Big bosses

The big bosses came to work today. The chef (the one who called them in because she was fed up of all the staff moaning to her about the working conditions) spoke to them and then they offered to speak to anyone who wanted to discuss anything.

Although most, if not all, the workers wanted to chat we a) didn't want to have to sit in a room with 3 big bosses and moan about the company and b) we didn't have enough staff to cover the rooms for us to go and talk to them anyway.

So these big bosses came into our rooms to have a look around. This is the BEST thing that could ever have happened. To give you an idea of how the nursery is set out, each room has two units in it separated by a waist height partition and a nappy room. This way you can have two units for one age group in the same room and the staff members can move between the units if needs be.

So picture the scene... unit 1 had 10 children in - most of whom were screaming, with ONE member of staff in there who is police checked but UNQUALIFIED. There should be a ratio of 1:3 but two members of staff were on their lunch and one had had to go to the milk kitchen because we were already late in making the feeds up. And then there was me - in unit 2 ON MY OWN with 8 babies all screaming. What makes this worse is I am not only UNQUALIFIED but my police check has not come through yet. I know I am capable and would never do a thing to hurt a child - but they don't know that!! Anyway, when they came in I was balanced on the arm of the sofa with a child on one knee, my foot bouncing a bouncy chair and my arm rocking a cradle whilst at least 2 other babies were screaming and I could do nothing... it is ridiculous...

I am hoping that having seen for themselves how bad it is and having been told this happens ON A DAILY BASIS, that they may finally do something about it. And if not it just shows they are in it purely for the money rather than the welfare of the children - which is quite likely and disgusting in my opinion!!

If they don't make any changes I'm gonna be stuck in a bit of a dilemna because my principles will be at odds - do I leave because I cannot possibly support such an organisation or do I stay in the hopes that my determination and love of and concern for the children will make a difference somehow?