Advice needed. bad management

reginaflange

Hi there, i am in the childcare field 5-6 years now. Have worked in 3 different childcare facilities having completed fetac level 5 and level 6. Loving all the kids and staff in the places i have worked but have NEVER had a good managment team.

My current manager is never on site or deals with complaints, issues even general info the parents want to know. Even parents are complaining about her rudeness.
When she does pop in, which is once in a blue moon, would be to slate each staff member, critisize something. Basically have a rant & a moan.

My previous manager was also a nutjob, with no experience in Childcare and found to be quite threatening to the children and rude to staff aswell as Parents. Many cases reported by staff of bullying.

Seems every creche is run badly and nobody can actually recommend a good childcare facility to work in. I love working with kids and couldnt picture myself in any other field. Any advice?

reginaflange

Also current manager is against legal reps
.

Doom

Does the owner have any input?

reginaflange

Its run by Dublin City Council. There is a board of managment team that the staff and parents have tried contacting but nothing has come of it as manager herself is a member of the Board.

Doom

Does the manager have a right to refuse union rights...doesn’t the Dublin cc already have dealings with unions

reginaflange

This is why staff have been trying to contact the board as shes refusing our right to legal representetive. Although majority of us are paying the union, is there even a point when we cant actually benefit from them as the company states that "they're not recognised".

Bandana boy

TBH
If i had 3 "clueless " Managers in a row I would look inward rather than outward as this would be a pretty bad run of luck on your part.

Maybe every creche is run equally badly (unlikely in a free market ) and your constant run ins with managment shows this is not the field for you.

Maybe you could start your own creche ?

MadsL

reginaflange wrote: »

This is why staff have been trying to contact the board as shes refusing our right to legal representetive. Although majority of us are paying the union, is there even a point when we cant actually benefit from them as "they're not recognised".

Here is a contact for the current Trade Union representive to the SPC committee of DCC. I would share your experiences with him and ask about this lack of recognition. He would be in a position to initiate a motion that DCC recognise your union voted on by councillors and binding on DCC.

http://www.dublincity.ie/YourCouncil/StrategicPolicyCommitteeandCorporatePolicyGroup/Documents/RevisedSPS09-14.pdf

Doom

MadsL wrote: »

Here is a contact for the current Trade Union representive to the SPC committee of DCC. I would share your experiences with him and ask about this lack of recognition. He would be in a position to initiate a motion that DCC recognise your union voted on by councillors and binding on DCC.

http://www.dublincity.ie/YourCouncil/StrategicPolicyCommitteeandCorporatePolicyGroup/Documents/RevisedSPS09-14.pdf

+1
I wouldn't think the manager would have the power to refuse union rights, if the business owner is Dublin cc, definitely take this up with your union.

reginaflange

Thanks for advice, How would you go about contacting DCC and asking their opinion? Through formal letter or...?

Doom

Find out the relevant union and contact them..I think another post has a link up

Dilly.

Speaking from experience this is a common theme with creches. If only the HSE inspectors looked at staff turnover and began to ask questions regarding that in their inspections. I emphasis with you, its a horrible situation to be in. Like you i absolutely loved the kids but under stress i knew i wasn't at my best with them so had to leave. Unfortunately that happens a lot, the people who have the kids best interests at heart leave the industry and this type of bullying behaviour prevails. Its the kids that suffer in the endup. The childcare industry is in a sad state in ireland at the moment!

reginaflange

So you know where im coming from, I just want some reassurance as to say 'Yes there are creches with great managment' or 'Not all creche managers are complete and utter nutjobs!' Like it's awful because you grow such bonds with the kids and the parents, and even parents question why such a big turnover. At the end of the day its their children that are always number one and if there is new faces coming in, they will just make strange and become unhappy. To be honest the HSE do follow up on complaints but majority of the time, nothing comes of it.