Tag: childcare

Childcare Overcharged For Kids Meals, Then Claims It’s International Buffet

Dear A.S.S. Editors,

Parents staying in or near Sengkang/Buankok area will be familiar with this childcare. As a parent, I am here to express my dismay towards the school.

Every year during Singapore National’s day and Children’s day, the childcare will hold a party in the school which requires parents to fork out $22 per child. the amount are being used to cater for Buffet lunch for each child.

I thought it is ridiculous to pay that amount since children eat very little and they need not order adult portion for the kids. I questioned what kind of food did they ordered for the children but no one could tell me. I asked the teacher what kind of buffet are they catering for the children that cost $22 per child because for a parent with 3 children to pay 60+ just to go to school and eat buffet is absurd. I was told that its an international buffet. Seriously, pay 60 over dollar? I my as well take leave and stay at home to take care of the children myself.

Today i happened to pass by the childcare while on my way to work and just so happen, i saw the caterer outside the school. Out of curiosity, i went over to take a look at the food that they send. All the food were packed in see through plastic containers. There were chicken nuggets, fish balls, chicken wings, french fries and beehoon. Not much variety, all the side dishes are finger food and definitely not worth more than $10. I felt unjust and went to the caterer website to check and the highest possible price it could cost after giving the benefit of doubt is only $9.42 after GST. INTERNATIONAL buffet? you mean the caterer’s company name is it?

According to my child, there were no other external party activities that are held in the school. So where did the remaining amount went? Why try to profit from our hard earned money secretly? let us pay whats right or have a potluck party if you want to save cost. I am sure we will be able to contribute the same type of food for a quarter of the price! We parents wouldn’t mind contributing as long as you don’t take us for a fool and chop us like carrots!

I know people will say i can just leave the school if i am unhappy with the way they do things. I will. But now, I just want parents to know the truth and consider thrice before enrolling to this school. below are the list of day light robberies:

school outting/field trips always to free public places: $50+ inc return
school bus and lunch which is a pathetic hot dog bun. Double of what other school charges.

year end concert: costume $64.2 + ticket price per pax $64.2.
total cost for your child to perform with 2 attending parent will be 192+.
you think we going jay chou concert? rip us off to watch our own children perform.

reg fee: $250 non refundable. please think before you enroll as there are parents who withdraw after a few days and were unable to get the whooping sum of $250 back. other school charges around $35 for reg fees.

PVC mattress: the price is enough for you to buy a queen bed. marked up more than 5 x of market rate.

school uniform: around $50 per set

last year, there were parents complaining in the childcare’s Facebook page and so they came up with a package price for the school outing. they also deleted their Facebook page immediately so that parents can never unite and make complains again.

I hope that the director will see this and will come to her sense. Pleasebe transparent with the break down of what your are charging. i can’t believe you call yourself FAITH and quote verses. please restore the faith and don’t ever hold buffet party ever again.

Angry Mom
A.S.S. Contributor

Source: www.allsingaporestuff.com

August 8, 2017
Child Scalded By Very Hot Temperature Water Inside Her Water Bottle At A Childcare Center

Scalded by very hot temperature water that was refilled in her water bottle in the childcare center..
Such high temperature water shouldn’t even be refilled in their water bottles to begin with.. Let alone to be placed within the reach of the kids..
This is truly a case of laziness, negligence and complacency.. All in the expenses of my lil peanut..
Share away, my friends..!

Someone commented to the posting saying, “This is unacceptable. What the hell were they thinking. They should have their licenses pulled. Who would put hot water in a child’s water bottle? Child abuse is what this is. Get yourself a lawyer please. And call the police and make a report. If they won’t do anything go to the news stations. Put it on tv.”

The source then gave the following update.

I’ve escalated this to the HQ management.. They apologised but this is beyond apologising.. They explained that they just took over as it was franchised but their HQ is just upstairs of the center yet they’ve no knowledge of what their teachers are doing n such can happen.. They pushed all the blames to the previous director whom is no longer running the center..
Teachers there have no heart to work as they aren’t paid their wages.. Since the management took over; is worse than when the previous director running the center..
Good Principal left, teachers left n leaving n what’s left is a batch of very frustrated n vexed teachers running the center, in hope that they get their wages then they too will leave.. Parents who withdrawn their kids aren’t getting their deposits back.. N I have yet to get mine as well..
It’s an epic mess, resulting such..

She explained that the teacher refilled very hot temperature water into her water bottle, told her not to touch it but left it within her reach and an accident happened. “Thereafter, she used an ice pack to nurse the scalded area which quickly caused it to blister n broke the blister as the ice pack is hard.. U do not put ice nor ice pack on scalded area/s, run running water from the tap on the area/s.. This is simple basic 1st aid..!”

According to her, this happened at a private childcare called Amar Kidz Macpherson.

Source: Jeri Sal

August 4, 2017
HDB Investigating Makeshift ‘Childcare Centre’ In Toa Payoh Flat

A night-time “childcare centre” has been operating at a Housing Board flat in Toa Payoh, caring for up to 10 children.

Residents at the block told Shin Min Daily News that parents take their kids to the flat every day after 6pm.

The children are of primary school age, with some five years old, Shin Min reported on Saturday (March 11). Some are reportedly driven there by their parents, while others are dropped off by the school bus.

“The children usually stay there for some hours. Some even spend the night there, and the parents pick them up the next day,” said the resident whose name was not given.

Shin Min visited the block and a resident who declined to be named said that the owner of the flat had started renting it out one or two years ago.

“After the tenant moved in, occasionally I’ll see a woman taking her kids there.”

Another resident who declined to be named told Shin Min that he hears the sound of children running in the unit every night.

