This is why I have been MIA…well, this AND my Master’s defense. More on that later. I was told today that the director, Hayley, does not care if we leave. They have a waiting list. Never mind that they cannot care for the children that are there! So far my issues are unresolved. I am filing a complaint with DHS.
I am writing today to bring to your attention some concerns I have about the operation of the Patty J. Wilson ELC. Several items of concern have taken place in the past few weeks that I would like formally addressed. While no incident in itself is overwhelmingly troubling, the combination of incidences creates an increasing discomfort in continuing to use the childcare services of the PJW Facility.
The purpose of this letter is to bring these items to your attention, in the event you are not aware of what is going on, and to find a workable resolution for all parties involved. I believe clear communication is key to successfully moving forward in a positive manner.
While many might not care to look at the mission statement of the YWCA, it was integral in the decision to place my son in the facility’s care. The mission statement’s “common vision” of “peace justice, freedom and dignity for all people” is not currently being met by the facility.
My specific issues are:
- The overall lack of respect (in tone and body language) between the adults at the facility.
- Reduced communication between teachers and parents.
- Lack of respect and appropriate tone by some adults towards children in the facility.
- Not meeting the DHS ratios and the lack of consistency in staffing for drop-off and pick-up.
- Food Service related issues.
The overall lack of respect (in tone and body language) between the adults at the facility. On several occasions in the past two weeks, I have witnessed Hayley and DeeDee speaking in a disrespectful tone with aggravated body language towards teachers and other adults in the facility. This extends to how they treat parents as well.
When I called to bring a matter to Hayley’s attention, I was told I could speak to DeeDee or wait for Hayley to call me back (April 23). I understand that Hayley is finishing the school year with her class which limits her availability, so I expressed my problem to DeeDee. Rather than accepting responsibility, DeeDee gave a long list of excuses for why the ratios were not met that morning. (I will discuss my concerns about rations later in this letter.) When I realized the conversation would not end in resolution, I asked that Hayley call me when she had time.
Later in the day, Hayley called me back, and after offering apologies and promising to correct the situation, she went on for quite some time blaming the teachers and others for not doing as they should.
On a separate occasion, I witnessed DeeDee scolding, in front of parents and students, a teacher for allowing the children to be outdoors too long. While I recognize the safety concerns involved, I do not see the need to disrespect teachers in such a manner and certainly not in front of students, parents and other staff. Furthermore, my son was one of those outdoors, and I assure you, he was well hydrated and in great condition when I picked him up (i.e. not exhibiting any signs of heat related fatigue, etc).
A third occasion involves Hayley scolding a parent for the child’s behavior in her class. While I welcome and expect communication between teachers and parents, I feel horrible for the parent. He seemed genuinely concerned and to be treated disrespectfully was unacceptable for me to see. Issues regarding children need to be addressed in a more suitable and private manner.
While these incidents represent the more significant incidences, there are have been other situations where I have been uncomfortable due to the way Hayley and other adults have been interacting with one another. It is well-documented in research and literature that children mimic the disrespect they see in their homes towards women, and in turn, lash out and be disrespectful (and even violent) towards their playmates and siblings. The YWCA is taking the place of the home during the daytime hours, which causes me significant concern when I see disrespectful and inappropriate behavior in the facility. I have worked hard to be respectful of my son and have him respect adults, but when I see this behavior taking place at the YWCA, I see why he is backsliding, yelling and acting out, more often.
Overall, I am troubled by the lack of unity and respect for one another being expressed by those involved. The front is not united, and the pettiness of it all is unacceptable.
Reduced communication between the facility and parents. Since Hayley has taken over, and especially in the past week, I feel like my son’s teacher is becoming increasingly reserved in discussions with me about my son and the daily activities. When I talk to her about various issues and topics, she directs me to speak with Hayley, and I no longer get the detailed run down of where my son was and who he was cared for by throughout the day. Up until this point, my son’s teachers have been absolutely wonderful, communicating openly, and yes, at times, advocating for my son when issues arise during the day. I do not feel like I can address my issues with Hayley, and the reduced communication between my son’s teacher is troublesome, and from my perspective this is a top down issue at the facility.
I feel that open communication, especially between my son’s teacher and myself is one of several keys to his success at the YWCA. If I cannot receive and accurate and full report from his teacher, due to internal pressures or any reason, as to what is happening at the facility during the day time hours, I cannot fully assess the situation. This leaves me feeling like I know only half of the story and does not allow for a big picture view of what is happening. There is no way for me to know if incidences are isolated based on my own experiences, which I am documenting in part here, or the overall trend in the facility. Absent such information, I can only formulate conclusions based on what I see, and currently those conclusions are not positive.
