Just US Children Daycare Center — Local services in Dunellen

I rarely write reviews, but I feel compelled to share our experience in hopes of helping other parents make an informed decision. We enrolled our son here, but had to withdraw him in less than 3 months due to a range of serious concerns.

The facility itself is poorly maintained, and the outdoor play area does not feel safe for young children. Staff appeared largely untrained, and many teachers were unable to communicate effectively in English. The communication between the morning and afternoon staff was almost nonexistent—there was no way to know how much my child ate or whether he had a diaper change unless I specifically asked, and even then, the answers were inconsistent. Given that many of the teachers had limited communication skills, I question how children’s vocabulary and language skills could possibly expand in this environment.

When we toured the facility, the owner promised that photos of the kids would be shared for updates multiple times a day, but this rarely happened. The daycare was always short-staffed, and photos were shared at most once a day, if at all. This was one of many false promises made during the initial discussions, with a lot of sweet talk that never came to fruition.

The activities for the children were limited, and there was not much beyond basic crayon coloring. I expected more developmental and creative activities for my child, but this was lacking. Basic hygiene practices like teaching kids to wash their hands before eating were completely neglected, and I saw multiple times, the owner (Bhairavi) showing TV to children under 2 years of age—something that goes against both NJ state guidelines and the daycare’s own stated rules. When confronted she made excuses.

You’re not allowed to directly speak with your child’s teacher during drop-off or pick-up. Instead, the director or assistant director receives the child at the door, making meaningful communication about your child’s day nearly impossible. While the director comes across as personable, she routinely failed to follow her own policies and contradicted what was written in the handbook. When questioned about any of these issues, we were met with excuses, deflection, and at times outright dishonesty.

The classroom layout is open-plan, and in the late afternoon, children from different age groups are grouped together in one area, increasing the risk of illness and lice transmission. It never seemed that the owner was running this facility out of a genuine love for children—instead, it felt like a business designed to benefit from government funding without truly prioritizing the children’s well-being. The owner is not on-site several days of the week, and the overworked staff won’t engage with parents without first consulting her.

We ultimately made the very difficult decision to withdraw our child because we no longer felt we could trust the staff with this care. When concerns were raised, instead of making changes or even acknowledging the issues, the director/owner would say, “You’re free to withdraw your child.” She seemed fully aware of how emotionally and logistically hard that decision is for parents, but used it to avoid accountability. We regret putting our son through this...

It is so hard to trust a stranger, and send your little one(s) to daycare 8 hours or more a day. We felt at peace with JUC because of all the staff. The infant staff have been there for over 10 years, and are older ladies - I would not trust a teenager or a non-mom with babies which is what I saw in a lot of other tours. We also love Mrs B who is the director. She is extremely kind, understanding, wise, has super high emotional intelligence and their pricing is more than reasonable. We had our first daughter in this daycare since 4 months old, up till 2.5 years. She loved it and made good friends. We only moved because we moved further away and the commute wasn't working for us. Highly recommend this non-chain/franchise, local, family-like daycare. THANK YOU TO ALL THE TEACHERS WHO LOVED OUR LITTLE GIRL AND MADE HER FEEL...

Although I've already given a review I can't express how much this daycare has IMPROVED!! From the curriculum for the children all the way to the baby room. Things are brighter and more understanding for the children preparing for kindergarten. They're also allowing the childrent explore the outside during field trips (something they never had)I absolutely love Miss C Miss Rosa Miss Daisy Miss Hanna and Miss Michelle they always make you feel welcome. I feel comfortable leaving my babies in the hands of professionals and people who actually are genuine about taking care of children and having their best interest at heart. Thank you to the NEW AND IMPROVED JUST US...