Creche can no long provide main meal

paulksnn

We received a letter today from the creche that
due to legislation changes, they can no longer provide a hot meal at lunchtime.

I've googled and haven't found any recent changes
Did I miss something?

I can understand (they've only be open a year) that they might want to cut back on costs and dropping the lunch means they don't need a cook.
I'm a bit p'd off that they're dropping this service.

So are they lying about the reason?

Nevyn

No Idea, why dont' you ask them for a copy of the relevant legislation or health and safety suidelines.

Oryx

Our creche provides a hot meal and there has been no indication that will change. Could it be that the food preparation area is not suitable or something, and theyve been asked to rectify it or quit hot food? Or it could be your reason of cost.

loyatemu

some creches get the meals brought in from local caterers, so they don't necessarily need kitchen facilities themselves. sounds like a dubious excuse to me.

run_Forrest_run

loyatemu wrote: »

some creches get the meals brought in from local caterers, so they don't necessarily need kitchen facilities themselves. sounds like a dubious excuse to me.

not just local caterers, I know of a creche in Cork that gets in it's food from a company as far away as Meath or around that part of the country anyway..twice a week, vacuum packed!

anyway, yes, sounds like a cop out with the aim to save money...as already mentioned, ask the management for a copy of these said new regulations.

zoemax

My wife owns two creches and provides hot meals daily. There has been no change in legislation. In fact the health board will not be pleased if hot meals are not being provided. One of wifes creches had a health board nutritionist on site all day a few weeks ago to review the food been given to children so they do take it seriously (creche passed with flying colours btw).

Loopy

run_Forrest_run wrote: »

yes, sounds like a cop out with the aim to save money...as already mentioned,

I agree. Kids need a hot meal in winter..

Victor

Oryx wrote: »

Our creche provides a hot meal and there has been no indication that will change. Could it be that the food preparation area is not suitable or something, and theyve been asked to rectify it or quit hot food? Or it could be your reason of cost.

I suspect this is the problem.

paulksnn

I suppose I should have said, this change in legislation happens to coincide with the summer shutdown, and an increase in fees.

I do suspect that cost is the problem, but the idea that they're food preparation isn't up to spec. could be true also.

The creche has very kindly offered to reheat any meals that parents supply.
A bit of a cop out.

LolaDub

Do they mean microwave?

Thats a bit ridiculous that you now have to provide dinners as well. Have they come back to you on what the legislation is?

paulksnn

They haven't come back yet, but the mgmt and owners aren't always there either. They may only have gotten the letter today.

Yes, I am presuming they're talking about microwave.
Starting to consider a different creche - but my daughter likes it there. I'll have to see.... hmm......

Bubble19

Hey, i completed a course in Childcare this year and as part of my course i learned that a hot meal in some créche's consists of a (hot) slice of toast so ask in certain créche's that claim they give hot meals what exactly that consists of you'd be surprised with some places!! Their not breaking any rules here as it is a hot meal!! Sad but true...

SarahMc

There has been no changes to legislation. Changes came in last year which specified a hot meal had to be provided for full day care ( and specified meals should be nutrionally balanced - so toast is breaking the law).

They may have had a visit from their pre-school inspector who said cooking facilities were not up to scratch, but there are ways around this.

They will be breaking the law if they do not provide a hot meal.

See the Pre-School Regulations and HSE Food and Nutrition Guidelines for Pre-School.

I think the creche are in contravention of the above.

Julietta

Could I just clarify, your childs creche has increased it's fees....AND told you to send in your childs meals?? :eek:

Totally understand about not wanting to move your little one, my son is in the same creche with the same carer since he was 6 months old and it would upset me to move him.....no doubt it would upset me more than him though!

paulksnn

That's it exactly Julietta.

Sucks, doesn't it.

Fees were never the issue, but they're now charging 35 per day or 150 per week.
How does that compare with other creche fees, I don't know. I should do some research, but my wife is 41+2 with our second, so I don't want to upset her too much.

John Mason

There has been no legislation change

The HSE have more then likely informed the creche that they can no longer serve hot food. Perhaps their kitchen and storage facilities were not up to standard.