Lack of respect and appropriate tone by some adults towards children in the facility. While most of the teachers at PJW have the best interest of the children in mind AND treat the children respectfully, there are some who do not. Specifically, I am upset by the tone Ms. Pat has used towards children in her room when I have been present. On one hand, I cannot blame Ms. Pat, because she had too many children and no one was around to help her. On the other, the overall tension was inappropriate. While authority is needed, the tone was hurtful and caused me to pause.
Not meeting the DHS ratios and the lack of consistency in staffing for drop-off. Another reason I have had to change my schedule for drop-off is the lack of consistency in staffing and location during drop off times, including not meeting the DHS teacher to child ratios. While, like most parents, I would enjoy dropping my child off and not worrying about staffing, each day I must count the number of children in the room, because the staffing is not always the same and there have been times when the number of children was too high for staffing.
On April 23, I brought the ratio issue to Hayley’s attention, which I documented above. However, on April 27, I had to wait more than five minutes and then search for another teacher to ensure that someone would be going to that room to correct the situation. Obviously the ratio problem continues to exist, and I do not feel like I should have to count children or wait for staff to arrive in order to leave my son in a safe environment.
Also, since the staffing changes, my son has been shuffled between rooms and teachers most mornings, and while my son generally is warm and loving to all people, he has grown increasingly upset and clingy when he arrives at school in the mornings. While he has usually required, for his own comfort, that he be handed off directly to a teacher, he had made strides towards walking in to the room himself without needing that interaction. However, in the past two weeks he has continually regressed. He no longer is excited to go to school.
I do not know what goes on once I leave, but I am not comfortable leaving my son in a place that elicits such a negative response from him. Most days I have been able to adjust my schedule to leave him with Ms. Peggy in the mornings, but there are times when he is left with Ms. Pat, and I have no way of knowing if he gets moved to another room once I leave. My son’s response is worse with Ms. Pat, and while I do not know what is going on with her room while he is there, he verbalizes that he does not like Ms. Pat, and his body language is consistent with his words.
I understand the need for some shuffling to happen on occasion, but it is happening more frequently, and like most children, my son is a creature of habit. His routine has been significantly interrupted, and a new routine cannot be established if he is not going to the same room and teacher each morning. Seeing his “friends” (classmates) and the same teacher daily creates a routine in his life that helps him to continually function at a high level and feel secure in his surroundings. We depend on the YWCA to help create this consistency in his life—especially considering that my husband must travel for work outside of the country for extended periods of time.
Food Service Related Issues. On April 27th, while I was waiting for another instructor to show up, I observed the morning breakfast/snack delivery. It was complete chaos. Ms. Hayley was delivering food in a rushed manner. Another lady (I’m sorry, I do not know her name) came by shortly thereafter, apparently unaware that Ms. Hayley had already delivered to that room. As she was leaving, Ms. Hayley reappeared and hastily told her in a disrespectful tone where to deliver the additional food with a disgusted sigh at the end. Outside of the issues in this incident that I have addressed above (disrespect/tone, staffing), the chaos in food delivery left me praying that my son would get fed. As you know, growing toddlers and small children need frequent smaller meals available. No child should go hungry due to the chaos, lack of staffing, or any other reason at the facility, and this incident did not instill confidence in me that the facility is providing appropriately for the children.
The current trend in tone, disrespect, and disorganization present in the facility does not reassure me that my son is receiving the high quality of care that I have come to expect from the YWCA. In the past two weeks, the facility has gone from a loving, nurturing place to one of disrespect and tension. The rapid decline in service has lead me to come directly to you with the problems I see rather than wait to see if this is simply an adjustment period or if the situation continues to deteriorate.
Ms. Jennifer and Ms. Peggy have been absolutely wonderful with my son. He talks about them and loves them dearly. If it were not for their loving and tireless care and attention, I am certain my son would be a different little boy. I can not sing their praises enough. They deserve to be treated with respect and dignity and recognized for their amazing above and beyond service to the children and facility.
God blessed me with a vibrant loving boy to care and provide for, and I have turned to the YWCA to help me in raising this blessing. I need to know when I leave my son in the care of the YWCA that the best interests of the children are being met in a consistent and holistic fashion. I need to have these issues resolved in order to continue to trust the YWCA with my son. I am confident we can chart a positive path forward with open and honest communication.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Maria Wegner-Johnson