Feedback on BH locations in Arlington - VHC and FDIC?

[Anonymous]

Do any parents with children at either of these BH locations in Arlington have feedback regarding the quality of care? I'm most interested in whether the teachers are loving and engaged and whether there is high turnover, but also interested in feedback on the management and facilities. Thank you!

[Anonymous]

BH at VHC was our daycare for several years.

The aspects of the daycare we liked: clean, bright facility; enclosed playground; healthy menu; they have a gross motor room where children can run around indoors and get exercise when they can't go outside for weather reasons.

However, the staff turnover was absolutely horrible the entire time we were there, which was the reason we left the center and also the high tuition. They have a couple of excellent staff members who have been there for several years but the vast majority leave after 4-8 months. In every room, we experienced significant turnover for the year. This has been going on since they opened. Lots of promises by management about their action plan for staff retention but it was business as usual. The providers were caring and nuturing which made the turnover problem even more difficult. The child bonds with the provider, things are going smoothly, then several months later, that provider is gone. We had great providers which is why we ended up staying as long as we did thinking things will improve.

Another problem we encountered was children or providers shuffled around to different rooms during the day. You would drop off your child in a different room until their room is staffed or enough children show up to justify opening their room. This happened at pick up. the shuffling around is expected at drop off and pick up but it would also happen intermittently throughout the day. The providers and management were often reluctant to tell you that this happened but it did. The impression they wanted to create was this only happened at drop off and pick up but that was not true. This improved after there was a licensing violation pertaining to this but a couple of months later, that started all over again. The primary reason we left was due to staff turnover and inconsistency. This was very stressful. We are now at a center that's cheaper with much more stable staffing and what a world of difference.

I would be o.k. with a preschool age child in that type of environment but for a toddler and infant, inconsistency and staff turnover is much more difficult.

[Anonymous]

We were also at BH VHC for several months. I completely agree with the PP. Turnover was high, even while we were there. Shuffling of the staff during the day was awful. My DC was in the infant room and the kids were really bothered by their favorite caregivers disappearing and replaced by someone they did not know.

I think it would be ok for a preschooler but for infants and toddlers, the environment was not very stable.

I have heard good things about the FDIC BH. But no firsthand experience.

[Anonymous]

Thank you both for your honest feedback. PP may I ask what center you switched to that is more stable? We are moving to Arlington and getting on waitlists, so I'd love to hear about places where people are happy.

Any current/former parents of children at the BH FDIC in Arlington? Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Current parent here at VHC. Have been there since it opened. Above mentioned comments are all true. This is the way BH (at least this one) functions. I even believe it's their biz model (shuffling around). That being said, DC has thrived in VHC. For prospective parents who think the staff shuffling thing is a deal breaker, do not apply. I love DC as much as you do but I don't agree with the emotional torment that some people (not in this thread) have mentioned their kids go through. It all boils down to the parents really and how much you're willing to accept as the way BH conducts business. Staff turnovers never fazed me much.

So you all know, we are now in search of a new director as the last one quit. Good? or bad? Who knows? We'll see.

[Anonymous]

They were forced to leave the NSF center in Arlington and a new provider was brought in

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your input. OP here. We are at a different BH where we live now and there are room changes and shuffling of teachers at times. But we haven't had to deal with teacher turnover (not yet anyway). All in all, we've been very happy with the level of care. If the providers are caring and engaged, that's the main thing for me.

I know that quality can vary depending on the center. I wasn't asking about the former BH at NSF because I know about the problems there (possibly ongoing under new management from what I've read).

[Anonymous]

One of the PP-OP, if your child is not bothered by shuffling to different rooms and having different providers, then the BH at VHC would be fine for you. The providers we had there were very caring and nuturing. The primary reason we left the center was because DC didn't do well with change, and we got tired of the staff turnover and inconsistency. However, the providers were good.

[Anonymous]

We're happy with BH FDIC at VA Square. There's been a lot of turnover in the past year with the administrative staff, but less with the teachers. The center does have floaters who work in all the rooms to handle breaks and keep them in ratio, but they're all outgoing and friendly and know all the kids. In our experience, some kids may spend time in the other classroom for their age group, but most of the time they're with their class and teachers. Until its time to transition, when they will visit the next level up.

The facilities are clean and bright, bigger and less chaotic than some other centers we visited. There are different personality types among the teachers (naturally) but our kids have been really happy there and have had fun and learned a lot at each level. As a parent, I feel like I'm leaving my kids in the hands of professionals, who have way more energy than I do to keep up with them all day long.

[Anonymous]

Thanks so much. That's very helpful.