Nursery workers

[Geneva1994]

I hope when people are saying how risky it is for teachers and to vaccine teachers first, people are also thinking of nursery staff, especially those looking after the babies. My daughter works in a nursery baby room dealing with snot, spit, children sneezing and coughing in their faces, changing nappies, dealing with accidents and sick every day. It’s impossible to social distance as most the children need carrying as they are non mobile and also need comforting.

I don’t see any nursery staff saying they aren’t going to work? Or demanding the vaccine. Yes it’s obviously hard for teachers but any children in primary school are capable of wiping their own arses and blowing their noses.

Not to mention massively underpaid!! Totally agree

I am a nursery worker. Thankyou for thinking of us. It is crap, no protection whatsoever, just expected to get on with it. Dreading going back tomorrow

@redsky21 my setting have been great, provided PPE when appropriate and stuck to all the workplace guidelines but no matter how hard you try, you cannot social distance from small children and you need to do intimate care so it is what it is I just hope the vaccine gets rolled out quickly and we get it sometime soon!

Eyfs have been totally forgotten through all of this. The government do not give a shit. The fact most are private businesses seems to give the government reason to not care, despite that, they have to follow all rules and regulations ( eg. Ofsted etc...) that the government dictate (unlike private schools). The minimum wage most are on in the sector is so low when we trust our most precious people to them.

^ teachers meaning primary age and above, not early years. BTW

Yep nursery workers barely get a mention when these issues are discussed. I don't begrudge the support for teachers from the public but whenever a low paid worker complains the reply tends to "go well it isn't a race to the bottom".
I work in pharmacy as a dispensing assistant and it's the same for us, we always get told we aren't "proper" healthcare professionals, if I dare complain about our treatment the stock response is well get another job- like it's that easy! Seems like those on a low wage are still treated as shit on the shoe, nobody gives a fuck about our health.

Sorry for prattling on, I'm just very cross.

Well it’s true. Most of them were barley working last year, maybe doing 1 or 2 days a week on rotation while we were on lockdown. Then had 6 weeks off for summer, came back in September and have moaned ever since. Other critical workers such as NHS staff, early years and supermarket staff have worked none stop and are just as at risk (if not more if you read OP’s original post) but they are just getting on with it. It’s a joke IMO and shouldn’t be given the time of day

I agree. Our private nursery have been amazing through the whole thing
and I would love for our DS to still be going as last lockdown he really missed the interaction with other kids his age and the amazing staff. But ours are following the guidelines from the council which means only 2 key worker parents are eligible. If they would just downgrade that to 1 if there is space after the double key workers have taken the priority spaces it would give people like us the breathing space to be at least adequate employees and parents and mean staff wouldn't need to be furloughed due to the lack of kids attending.

I'm a nursery practitioner too, private nursery. It's business as usual as far as I know, we have a training day tomorrow but numbers will be as normal after that - unless parents choose to keep their children at home of course.

And childminders. I’m pulling my hair out trying to deal with this all on my own.

@GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat Absolutely, trying to manage it within your family home aswell I guess?

You’re all fabulous ^^ 👏🏻

@GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat that must be really hard for you, especially in your home setting.

I'm suposed to be sending my DS to nursery tomorrow and I am forever greatfull to the staff. Its completely impossible to distance from the kids, you literally can't if you are doing your job properly. And i know many will be dreading going back. They are heros. Really should get more pay and the vaccine. Not sure what do as a mum, do I send DS? Or keep him home, where I will be unable to work and still paying £1600 a month in nursery fees. If I send him I fear covid is imminent.

@Rosebell100 it really is impossible to know what to do for the best. I’m back tomorrow (in the baby room) and we have almost all babies returning, apart from a few who have been caught out over Christmas. Parents need to work and they’re lying regarding so unless you are vulnerable or are really worried, I would send him in x

Yes in my home, obsessively cleaning, no one to chat options through with, parents messaging me all hours and now home schooling my own children whilst working. I’m exhausted. And not a single mention in the news about us (c. 50,000) childminders all struggling, only teachers because they have unions etc on their side. Then there’s the financial stresses and all that.

paying regardless, not lying

@Geneva1994
I don’t see any nursery staff saying they aren’t going to work? Or demanding the vaccine. Maybe they should be. At the very least speaking to their unions if they feel unsafe.
Yes it’s obviously hard for teachers but any children in primary school are capable of wiping their own arses and blowing their noses. Except for the ones who can't which, certainly in lower primary stages, will be far more than you obviously think.
It's not a race to the bottom - I've got shit, unsafe working conditions therefore you should accept it too?

I’m so grateful for my son’s nursery. He has just started and they have been fab settling him. They can’t distance at all and I would fully support them getting priority for the vaccine. Both DH and I are key workers, neither of us can work from home so we will have to keep sending him. I can understand why they are worried.

I think about nursery workers daily, and am
So thankful to all the wonderful ladies who look after my children so lovingly.

I hope they get the vaccine ASAP.

It’s not a race to the bottom, as teachers scream how they need to have the vaccine before everyone else and refuse to go to work?

@HellooGenie

With all due respect, this is a thread about nursery workers, there’s enough about teachers.

Go find one of those to write one and leave this to be about nursery workers