your thoughts please.....

[Guest]

what would you have done in this scenario

1. 2 key people in 1 room, 1 has to go on an internal training day with the company. The 2nd key person (who is also the buddy) phones in and has been signed off for the week meaning that if the other member of staff goes to the internal training there are no key people with the children. The children are all under 2. I, as manager, ask that the staff member can be excused the training as attending it it will mean no kp with the children all under 2. I am told that no she cant be excused, she has to go. Thoughts please........

2. same room, more or less same scenario, except now there are 2 member off sick, 2 agency down and 2 to go on training with LA; if 1 of the ones due to go training goes then again it will leave no kp in the baby room. I emailed LA and say only 1 will be attending the training for the above reasons, this email was acknowledged at 18.15 last evening (the training was today). The training is a 4 part course and when I emailed I said the staff member would attend the further 3 sessions. Receive an email today saying that the other 3 sessions cant be attended without attending the 1st part so the company will have to pay for the cost of the course, £500. I didn't ask permission not to send her, I made a judgement call...........with staff illness I was right on numbers and sending both member training would have made me out of ratio. Was I right not to send her on the training....I thought she would be able to catch up and didn't realise we would have to foot the bill for the whole course.....I will appeal. I just know I am going to get grief from head office about this.......would you have done the same?

 

[AnonyMouse_28434]

Hi, didn't want to read this and not reply.

I can't offer much advice as each setting is so different. All I can say is that I as the owner manager, have had to cancel training etc. as looking after the children comes first so if staff are 'down' then it is more important from a safeguarding point of view to make sue they are safe and fully staffed.

[AnonyMouse_11396]

I agree with Greenfinch, but unfortunately other people in the past have taken up valuable spaces and then not attended without giving any notice. Our LA used to have a waiting list and if someone cancelled they would call the next person on the list.

I would certainly appeal and would have done the same as you.

If only we had a crystal ball and could foresee every eventuality but alas we can't.

[AnonyMouse_534]

This is only what I would have done. In the first situation, if they would not let the member of staff miss the training I would have stepping into the room to cover (I am the manager). In the second situation if I had no member of staff I would of cancelled one of them but I do know that you can't attend 3 of a 4 day course.

I don't think you have done anything wrong at all. It is all depends on your setting the layout etc. Maybe you could have back up key people if this becomes a problem.

[AnonyMouse_13453]

This is one of the reasons that we don't have such 'rigid' key persons. All the children know all the staff in the rooms so that when we have something like this happen we can move staff around to make sure there's a mix of familiar and unfamiliar faces.

[AnonyMouse_8282]

Difficult one, like Cait we are very flexible with KPs and most children aren't actually aware who is their KP- however that said ours are over 2, so not sure if that would work with your under 2s. But is it something you could consider?

As the manager, I am the back-up KP for all children if/when necessary - so again I would step in if needed.

 

As for the courses, if you haven't got cover- then haven't got cover- therefore would have to cancel.

In this case I though I would have considered if a different member of staff (from different room- maybe even regular bank staff) could have stepped and attended the course.

[AnonyMouse_30128]

(gosh pricey course at £500 ...what was it????)

[Guest]

Sadly me stepping in was not an option as i was alreasy covering in another room. Loads of agency already in so getting cover, Assuming I could get it waa not an option either. Couldnt send anyone else on either of the courses as one was ILM though o have appealed the decision to make us pay. The other one is an internal course

Thanks for all of your thoughts x