Experience of Cocoon Childcare...

Sweet Rose

I'm starting to look at childcare for when I return to work next year. I think I'd be looking at the Kimmage or City West branches. I like the idea of the live camera which parents can access to see what their child is getting up to.

Does anyone have any experiences with this crèche? I'd love to know.

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I dont have direct experience, but my sister in law would not reccommend them, she used to work there.

She said staff knew where cameras were not so would sit there in their phones etc..
Also that they had 'show toys' for when parents came to visit. She also said a lot of staff in her particular one had no qualifications, and a 17 year old girl with no qualifications wad left in charge of toddlers.
It was a number of years ago, and I don't know the branch.
There is a thread her about creche problems and the HSE, you should maybe pm One of the posters there to find out about the name of the creche in question...

Millem

Sweet Rose wrote: »

I'm starting to look at childcare for when I return to work next year. I think I'd be looking at the Kimmage or City West branches. I like the idea of the live camera which parents can access to see what their child is getting up to.

Does anyone have any experiences with this crèche? I'd love to know.

Sweet rose I don't have any experience of them but if you are considering kimmage there is a creche called "daisy chain" in terenure. http://www.daisychain.ie
A lot of my neighbours use it and are very happy with it.

I have just heard about a creche in rathfarnham village called "rathfarnham day care" http://www.rathfarnhamdaycare.ie/complementary-classes-dublin.html
they have classes on in the afternoon if you are full time eg Gymboree.

Sweet Rose

Benson Tall Watercolor wrote: »

I dont have direct experience, but my sister in law would not reccommend them, she used to work there.

She said staff knew where cameras were not so would sit there in their phones etc..
Also that they had 'show toys' for when parents came to visit. She also said a lot of staff in her particular one had no qualifications, and a 17 year old girl with no qualifications wad left in charge of toddlers.
It was a number of years ago, and I don't know the branch.
There is a thread her about creche problems and the HSE, you should maybe pm One of the posters there to find out about the name of the creche in question...

Thanks for the reply.

I know the name of the crèche in question and I won't be using it.

Sweet Rose

Sorry Millem, I couldn't respond directly to you. Thanks for the reply. The Daisy Chain crèche looks good. I'll give them a ring.

I'm looking at Harold's Cross, Terenure, Kimmage. Would you know any other reputable crèches in that area?

Millem

Sweet Rose wrote: »

Sorry Millem, I couldn't respond directly to you. Thanks for the reply. The Daisy Chain crèche looks good. I'll give them a ring.

I'm looking at Harold's Cross, Terenure, Kimmage. Would you know any other reputable crèches in that area?

I viewed the daisy chain and honestly if I was to go down creche route I would have no problem sending my baby there. The manager is excellent and knows all the children by name, when I mentioned my neighbours she could tell me about their kids. The place is spotless. It opens at 7.45 which might be a bit late for some and I am nearly sure it closes at 6.

The rathfarnham one is near enough terenure and opens 7-7. I have never seen it in the flesh but it was recommended to me. I would look actually look at it.

I would 100% avoid like the plague "carebear world" beside kcr industrial estate. I dropped in twice, both times the place was crazy, and smelly. At one stage there was a 16 month old crawling around (in the older room) and swinging out of the baby gate. The other time the hand a sign on the door saying there was a case of foot and mouth disease???? It is very very very cheap too.

Actually a teacher who I work with during the leaving cert every year said his grandson goes to a creche in Shelton......this must be the one you were looking at? Unless there are two in Shelton?

Sweet Rose

Millem wrote: »

I viewed the daisy chain and honestly if I was to go down creche route I would have no problem sending my baby there. The manager is excellent and knows all the children by name, when I mentioned my neighbours she could tell me about their kids. The place is spotless. It opens at 7.45 which might be a bit late for some and I am nearly sure it closes at 6.

The rathfarnham one is near enough terenure and opens 7-7. I have never seen it in the flesh but it was recommended to me. I would look actually look at it.

I would 100% avoid like the plague "carebear world" beside kcr industrial estate. I dropped in twice, both times the place was crazy, and smelly. At one stage there was a 16 month old crawling around (in the older room) and swinging out of the baby gate. The other time the hand a sign on the door saying there was a case of foot and mouth disease???? It is very very very cheap too.

