Thrive Early Learning Centre - Blakehurst

I feel compelled to share my experience at Thrive Daycare, as it's crucial for other parents to be aware of my concerns regarding staff negligence that has profoundly affected my child’s well-being and my family’s stability. My son started attending Thrive in 2021 when he was just 18 months old. Initially, there were minor issues, but things escalated when he entered the pre-K room, where Vanessa, an educator, had her son Marcelo enrolled. This child exhibited significant behavioral challenges, and unfortunately, many other children began mirroring his behaviors. Despite numerous complaints about this dynamic, the staff failed to address the situation adequately. Marcelo eventually left for another school, but by then, my son and others were already affected. The lack of communication about my son’s behavioral issues was alarming. I was rarely informed about incidents, and any communication was minimal—such as signing reports for singular incidents, often without proper documentation due to their system being down. There was no proactive plan to help Christos regulate his emotions nor any meaningful discussions about strategies to support his development. Things took a turn when another parent raised concerns, leading to my son being terminated from Thrive without a two weeks' notice, despite their own policies and procedures not being followed. This left me in an incredibly difficult situation, losing my full-time job and my tenancy because I couldn’t keep up with rent. This wasn’t just about a child being terminated from daycare; this has impacted my life profoundly, and I have been unable to work since June 2025. I am now waiting for my son to start school, terrified of entrusting him to another daycare full-time. I have been urged by CAMHS, Goodstart staff, and his trauma therapist to report these incidents. I have made multiple appointments and meetings with psychologists who have spoken to my son’s upcoming kindergarten, as I fear for his safety. It is alarming that Thrive’s staff never contacted me about these critical issues, and when I wrote an email to the director expressing my concerns, I received no sympathy or proper action—just a dismissive response. I want to highlight that Christos graduated from Pre-K at Goodstart in Beverly Hills and was described as a great kid to be around. This is the same child that Thrive claimed was a danger to staff. I have reported these issues to the childcare department of education and am awaiting their response. I strongly encourage any parent who suspects that Vanessa may not be acting in the best interest of the children to file a report. Protecting our children is paramount, and it is unacceptable for educators to yell at, pinch, or harm them in any way while they are under their care. Thrive Daycare needs to reassess their approach to vulnerable children.