Aussie Childcare Network Forum

Okay so a lot has happened since my previous post. I was offered a permanent position at a centre very close to my home. According to the CM of this centre my manager 'spoke very highly of me'. I was pretty excited but a little worried about being stuck in one place if bullying was happening because that's what happened to me at my previous permanent position. Anyway, my experience has been mostly positive. I found most of the staff members respectful and welcoming, along with the CM. But straight away I got a bad feeling about one of the ECTs. The way she greeted me was a little unwelcoming, and on my first shift, I was working with her but straight away saw some unprofessional things. Specifically, on my first shift, about two hours in, a boy cut his finger on a broken glass picture frame (YES I KNOW!). His mother was arriving at the time and he went straight to her. The ECT (only other person working) was busy so I was assisting the parent and child. I gave some tissues and offered a bandaid but didn't know where the first aid kit was. I asked the ECT, her actual answer was "I don't know." (WHATT??!!) Then I was frantically running around searching for it, at that time the boy showed us the picture frame which caused the accident and I immediately secured it in an area unaccessible to children. Then after about 5 mins the ECT gets up and goes to the first aid kit (which is not exactly visible) and gets the bandaid (WHYY??!!). Anyway, Other things were popping up. I didn't like how she interacted with the children. I heard her mention she deprived a child of lunch as a punishment for misbehaviour. I also heard her yelling at a child, rushing them to go faster with toiletting and the child was crying. I also heard her saying unprofessional things about other staff in a way to make them look bad, and felt she is doing the same to me. I don't like working with her at all and I don't trust her, since she goes against a lot of regulations. But I'm working with her directly pretty much every day.

Anyway, the other thing happened, I was asked to do the closing jobs quite early because numbers were low and we were very overstaffed. I'm still slightly confused with the closing jobs since I've worked there less than a week and worked with 3-4 different people who did it differently and gave me different instructions. I was doing jobs to the best of my knowledge. I saw a room was messy and offered to tidy it. The lead educator agreed and I started tidying it. The assistant director called me out and seemed quite unhappy I was doing that. She told me only accept jobs from one person (the ECT). She went on for a while and I felt a bit overwhelmed since I keep getting mixed messages. It was okay if that's what she wanted but I thought she overreacted considering I have worked here less than a week and only worked within the field for less than two months.. I felt she was trying to make me feel bad and uncomfortable on purpose.

I no longer trust these two people or feel comfortable working with them. It's a shame because I just got a permanent job here. I'm still new and studying so jobs don't exactly grow on trees for me. I don't know what to do... Need support/advice. Thank you!

Sorry Lorina, but I believe that being professional is a requirement no matter if an educator is new or not. That is a workplace health and safety requirement
and is a major policy of our company. We work for one of the largest child care companies, which is supposed to take its policies seriously and we are supposed to have a high standard of professionalism, which even as a new employee, I strive to maintain. Anyway, she is not having a bad day. I have worked here for two weeks and things are the same, if not worse. And other educators have mentioned complaints about similar things. I agree not to take things personally but it just frustrates me so much. When 90% of people treat me appropriately and maintain a professional appearance, why should one get away with it? Everyone has things happening at home but most people don't take it out on others at work. Sorry but we need to eliminate this tolerance for unprofessional interactions in the workplace and lacking in team work. It affects people's motivation at work and reduces the quality of care and education for children within the service. That's completely unacceptable.