Actually a teacher who I work with during the leaving cert every year said his grandson goes to a creche in Shelton......this must be the one you were looking at? Unless there are two in Shelton?

Yeah Cocoon is up in Shelton which would suit me as my aunt lives around the corner. I'll go for a visit next month and see what it's like.

I'll look at Daisy Chain too.

Thanks for the suggestions, they are much appreciated. It's good to hear others people's experiences.

How Strange

FYI to mums looking at crèches hand, foot and mouth disease sounds more gruesome than it actually is. It's a viral infection that spreads through the crèche and is easily transmitted by saliva, toys etc. It doesn't discriminate and even the most hygienic crèches get it.

Babies/children who get it are poorly for a few days, get some spots and then bounce back.

I'd never heard of it until my son started crèche but now I don't bat an eyelid when I hear of it.

Millem

How Strange wrote: »

FYI to mums looking at crèches hand, foot and mouth disease sounds more gruesome than it actually is. It's a viral infection that spreads through the crèche and is easily transmitted by saliva, toys etc. It doesn't discriminate and even the most hygienic crèches get it.

Babies/children who get it are poorly for a few days, get some spots and then bounce back.

I'd never heard of it until my son started crèche but now I don't bat an eyelid when I hear of it.

Oh lol I thought they meant mad cow diseases?? That place is so vile regardless, the smell of pee, non of the children's faces were wiped and half of them were in grubby dressing up clothes. I went once and thought ok maybe it was a once off (even though I would actually die if my baby was in those conditions), then I dropped in again and I swear I was scarred for life! The most bizarre thing was the staff didn't even bat an eyelid at me.
I went straight down to daisy chain, it is actually in fortfield square (beside st pius x) and omg it was the complete opposite! Daisy chain only had 3 babies and 10 wobblers. The wobblers had nursery rhymes playing on a cd whole they all sat down and ate their snack! They were soooo cute! It was so much calmer and not a hint of a smell of urine. The staff are fab and the majority would be older.

Millem

Sweet Rose wrote: »

Yeah Cocoon is up in Shelton which would suit me as my aunt lives around the corner. I'll go for a visit next month and see what it's like.

I'll look at Daisy Chain too.

Thanks for the suggestions, they are much appreciated. It's good to hear others people's experiences.

Oh yes do visit it, you might love it I always see posters for a community creche when I am up with public health nurse. I think it's on windmill road in crumlin and looks great but I have never visited. I didn't get into details with PHN but she said everyone can use it but you pay different amounts?

Chattastrophe!

Millem wrote: »

I would 100% avoid like the plague "carebear world" beside kcr industrial estate. I dropped in twice, both times the place was crazy, and smelly. At one stage there was a 16 month old crawling around (in the older room) and swinging out of the baby gate. The other time the hand a sign on the door saying there was a case of foot and mouth disease???? It is very very very cheap too.

While the rest of it sounds a bit dodgy, the sign about hand foot and mouth wouldn't put me off at all, in fact there's a sign up in my creche about it at the moment (and this would be a very clean reputable place) ... from what I hear, it's constantly going around in all the creches, play centres, etc (I know of quite a few babies not in creche who've picked it up), in fact I think it's a positive thing that the creche are open about it so that parents are aware. E.g. it's not the end of the world if my son gets it (although I'd rather he didn't!) but for an immuno-suppressed child, maybe parents might want to take them out for a while. So it's better to keep parents informed. Anyways that signs been up since he started there about six weeks ago, and he hasn't picked up that or anything else yet ... touch wood!

Millem

Chattastrophe! wrote: »

While the rest of it sounds a bit dodgy, the sign about hand foot and mouth wouldn't put me off at all, in fact there's a sign up in my creche about it at the moment (and this would be a very clean reputable place) ... from what I hear, it's constantly going around in all the creches, play centres, etc (I know of quite a few babies not in creche who've picked it up), in fact I think it's a positive thing that the creche are open about it so that parents are aware. E.g. it's not the end of the world if my son gets it (although I'd rather he didn't!) but for an immuno-suppressed child, maybe parents might want to take them out for a while. So it's better to keep parents informed. Anyways that signs been up since he started there about six weeks ago, and he hasn't picked up that or anything else yet ... touch wood!

