Dilemma - childminder at play park

[Smiler]

At the one o clock club, Peckham Rye, last week, while watching my child climbing, we saw a tiny little girl, maybe 14 months or so, up really high up on a climbing frame next to a big drop to the floor, no-one watching her.

Looked around for someone, asked where Mummy was etc. and finally lifted her down as we were worried she would fall and she looked anxious. She toddled away, right over to the other end of the playground, where there were a few ladies (presumably childminders) chatting in a group. The lady with her hadn't been watching at all and barely acknowledged the child when she went up to her, the child seemed really lost.

Didn't know what to do - felt like I should say something to the lady, but didn't want to cause a confrontation and not my place to interfere etc. But it was a dangerous situation and would want to know if it was my child / childminder.

[Jessie]

Could you talk to the workers at the One o Clock club, tell them your concerns?

[TillieTrotter]

Sensible suggestion Jessie. I'd go with that.

[minder]

Yes I would go with Jessie's advice. But even if the child was older than 14 months, someone should have been nearby.

How do you know they were childminders? There is always a split second when something could happen to a child and the parent isn't looking - but it's good to know there are others around.

Where were the one o'clock helpers?

[Moos]

This kind of story really makes your heart stop.

[nancysmum]

Hi I often go to groups where children are left to their own devices while their carers are somewhere else drinking lattes and chatting to their friends. recently one little boy was doing water play, got completely soaked and no one seemed to be there for him. so i asked him his name, asked him to take me to his carer (which he did) and then i explained to her what the situation was and that she may like to handle it. I think this is a good way of reassuring the child and reminding the parent / carer that maybe they want to tend their child.

as a childminder myself though, your presumption that her carer was a childminder is upsetting as the majority of us are working really hard to give the profession a good name and to make sure parents feel safe when they leave their children with us. Perhaps next time if you see this behaviour again, you could ask whether they are ofsted-registered childminders or not as this should be enough to kickstart them into doing their job properly.

[plimsoul]

to add to nancysmum comment, i am often totally shocked by how parents ignore their kids and just chat. the amount of times there's a group of gossiping parents taking no notice. now i love a gossip, but when your kid is stuck/stopping other kids from going down the slide/made someone else cry/generally crashing around and upsetting little ones you should step in. you can get back to the gossiping afterwards... and that is PARENTS not carers.