Childcare Network # 179

I thought this daycare was going to be amazing. I was given reassurance that my child was going to be well taken care of and wouldn’t have to worry about schedule changes. One month into enrolling my child they lost multiple staff, truly I don’t think out of coincidence. The atmosphere turned completely from warm and welcoming to almost like they didn’t even want me there or my child there. My child begin having issues with her potty training that we’ve been working on to the point where she didn’t even want to go to the bathroom anymore. I truly believe it’s because they were not giving my child the attention that she needed throughout the day when it comes to potty training. I was told by the director that they were going to have to unenrolled children because they couldn’t keep staff, and that they had no clue if or when they were going to get staff members. I had to leave my job early multiple times because they couldn’t keep my child to the agreed-upon time that we set up in our contract when I first enrolled my child. And I also went to drop my child off twice and got turned down because they didn’t have enough staff, But yet I still had to pay full price for my child to be there when they were the ones turning my child away or saying they didn’t have enough space. I understand having staffing issues, but for multiple staff to leave all at once sounds to me like it’s a management issue. I do not recommend sending your child here especially if you want to ensure your child has the proper attention and needs met.

Details below, but the gist is: 1) In five months, there were over 20 days that they closed the infant room late notice (morning of) and STILL charged us. That's $1,200 that we paid to NOT receive care while also having to take late notice sick days / time off from work. 2) Subpar quality of care. 3) Poor communication. I'm not generally a review-leaver, but I feel obligated to share my experience for any parents considering Childcare Network for their childcare needs. I know that finding childcare is terribly difficult in this area, but if you're lucky enough to be able to wait for a different opening, you should. Not trying to be a dramatic parent, but when your infant gets fed a different mother's breastmilk and kicked in the head by toddlers that they allow in the infant room, you start to get concerned about the quality of care. Then when you start to pick your kid up to find that they've been in their dirty diaper for so long that their BM has dried on them, you know it's poor care. While there were a few staff members we're truly grateful for and believe did their best in the circumstances, the real issue was the staffing scheduling. Not sure why the administration was struggling with this so much, but from May until late Sept. (basically five months) there were OVER 20 DAYS where they closed the infant room. Most times notice was given the morning of, or occasionally the night before. In case they respond to this review, these 20 days exclude the times that a staff member was in the hospital, I'm not counting those instances. Just over 20 separate instances where they said basically shrugged and said "can't take your kid" and then still charged us for the day. I totally sympathize with the difficulties that must come with running a daycare in this area and time. But this place has so many issues that ARE NOT problems at other daycares. Avoid if possible. I hope they can figure it out one day for the sake of the staff and kids there, but now is not the time to attend if you can help it. Good luck to you parents!

My family has really appreciated the care our child receives at Childcare Network. He loves going every day and his happiness and security means the world to us. One day recently he wasn't feeling well and Danielle kept me updated throughout the day. She never put pressure on me to pick him up immediately but she made sure I knew what was going on with him and when I took him to the doctor, we found out that Danielle was exactly right about what she thought it was. She and the rest of the staff are dedicated to the children who attend and I'm so grateful to her for reaching out to me and keeping me informed. We have been very happy with Childcare Network.

All three of my children have been enrolled at Childcare Network and as a working parent, it’s been a lifesaver. The staff is all highly skilled, kind, compassionate, and invested in the children’s well-being. My oldest was very well-prepared for kindergarten thanks to the learning that took place here. It’s certainly a special place and I highly recommend it to others!

My family and I have been looking all over Asheville and Candler for a reliable and safe place for our 2 yr old to attend. With current events of COVID and the devastation of Helene, childcare has been hard to find and waiting lists are ginormous! With all of that being said, we have been on a waiting list with Childcare Network for a while now and we had the absolute pleasure of meeting Danielle Barnett at the location on Sardis Rd. She’s the type of person you want your child to be taken care of by! She’s sweet with the kids, knowledgeable of her work and others that work for her and the type of leader that a childcare needs. She also has a family of her own and knows the ups and downs that come along with different behaviors with different children. I know our child will grow exponentially with the care and guidance shown by Danielle Barnett and the others at Childcare Network!