HSE Reports have now been made public. So you should be able to find out if this is the reason and if they have increased their fees - may be the need the extra money for the renovations

lostinnappies

there is no such law, they just couldnt be bothered getting and paying for some one quailified to cook the lunch.

paulksnn

Sorry for the delay all. I only got a reply yesterday. Turns out the creche owner went away for a week.
Anyway, I got her to admit there was no legislation changes. The department came to check the place out and wanted seperate cooking and eating areas.
They've decided to withdraw the service rather than update the premises and increase costs further.

SarahMc

Well you have a decision to make then. Are you happy to leave your child in a creche which lies to you and charges the same as a creche down the road who complies with HSE regs and provides hot meals?

Do you give a fig that eating and cooking facilities be separate (and in fact believe it should be the same place, i.e. child should be able to lick baking bowl and eat cakes sitting at kitchen table) and therefore go for a good Childminder?

Personally I am not sure I could trust the creche after this.

paulksnn

A good point sarah.
Personally, I'm not too bothered about the lying thing. I hate that they did it, but they were always going to put it in terms of circumstances out of their control.
As for licking the bowl - I'm all for that, and our little one normally helps with the cooking.

We're in a large village in the middle of nowhere, so other creches as local to us as the current one is a no-go.

It's sad, but laziness has us quite happy with the current arrangements. More importantly, she's quite happy with the creche and the staff and the other children, so I don't think we'd move her.

I'd be keeping an eye out for other "discrepancies" in the future though.

the_syco

paulksnn wrote: »

they've only be open a year

paulksnn wrote: »

The department came to check the place out and wanted seperate cooking and eating areas.
They've decided to withdraw the service rather than update the premises and increase costs further.

Seems the crèche owners didn't really look into making the crèche up to current standards.

I'd do as irishbird said, and look into getting the HSE Report, to see if anything else is missing. It'd be one thing if the crèche was open 5 or so years, and this thing just crept up, but if there was already legislation covering it when the crèche was formed, that wouldn't sit right with me personally.

deisemum

Will they be reducing the fees now that they don't have the costs of providing a cooked meal?

paulksnn

ah, if only deisemum - that was the kicker - increase in fees along with the removal of a hot lunch.

Victor

SarahMc wrote: »

Do you give a fig that eating and cooking facilities be separate (and in fact believe it should be the same place, i.e. child should be able to lick baking bowl and eat cakes sitting at kitchen table) and therefore go for a good Childminder?

There is a difference between a home and a creche.

A family will have substantial immune to the bacteria in their own home and family. They will not have the same immunity to the bacteria from the creache and its X workers and Y children - some of which will do inexplicable things.

SarahMc

I don't know Victor, children in creches have substantially more illnesses in their first 2 years than those minded in a family home (be they a member or that family or not).

Many European countries have day care modelled on our family day care method, but on a larger scale, i.e. small mixed age groups minded together, cook and eat in kitchens, curtains, adult sized furniture etc. Personally I feel creches over over regulated in terms of health and safety, leading to an inability for toddlers to build up resistance to bacteria and germs.

Off topic, sorry.

paulksnn

I can't agree with you SarahMc that it's just the creches that are over-regulated.
Society in general is very over-protective of kids, from not allowing them to walk to school to the climate controlled conditions that they are in, in the house all day. The creches are simply a product of how the majority want their kids treated. Sad but true.

As for kids getting sick in the first couple of years at creche, it's a unfortunate byproduct of needing both parents working and coralling all the kids together. If they could, I'd say most parents would prefer not to leave their kids in creches.
If house prices dive a bit more, maybe the next generation of kids will stay more at home.

John Mason

SarahMc wrote: »

Do you give a fig that eating and cooking facilities be separate (and in fact believe it should be the same place, i.e. child should be able to lick baking bowl and eat cakes sitting at kitchen table) and therefore go for a good Childminder?

By eating and cooking facilities being seperate they mean that kitchen area where the cooker and mircowave are, should be in a seperate room. So is so you dont have kids zooming around the place when hot soup is being carried from the cooker to bowls and the such like.

Really it to protect your children from serious burns and injuries.
its not like being at home when you only have one or two children to look after


Here is the link for checking the HSE Report. Everyone who has children in a creche should be aware of the what the HSE has to say about their facility.

http://www.hse.ie/eng/Find_a_Service/Children_and_Family_Services/Pre-school_Services/Pre-school_inspection_services/