Primrose School Of Wexford - Sewickley PA Child Care Center

Let me start out by saying that I should have trusted my gut about this place. I initially reached out in January 2022, when I was 3 months pregnant, because I knew that waitlists would be long. The director, Ashley, responded to my online form submission via email and then disappeared. It took a follow up email, a missed phone call, and a comment on Facebook to finally get her to call me back a month later at the end of February 2022. Almost all of her email communications were delayed and she was unresponsive. I tried calling many times, but not ONCE have I called this place and had someone answer the phone. These were the first red flags.

Still, I scheduled a tour with Ashley in March. The tour went fine, and she told me that a spot would be available for my infant in November 2022 for Fall enrollment. She sent me home with the paperwork. My husband and I took the night to think about it, and the very next day scanned and emailed our application to Ashley. She responded and confirmed she received the application and told us "Welcome to Primrose". I emailed her again to ask if I could drop off the $150 deposit in person, as I live right down the road, which I did do. Ashley again emailed me after this and told me she received my check (she wasn't available when I arrived) and "Welcome to Primrose". My check was cashed shortly after.

Now, in September, I'm making plans to go back to work and email Ashley for an official start day. Two weeks go by with no response. I call - as usual, they don't pick up the phone. Finally, I sent ANOTHER email and she responds back that she 'regrets to inform me' that she never processed my application through their system and therefore she never actually reserved my spot - despite cashing my deposit. That was it - no offer to return my deposit, no mention of a way to remedy the situation, not even information on when a new spot might be available.

I thought for sure there was a mistake. I called Ashley's direct line and the main line to the daycare - big surprise, no answer. I left voicemails on both. I got tired of waiting and sent another email to Ashley saying that I didn't understand what was happening, as I'd submitted an application, paid a deposit, and was welcomed to the school. She responded to my email and told me that it was her error, but there is nothing they could do. The soonest availability for my daughter would be June 2023 when she turned a year old. I emailed her back and told her to call me, I wanted to speak on the phone.

I spoke with both Ashley (Director) and Liz (Owner) over the phone. Both were unapologetic, unsympathetic and nonchalant about the entire situation. Liz said "I don't know what you want us to do, we're just humans here." Yes, we all make mistakes, but when I make a mistake, I fix it.

This is a mistake that is going to cost me greatly financially, professionally and emotionally. My options are to take a leave of absence from work, pay almost triple to hire a full-time nanny (if I can even find one on short notice) or to sacrifice both the quality of my daughter's care and the quality of my work by juggling both. Yet, Primrose doesn't care.

So, ask yourself if you want incompetent, unsympathetic people caring for your child. And if you do decide to enroll at Primrose, double, triple, quadruple check that they do their jobs.