Can nursery require quarantine beyond govt rules?

[GrinchTastic]

Just that really - we are going to Ireland, which has never been subject to any quarantine restrictions as it is in a Common Travel Area with the UK, and isn’t part of any air bridges or anything like that. Nursery said yesterday they are asking parents to quarantine for 14 days when returning from “overseas”. I wonder if they haven’t realised that Ireland is in a different boat to Greece/Germany/Italy etc by virtue of the CTA.

We’re also sailing into Northern Ireland, but back from Dublin.

Just wondering what the position is, or if anyone can offer any advice.

Thanks!

@GrinchTastic

I stated we were doing that in my OP and again at 8.46am. We are carefully following all the rules from govts on both sides of the Irish Sea.

Yes, and I'm very glad you're doing that. But plenty aren't and there's a lot of anger about people travelling through NI to circumvent quarantine, including some posts on here. I was wondering if your posts were carefully worded, as by doing so you would be following the rules.

With all due respect, you may know you're carefully following the rules, but your nursery don't know that. Anyone can say that they are being careful, but still flout rules. We have a duty of care to protect our staff and children and if a blanket isolation after travel policy is needed to do so, then so be it.

if a blanket isolation after travel policy is needed to do so, then so be it.

I would like to know on what/whose advice they are imposing this? What risk assessment have they done? And for which countries/modes of travel?

They can write their own risk assessment

I mean, I could just email them back and say “oh we’ve changed our plans, and decided to go to the Lake District instead”.

I don’t want to do that, but that’s what they’re going to be tempting people to do if they are imposing quarantine requirements over and above govt guidance and rules.

I know they can write their own risk assessments. I didn’t say they couldn’t.

Maybe you should move your DC to another less risk averse nursery, but you might find it closes more than your original one.

Why do I get the feeling that you're not used to being told no?

We have Spent an enormous amount of time carefully working through risk assessments, using all the guidance issued by the government, advice from the WHO, and the individual circumstances of our families/demographic. We have to consider that there are children in our care who live with grandparents, have vulnerable parents, have medical conditions and are vulnerable themselves. We have to consider vulnerable staff members, pregnant staff members, staff who live with vulnerable and shielding family. We have to consider the limitations of our premises, what common areas we have, how our bubbles can remain separated and how that impacts on movement through the nursery and the ability to run. It is a very complex process and every nursery will be different in that respect, with some needing more restrictions than others. If your nursery has decided that the extra risk of families travelling, by whatever mode, is too much of an added risk, that it is what it is. Trust me, it is not a decision that will have been made lightly and it is to protect the nursery community. Your want for a holiday does not trump that.

@GrinchTastic

I mean, I could just email them back and say “oh we’ve changed our plans, and decided to go to the Lake District instead”.

I don’t want to do that, but that’s what they’re going to be tempting people to do if they are imposing quarantine requirements over and above govt guidance and rules.

This attitude is why we have to be risk averse.

If I needed to use a nursery I’d be very happy to have one that took travel seriously and expected quarantine. You are usually free to run whatever risks for yourself you like but with the virus you can’t risk assess just for yourself so they are trying to keep themselves and the children and families they support safe.
This, totally agree! If you want to go away on holiday then that’s fine, but if they are putting these guidelines in place then you have to stick to them. They are putting the children and staff’s health as a priority, which is brilliant as far as I’d be concerned. Private nursery they can put guidelines in like this if they want and there’s nothing you can do.

The health of others takes priority over people having a holiday and it’s attitudes like yours that will ensure that this virus carries on longer than necessary.

The nursery hasn’t asked any families formally where they are going on holiday btw. I just mentioned in passing that we are going to Ireland. So I suspect they’re not quite as risk averse/thorough in their planning as you suggest, SamsMumsCataracts.

As it happens, a friend at the same nursery has also gone to NI. I must ask her if they’ve placed any similar restriction on her DC.

The nursery policy defies logic. If you went almost anywhere in the UK you would be at higher risk of contracting the virus than going to Ireland. Why are posters saying the nursery are being "cautious" and "risk averse". They are being inflexible and illogical. Good luck getting it sorted out op.

Yeah the infection rates in Ireland north and south are a fraction of what they are in England.

Seeing as Ireland isn't classed as overseas for immigration or public health/quarantine purposes I would ignore the email and enjoy your holiday.

I would just clarify with the nursery - its nothing to do with the council as they are entitled to do their own restrictions as long as they are not illegal ....they probably havent thought about Ireland/CTA beig treated differently to other travel areas...

People are focusing too much on the destination of travel and forgetting the huge amount of people you come into close contact with when transiting through an airport / ferry who could’ve come from ANYWHERE! If I could teleport myself on holiday to a low risk island somewhere then I’d love to go on holiday, but there’s no chance I’m going anywhere near an airport for the foreseeable! OP don’t be selfish, there are plenty other people who haven’t seen their families either and if you want to see yours fine, but respect whatever policy the nursery have. You have no idea what the consequences could be for other families or staff

How will we be coming into close contact with huge amounts of people on a ferry with a private cabin? We won’t be within 2m if anyone other than ourselves for 15 mins.

We’ll be driving onto the ferry in our car, going straight to our cabin, straight back to our car, driving off the ferry. We won’t be in close contact with anyone, let alone “huge amounts of people”.

Travel is allowed within parametersby the majority of countries. Some people on this thread are acting as if it isn't. Covid will be around for years, people will still be on the move.

It's the illogicality that gets me here. You are at a MUCH higher risk of contracting COVID travelling in England and Wales. On a ferry in a cabin and avoiding common areas, and then quarantining when you get there?

We simply cannot stay locked down for ever. It just won't work. The borders will have to reopen at some point.

Absolutely @Whathewhatnow the OP is also visiting family, not just going to Ireland for the fun of it. It is what it is sadly. I think we have to take every precaution and get on with things. I would love if testing was available either side of the Irish Sea.

My husband's company isn't allowing anyone into the office for two weeks after travel anywhere outside England, Scotland and Wales. Your nursery policy seems much the same as that.

Does your husband pay to attend work, Fairybio?

And I’m surprised that an entire part of the U.K. is excluded like that - would like to know the legalities of that decision (not to mention the risk assessment, which is bonkers)

Paying for a service doesn’t mean they can’t have rules. They are there to protect others and their staff.

My point was that each business can make its own rules.

I imagine you are free to make use of another nursery which doesn't have the same quarantine requirements if you don't like their terms and conditions.