He said he previously asked the tenant of the unit about the situation. The tenant reportedly said he let them run to expend their energy.

Other residents said the family was friendly and the children polite.

Shin Min observed that the two shoe racks outside the flat were stacked with shoes and slippers, many of them kid-sized.

When asked by Shin Min, a male tenant at the flat in question denied that he was running a “childcare centre”.

He explained: “I’m just helping my friends look after their kids, there are more than 10 of them. I receive some money to help out with family expenses.”

The man, who is in his 50s, said that the parents who take their kids there are from China. These parents want to let their children have an environment where they can learn English, and he would speak the language to them.

The man added that he resorted to this as he had been unemployed for six years.

He was previously an art teacher in Hong Kong and Macau, where he lived for more than 10 years.

When he returned to Singapore, he could not find a job.

“I have a son who has attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at home, so I give tuition at home, and help my friends look after their kids, to pay the bills.”

He said he was not robbing anyone, and that it was not easy to get a job at his age.

Shin Min checked with the landlord, who said she was unaware of the activities going on and would immediately find out more from the housing agent.

A spokesman for the HDB told The Straits Times yesterday (March 11) that flats are for residential use.

“While residents may use their flats to carry out home-based small scale informal businesses under the Home Based Small Scale Business Scheme, childcare centres are not allowed,” said the spokesman.

The spokesman said HDB had not previously received feedback about childcare services being provided in the flat in question.

“We are investigating the case with the relevant authorities,” said HDB.

Source: ST

March 11, 2017
Desperate Mother: We Have Video Evidence Of Maid Physically Abusing Our Children But She Remains Free

I think it’s time to share this as I feel that it’s good to let others know as a deterrent and to be more careful when choosing a helper.

Sri wahyuni ( wp number 007726961 ) has been with us for about 6 months when we discovered this. We saw this video of she scolding my 3rd child Ilyas and then punching the side of my last Son Ilham’s head casually. When we spoke to our children, we later found out that she had been violent to all our kids except Auni. She had punched the tummy of ilham, slapped ilyas’s hand but was especially rough with Ilhan whom she had pushed against the door and even slapped his face. Hence we showed her this video and she said that she is sorry and would change.

We waited for a while deciding what to do but shortly after she ran away and went to MOM instead and reported we had abused her. I Guess she thought if she alleged we abused her then we can’t possibly report she has abused our kids but of course we reported the abuse and showed the police this video and now investigation is taking place. The worst was she purposely ran away on the day we were gg to Australia and had bought visa and tickets for her to go with us .

Unfortunately though our government lean towards foreigners and once a fdw alleged abuse automatically the employer will be bared from getting a helper until the investigation ends even though there is zero evidence of this – yeah wow to our govt on this ) MOM and SPF even has the cheek To repeatedly call me to enquire about the things she had left behind at my place. Hence frankly I have lost faith with the ability of MOM or spf to protect Singaporeans when it’s against the foreigners.

Because of this my boys had to go through a thorough medical examination and then later a psychological examination and don’t know hat else but that’s okay as Long as This helper will be put away .

Anyway do beware of this helper as the spf had informed me that at times the helper can appeal to find a new employer even though they are under investigation and for those families who have fdw taking care of their children, do place CCTVs but seriously if they are of preschool age do send them To child care Centres instead where you have professionals taking care of your children.

Please do make Doa and remember us in your prayers and we are hoping this ordeal will end soon and we believe Allah swt is just and there is always a HikmAh behind whatever has happened. In Shaa Allah.

Source: Shahidah Angullia Basrawi

November 5, 2016
Gilbert Goh: Thank You Singaporeans For Contributing To Betterment Of Child Refugees In Lebanon

Had a very interesting time spending half a day interacting with the refugee children at Shatila camp Beirut yesterday.

They appear happy and contented when classes resume after a one-week Haji break. The classes are managed by the Palestinian NGO based in Beirut – National Institution of Social Care & Vocational Training.

You can look through their activities at www.socialcare.org.

I remember my parents took me out of a kindargarten permanently as we were very poor and couldn’t afford the school fees then. I would walk past the school regularly and peep inside marvelling at those who are so priviledged to attend the classes.

The kids spend 6 years here in a refugee childcare facility before moving on to the government schools.

Its the only fun time kids have before they return home to their shoddy apartment. Some are orphans and will return to the orphanage.

The school hours are from 8am to 1pm and most kids are Palestinian refugees with some coming from Syrians and others.

Its a priviledge knowing the kids and they appear strong in the face of adversity. Kudos also to the teachers who show dedication and commitment in their line of duty.

Most of the teachers are refugees themselves.

Sometimes you find tears rolling down your cheek unknowingly when you move around the centre – its that emotional.

It only takes USD $150 to sponsor a refugee child per annum to ensure that he has a decent pre school education before he ventures into the government school. We have so far collected close to $3000.

We are targetting 100 children and it can be a one-off thing.

Let us try to make a small Singaporean dent in this part of the war-torn world…

***

Visited another kindargarten centre at Bourj AlBarajneh Beirut today.

Its a 2-storey building full of kids from age 3 to 6 years old.

Some just enter the nursery yesterday for the new school term and are abit bewildered.

I am glad to catch them before they leave at 1pm.

Both the centres I visited yesterday and today will be funded by the many Good Samaritans who donated to the refugee cause.

The school also requested for gas heater as winter is approaching and it can be quite cold at 15 deg average. We went around sourcing and will try our level best to donate a few sets to the centre soon.

Each gas heater costs around USD $100 to $120.

Thanks alot Singaporeans as we have made our little significant mark here in Beirut Lebanon.

We may be a small country but we have a big heart!

Source: Gilbert Goh

September 21, 2016