Holiday resort kids' clubs: Can you trust the people looking after your kids?

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This was published 7 years ago

Holiday resort kids' clubs: Can you trust the people looking after your kids?

By Tracey Spicer
A kids' club ski group at Club Med Hokkaido.

A kids' club ski group at Club Med Hokkaido.

You're about to go on a longed-for winter break. Somewhere warm or cold: Anywhere that's not home.

If your kids are little, they might go to the resort's kids' club. I'll never forget the first time we dumped – I mean, lovingly left – our daughter. She was eight months old and permanently attached to my nipples. Or so it seemed.

After wrenching her from my hands, the nanny at Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort Fiji carried the thrashing creature to the Bula Club. It was so far away we couldn't hear her scream.

By the end of the first day, Grace had a new Mummy. And Mummy had a new cocktail. All's well that ends well, right?

Now, Fijian women are wonderful with children. But I've often wondered: What are the regulations surrounding child care? It turns out most kids' clubs, here and around the world, are unregulated. Resorts often state their staff are "qualified" but won't guarantee their level of experience. (Membership of the International Nanny Association indicates an element of professionalism, however this is based in the US.)

Let's look at the top destinations for Australian families:

* Fiji. "Light on legislation, but the naturally nurturing instincts of its people see children from across the globe treated like family members," according to a Tourism Fiji spokesperson.

* Bali. Make sure your nanny has a Surat Keterangan Kelakuan Baik (SKKB), which is a document based on a police check. Those at Bali's Best Babysitting are first aid-trained to Australian standards.

* Thailand. This country has a patchy record on child protection: Laws exist but aren't adequately policed. Ask to see the resort's policies and procedures, before booking your kids into the club.

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* United States. It's different in each state. In Florida, resorts aren't required to have a childcare licence, and are exempt from regulations. The minimum age at most kids' clubs in Hawaii is five, because of rules governing daycare.

* New Zealand. Look for the New Zealand certificate in nanny education, which requires one year of training in various homes.

* Australia. Education and care services national regulations don't cover childcare at resorts. Like in the US, each state is different. There's a disclaimer on the web page for Paradise Resort on the Gold Coast saying staff are "not required to hold a qualification in childcare". On the Sunshine Coast, carers at Novotel Twin Waters Kidz Cove are, "thoroughly screened, trained, qualified in first aid and CPR, and have Blue Cards".

"Parents should ask to look at the resort's child safety policy," Michael MacKay from Child Wise says. "Also, any working-with-children and police checks."

Make sure children are being supervised by more than one person, can't wander off-site unattended, and are signed in and out by parents.

While some resorts allow guardians to leave the premises, this might not be covered by your travel insurance.

Internationally, Club Med stands out from the rest. All kids' club workers "have substantial experience in childcare and are first aid qualified. Managers must hold a diploma or higher in childcare … while all Baby Club managers must hold a certificate 3 in children's services".

My advice? Take the leap of faith. But have a good hard look before you do so.

Email: tracey.spicer@fairfaxmedia.com.au

Twitter & Instagram: @TraceySpicer

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