It was just such a bizarre place and no one batted an eyelid:eek:

ene

i worked in a cocoon creche for a while, i was left in charge of babies with no qualifications, regularly left on my own even though my garda vetting hadn't come through yet.

when i questioned the manager she said they were short staffed and i would be fine.

on another occasion a parent came to pick up their child and made a comment of seeing something on the video link, the incident that the parent was talking about happened when their child wasn't in the creche. i thought this was pretty weird and i wouldn't like my child to have random people watching them play.

the baby cots were also in a horribly hot conservatory that had no real ventilation.

suffice is to say i left after a month but would definitely not recommend the company to anyone.

John Mason

Cocoon is own by 4 men who were in the IT sector.

says it all to me.

stay away from chains, look for creches where the owners work there.

LegacyUser

My kids were in Cocoon, there were a few things here and there that I didn’t like, but the kids eventually got used to it and were ok for a while. What made me look out and about for a post like this (so that I can at least share my story) is the recent so to call it eviction from the place. My kids were in full time for some time, some circumstances have changed and we wanted to switch them to 5 hour morning option..(which to me meant that if the full time is 10 hours, part time would then be 5 hours, which suits us as the older kids will be in school for five hours).

Well, apparently it is not just that easy to do that in Cocoon. First of all I felt like I had to negotiate the option I required and after so many attempts(even being told that there is no free spot there even though my child was already filling up one morning slot), I gave up as they would not even attempt to offer an option that suited us. It was either 6 hours or none (and 6 hour option is only 150odd euro pm cheaper than leaving the kid in there full time), just felt a bit betrayed an pushed out. I presume they would rather have me out of the way as the option I was after is cheaper that what I was paying up until then, and take on two full timers. It just seems so unjust and cruel, the kids have to go through a new phase of adaptation period…heartbroken.

Just wondering if anyone else had a similar experience with them, or other crèches and how you dealt with this. It seemed to me that they just avoid doing the part time 5 hour option, even though they stated on line that they do this. But never say anywhere clearly how many hours. Just felt like I have no rights whatsoever as somebody that is using their services. So my experience left me with a sense that I am dealing with a business that is there to make money(and this is partly what they should be) and not a place that looks at the best interests of a child and a family that has to go through the whole system, as if it wasn’t heart-breaking enough to have to part from your child and give it to someone to watch. 

yellow hen

Millem wrote: »

The manager is excellent and knows all the children by name, when I mentioned my neighbours she could tell me about their kids. The place is spotless. It opens at 7.45 which might be a bit late for some and I am nearly sure it closes at 6.

I'm probably taking your comments too literally millem but I personally wouldn't rate anyone who can tell me about my neighbours kids. Discretion is really important to me. Also even the worst childminders can appear excellent and well-informed.

If I were looking for another crèche, I would be looking for that rapport the minder has with parents and children. My experience is that the slightly more regimental individuals are the ones are observe the rules and policies of the crèche appropriately. Check out the food type/nutritional value/volume they are given too and how long your child stays in each room before being moved on. Also, how long they sleep in a cot before moving to the floor beds. I absolutely respect and like the lady who minds my son but there are others who I just can't like and who I frankly distrust. I'm hoping that by the time my son is ready to move rooms in August, we'll have moved house and will be looking for a new minder.

Millem

yellow hen wrote: »

I'm probably taking your comments too literally millem but I personally wouldn't rate anyone who can tell me about my neighbours kids. Discretion is really important to me. Also even the worst childminders can appear excellent and well-informed.

If I were looking for another crèche, I would be looking for that rapport the minder has with parents and children. My experience is that the slightly more regimental individuals are the ones are observe the rules and policies of the crèche appropriately. Check out the food type/nutritional value/volume they are given too and how long your child stays in each room before being moved on. Also, how long they sleep in a cot before moving to the floor beds. I absolutely respect and like the lady who minds my son but there are others who I just can't like and who I frankly distrust. I'm hoping that by the time my son is ready to move rooms in August, we'll have moved house and will be looking for a new minder.

Yellow hen it was more like.......
Me:"my next door neighbour sean goes to montesorri here"
Manager: "Sean Murphy?"
Me:"no Sean maguire"
Manager:"oh Sean is great and his sister left last year."