We're a team of nursery nurses who attended a stimulating conference on issues in nursery nursing and are now trying to set up a local support network. We'd be grateful for advice on getting the network started, funding and finding speakers.
Tricia Pritchard replies:
A support network is an excellent way to meet fellow professionals to exchange ideas and information on local initiatives, and keep abreast of any childcare issues in the local area. It also provides the opportunity to make friends. How you go about it depends a great deal on how formal you want the group to be. If you simply want to meet and chat, you may wish to put an advertisement in the local newspaper, library or health clinic, inviting childcarers to meet on a particular date and time at a venue such as your home or a local pub. If successful you might decide to make it a regular arrangement, changing the locations to suit each other.
Should you wish the group to meet on a more formal basis and to include speakers and training opportunities you should start by forming a committee of at least three people, one to act as secretary for correspondence and another a treasurer, and you need to open a group bank account. Contact a local bank/building society who will issue you with a copy of its rules in these matters.
Unless you have access to a workplace venue, function rooms can be expensive to book and, while speakers will often waive their fee, they seldom waive their travel expenses. You will have to find ways of financing meetings, perhaps by setting a membership fee, making a small charge to attend meetings and holding raffles and so on. Contact your local council for details of rules and licence fees for holding lotteries or raffles.
Scrupulous records of expenditure must be kept and accurate minutes taken of meetings. There may be more work involved than you realised, and what can happen is that eager friends drop out and you end up doing all the work yourself!
Painful separation
'A child who attends our nursery three mornings a week cries constantly and demands attention. He is distressed if other children are included in activities or given attention and has even tried dragging a member of staff away from an injured child. It's his first time in the company of other children and away from his grandma who's cared for him since birth.' Dr Richard Woolfson replies:
Many children experience an adverse separation reaction when starting nursery. Typically, separation anxiety eases as the child gradually becomes accustomed to the new situation and begins to makes friends.
Research suggests that most instances of this anxiety pass within six weeks of starting nursery. Anything longer than that can be a cause for concern. I suggest you discuss the situation with the boy's grandmother. You don't say why she is the principal carer, but I'd guess there is a traumatic family history in the background resulting in her attachment to her grandson. Untying the apron strings is often as hard for the adult as it is for the child. Listen to the grandmother's story, offer advice as appropriate and encourage her to develop the boy's independence at home.
In the meantime I see no other course of action except for the boy to continue at nursery. Don't make a fuss of him when he is distressed, try to involve him in group activities, act calm in the face of his upset, and give him lots of praise during the times when he is settled.
New work with newborns
I am NNEB qualified and working as a nanny. The children I care for attend school full time, leaving me free during the day. I would like to gain experience with newborn babies and eventually to work as a maternity nurse. I am willing to do voluntary work or a relevant course. Any suggestions?
Meg Jones replies:
This is a specialised area and there are no easy answers. Gaining experience is difficult, not least because babies are only newborn for such a short time. Maternity units used to have nursery nurses working with healthy babies and mums, but very few do nowadays. Hospital Special Baby Care Units, with sick and premature infants, are even more specialised with qualified nurses. Even voluntary work with a new baby presents problems unless you know of a mother who would be willing to let you practise on her precious baby! Ask local health visitors about volunteering in a well baby clinic. Contact the National Childbirth Trust to see if you can help out at their group meetings. CACHE offers the Advanced Baby Practitioner award which covers ages nought to one year and would be useful. Contact CACHE on 01727 84 7636.
