Educators doing the cleaning. WHY?????

[Ariane]

Please I would like that someone explain to me about why in Australia the Educators have to do all the cleaning in the Centre?
I will explain why I am asking this. I was working in a Centre where the Director was rarely at the there so who was in charge was the coordinator and the way she organised the day my room was always left for last. I usually had 15 minutes to vacuum, mop, disinfect all the toys, clean and set the cot room, clean the laundry, put the bins outside and set the room for the next day. Off course, I wasn't able to do all this work in just ridiculous 15 minutes and I was always leaving the Centre after 30 to 40 minutes after my shift ends.I explained to the director that the other staff was not doing a team work with me leaving my room for last everyday and as I was new at the Centre I needed to build relationship with parents and everyday when they arrived I was cleaning something and many times I didn't even see them. For me, when a parent arrive to pick up their child is an important moment of the day because they are usually more relaxed and want to have a chat with you about how was their child day. Also for me is completely unprofessional to hold a mop while you are talking with a parent. I think this should be a moment when the educator can be ready to listen what parents has to say and give them the information they want without being in a hurry. She said to me that 15 minutes was more than enough and actually not much was done to change this situation. I was over stressed and feeling really bad. After afternoon lunch instead of being with the children and do another activity with them I had to clean!!!!!!!! What is the quality of work in doing this????? Why the Centres don't pay a cleaner to do this work after 2pm which would save educators more time for programming or more time with the children or more time building relationships with parents? Is it too expensive for the Centres to do this? If a Centre is really worried about providing an excellent quality of education why put their educators to do a job that they are not even get paid to do and is so time consuming? Please someone enlighten me!

[adriperdomo]

ohh I had the same question.

[Lorina]

I think this is a fairly common question that usually comes up and basically it is part of our duties. We need to keep the environment safe and clean for children. However, in saying this there are certain factors that need to be addressed when doing the cleaning by educators. In the morning and afternoon, room leaders need to be available to talk to parents so during this time room educators shouldn't have to clean because like you mentioned Ariane - it's unprofessional to talk and clean while talking to a parent at the same time. All educators (floaters, assistants, room leaders, 2IC, directors) should help with the cleaning on a daily basis and it should be a shared role between all staff. Ariane - you should not be the only one to do all that cleaning at the end of the day. Before an educator finished their shift they can spend 10 minutes doing the cleaning before they go.

For example:
So, educators leaving at 4:00pm can clean the laundry, 5:00pm can disinfect toys before going, at 5:30 - educators can clean and set up the cot room and 6:00pm you can vacuum and mop. In regards to bins everyone has to take one out while they are leaving so you aren't stuck with it. It's also good to set up a cleaning timetable throughout the day for cleaning bathrooms and eating the food areas so it's fair for all.

At all my centres we have had cleaners but only come at night to do the mopping and vacumming. We still need to do our bit to keep a safe and hygienic environment but it shouldn't only be done by one person! It's a whole centre approach. Since nothing has been done about this issue, take matters in your own hands and create a daily cleaning table, get director approval and put it up in the staff room. It's the only way that is fair and it works really well.

This is an issue which needs to be sorted because it's not fair for you and if you are staying back you should be getting overtime pay! which another point to tell the Director.

Hope this helps,

,
Lorina

[Ariane]

Hi Lorina!

Thank you so much to confirm to me that we need to have a team work in a child care or we can be left alone doing all the cleaning and it's not fair.

That's why is so important to have the presence of the director in the centre so they can see with their own eyes what's happening! if we all do our bit as you said it's not so hard but I still think that all centres should have cleaners like yours! Congrats!

Ariane

[veronicanguyen]

You can talk about it in staff meeting, telling them how hard it is. At my centre, we clean toys, furniture when we have time (when the children are sleeping). but we do not vacuum and mop the floor. Just explain it in staff meeting, I htink the Director/ Coordinator will understand it if they are reasonable

[alig69]

How are we supposed to be viewed as educators? Do we see primary school teachers cleaning when they are teaching? Questions to ponder as how we are seen as educators and our job role. I understand we have some 'motherly duties' to adhere to when providing care for young children, however cleaning and education are two separate job roles. This is always a touchy subject!!! The team approach is fair as more hands make light work! And I also believe in if you make a mess clean it up but in child-care there is many more cleaning jobs on the list. If educators are expected to also do in a day it is an extremely big work load. Maybe why we have a high turn over of staff or burnout!!!!

[Lorina]

I agree... This job is very stressful and tiring and as "educators" we have a lot of work to complete during the course of our day!

,
Lorina

[linsaa fdc]

Stressed? I found this the other day.

[adriperdomo]

[Lorina]

HAHAHA! Never would of thought! No wonder some of us dig into the sweets when we are stressed!

,
Lorina