Would You EVER Do Something Like This?

[Lissa Kristine]

My current job is changing ownership after this week.

Parent were informed of the change on Tuesday and Wednesday. In addition to the director/owner leaving, about half of the staff has been laid off after tomorrow. This includes one staff member who has been at the center since before any of the children were in attendance.

There are three families who, as far as we know, STILL don't know about the changes.

They include:

DCG: A 2 year old who attends part-time on Mondays and Thursdays. She has only been coming for a few weeks, and has formed somewhat of a bond with the one teacher who is leaving. Due to the holiday and weather, she has not been in this week.

DCB1: A 6 month old who attends twice a week. He has only been coming for about a month, so the parents are still adjusting to the current staff.

DCB2: A 7 month old who has been full-time for a few months. He spent half of the break in the hospital, and has been home sick this entire week. Normally, he is dropped off right when the center opens at 7:30- though mom does arrive earlier. (The teacher who is leaving usually opens and offers to let them come inside, but mom refuses until actual center operating hours).

It's very possible that, on Monday morning, DCB2's mom will come to drop him off at 7:30 only to find that she doesn't know ANYBODY there.

There's no transition period where the old staff members are kept on to train new staff members. The new owner and staff members haven't even come in for a day to meet parents.

Of the families who were informed, we have a few who have threatened to leave, or are planning on leaving. Parents are pretty upset that the staff they've grown to trust with the care of their children are leaving without any warning.

Would you EVER do something like this to your families? Just up and sell without any warning, so they come in Monday morning to find that they don't recognize any of the staff members caring for their children?

I feel REALLY bad for these families.

[flying_babyb]

I would love to see how many families find new care.

What I have learned after 25 years is ....no matter what parents today only do what benefits them..time wise or $$$$....they may say.. " it's for my kids ". However it's only about $$ and convenience..for them....the government will handle the rest.

I would quit

[storybookending]

This is how it goes with centers sometimes and is a price they pay for enrolling in such. I wouldn’t worry about it as this is not your problem and from your previous posts it is probably a blessing. I hope the new owner turns things around for you if you are one of the ones staying on. Not informing the parents of the switch is exactly how I would expect your bosses to react as nothing you have posted about them has been professional in the slightest.

[Josiegirl]

Me? I would never do something like that. It's sad the new owners haven't set up something like a meet and greet or such, at least to show themselves and make dcfs aware of new people. Maybe it's what centers do but to me, it's a very poor choice of handling families and children. When dcfs sign on to a place, they check out the environment as well as who will be caring for their children. These dcfs have not been given any time to meet the people or check out the changes....poor planning on the centers part. Maybe it will be better, IDK, BUT the dcfs are not being given a choice to give their 2 week term notice if it's not what they want right from the beginning.

[Josiegirl]

And I understand there is a turnover in center care, much more than home care but it's still too much all at once. Children(not to mention parents!) need to form bonds with adults to develop trust and security. This does not promote that one single bit.

[Cat Herder]

The seller may have felt the risk in disclosure may have hampered the sale. He/she may have been under contract not to disclose until transfer.

The seller would have no control over how the new owners launched. IME, few families will leave if they notice minimal change in services over the next few weeks.

I feel for the employees. They are the only ones who really have to find somewhere to go. Were you able to keep your position? I remember you were about to leave over all the violations and miserable work environment.

[DaveA]

When my Mom retired & sold her daycare it was kept confidential until after the sale and a closing/ transfer was date finalized at request of the buyer. Staff and parents both got 2 weeks notice. She had no input on how the new owners handled the transition or their interactions with parents and staff. The only interaction post sale they had was making sure admin stuff was handed over and a walk through to confirm what was her personal stuff leaving with her and what was things staff brought in & not center property. They operated like normal till close Friday and Mom took her stuff on the way out. New owners came in Sat, set up their stuff, and opened on Monday.

[Blackcat31]

After everything that's been posted about this center and how they violate, disregard and blatantly ignore the laws and regulations they are suppose to be following, I see this as nothing but an improvement.

I certainly wouldn't be focusing on how awful this is for the parents (short notice and all) considering all the things you've posted that go on during the day there that the parents clearly have no knowledge of.

Hoping the new owner is much more of a rule follower and is able to put the well being and safety of the children above all else.

Sometimes change is slow and sometimes unexpected but like a PP said, this type of thing is fairly common in centers. If the family's that attended the center wanted a small family like atmosphere with one continuous caregiver, they should have enrolled in family care.

Would I do something like that to parents? No, but I am not a center either. When the time comes for me to close up shop, I'll do what works best for me.

[Snowmom]

Originally Posted by Lissa Kristine

Would you EVER do something like this to your families?

It's just not an apples to apples comparison.

It's a center. There may be long term employees. But to a new buyer, long term employees are likely the most resistant to changes.

Parents enroll in a center for much different reasons than in-home daycare. They have NO control over WHO is there on any given day. They choose the service that the center offers, not that a specific employee offers.

