anxious stage, much like O I guess right now? We couldn't handle too much more I don't think. Your situation sounds like a lot to take and I think in your heart, you know what you want to do. I'd look around for a different spot personally. I hope you find another place you love. Do you have other good options where you live? I can't remember where that is, but our's is a national chain and we absolutely adore it.

mamaholmes2010 · May 2013

Thanks everyone.

I think it would be easier on him if his main "teacher" stayed the same and just the aides were changing, but he has fallen in love with and had to adjust to losing 4 main teachers this year and 4 aides.

We do have other options and are taking him with us to check out a couple this afternoon. I will definitely be asking about tunover rate and how long each of their teachers has been there.

O is the kind of kid that needs very rigid structure and routine, and if it isn't there he is just lost. Large changes really have a negative impact on him-no matter how much we try to explain the changes to him.

PGASTL · May 2013

This is why we went with a licensed in-home provider. (She has a daycare in her basement). She has been doing it 15 years and because she's licensed, she has to follow strict standards and face semi-annual surprise inspections.

And that means that LO has 1 DCP. I just had a very hard time thinking of the type of situation you described and feeling like LO would be shuffled around so much. I know kids are resilient but that just didn't sit well with me.

Now on the down side there have been one or 2 days where our DCP has an obligation and there is no backup. But in over a year that has only happened 2 days. She doesn't even ever take vacation!