Ultimately, it's a business decision. It's very, very likely NOT personal. The new owners know they will lose enrollment. But, it doesn't sound like a bad business move to me. If there are issues with the takeover, you need to do what is necessary to correct it. That means quick moves!

[happymom]

Honestly I woudln't worry too much.

It's a business transaction and from my experience it's very typical to leave clients (especially) and current employees in the dark.

It's a shame that so many are being laid off, but again, it's typical. Still unfortunate. The clients will choose if they want to stay. It may be for the best, it may be for the worst.

My kids attend a center and honestly, there are staff changes ALL THE TIME. Sometimes I notice, sometimes I don't. An owner change? I'd be ok with me, even to find out on the Monday after the change. My kids are accustomed to lots of different care givers.

I hope it works out for the best for you though!

[Ariana]

Agree with everyone else. Its business and not personal. They kept it quiet so that the business stays in business.

The parents are not really being affected all that much because continuity of care is being established. Completely new staff will definitely affect the kids but that is how it is with “for profit” run centres, lots of turnover. I bet no one actually leaves!

Really sad for the employees but maybe it is a good thing considering the centres history and sometimes when you have a toxic supervisor/owner, the toxic staff has to go as well.

[Lissa Kristine]

It's a center, but it's a very SMALL center (under 20 kids), so it does have a family/home daycare vibe. And even in a large chain, they wouldn't replace every staff member in the school overnight without giving parents notice that their child(ren) are going to be cared for by different people.

[Josiegirl]

I guess I need to think of center care versus in-home daycare differently. My brain is still connecting the 2 because both involve children and families, which to me is a personalized business. I feel it's nice to know who's working in a personalized business, especially involving children; just trying to put myself in a parent's set of eyes and what I would want or need.

[Cat Herder]

Originally Posted by Lissa Kristine

It's a center, but it's a very SMALL center (under 20 kids), so it does have a family/home daycare vibe. And even in a large chain, they wouldn't replace every staff member in the school overnight without giving parents notice that their child(ren) are going to be cared for by different people.

They would if they were aware of the things you have been posting happen there.

I would not take the risk of keeping anyone that allowed that to continue either. It isn't personal, it is business.

[Blackcat31]

Originally Posted by Lissa Kristine

It's a center, but it's a very SMALL center (under 20 kids), so it does have a family/home daycare vibe. And even in a large chain, they wouldn't replace every staff member in the school overnight without giving parents notice that their child(ren) are going to be cared for by different people.

I'm not understanding why you find this so odd?
It's very common for centers to change everything overnight without concern for the feelings of parents.

While we as providers pay attention to the children's feelings there isn't any emotion involved in business transactions.

Also, like CH said above....given everything that's been happening in that center this overnight change is probably the best thing that could happen to these families.

Maybe now, they'll actually get what they are paying for; a center that follows licensing rules and has staff that are willing to do what they are required to do according to state regulations.

[Ariana]

Originally Posted by Josiegirl

I guess I need to think of center care versus in-home daycare differently. My brain is still connecting the 2 because both involve children and families, which to me is a personalized business. I feel it's nice to know who's working in a personalized business, especially involving children; just trying to put myself in a parent's set of eyes and what I would want or need.

This is pretty much the advantage of in home daycare service. Something like this would never happen and although it is a business it isn't a structure that can be bought and sold and new owners moving in. If a parent felt that this was important then they would choose home care. Parents that choose center care do so for the lack of days off and 12 hour care and rarely think or care about staff turnover.

[Snowmom]

Originally Posted by Lissa Kristine

It's a center, but it's a very SMALL center (under 20 kids), so it does have a family/home daycare vibe. And even in a large chain, they wouldn't replace every staff member in the school overnight without giving parents notice that their child(ren) are going to be cared for by different people.

Sure they would.
It happened recently just down the road from me.
A large national chain location was sold to a small local chain.

They closed on a Friday, giving parents a pink slip with the new owners name. Monday, new owners took over and had their own staff.

[Ariana]

A private school here in my City was having financial issues. No one knew and they were instructed by lawyers not to inform families. They closed two weeks before Christmas leaving kids without a school to go to and parents in a lurch to find care and having to transfer them to public school or find space in another private school. Half of their credits won’t even be transferred because the school went bankrupt. No one got their money back.

Imagine that scenario

[Josiegirl]

Originally Posted by Ariana

A private school here in my City was having financial issues. No one knew and they were instructed by lawyers not to inform families. They closed two weeks before Christmas leaving kids without a school to go to and parents in a lurch to find care and having to transfer them to public school or find space in another private school. Half of their credits won’t even be transferred because the school went bankrupt. No one got their money back.

Imagine that scenario

THAT isn't right or fair for the families involved.

Its common in centers. My oldest attended several centers and they all had many turnovers. Lots of staff just simply disappeared with no notice what so ever. The year my son was three he has 4 different teachers. Most office one day his teacher was there and the next a complete stranger was his new teacher. It life in a center.