Sounds like a bit of a fuck you to parents of preschoolers

[pandarific]

...doesn't it? What the hell is the logic behind primary children possibly going back but not nurseries or childminders?

Or has he just missed them out and they'll be included in guidance tomorrow? (Clutches at straws)

No kids should be going back yet. He’s bowing to pressure from parents and he wants his factory workers back for the economy.

Shambles.

Now, who wants to kick the shit out of me first?

No need to. I just need to suggest you take care of your own children
It's your responsibility to ensure they are being educated, by law.

Erm ok.... well I am looking after and educating my own kids, obviously? I haven't just left them on a park bench somewhere? You seem to be suggested schools are a privilege and not a right? Actually I have no idea what you are saying....

I would like my kids to go back to school, to be educated and socialised and for the normality for them and for hundreds of other reasons. When it is safe to do so.

Now the government think that might be in a few weeks for certain years in a staggered or phased way. That sounds entirely reasonable.

A lot in education and childcare seem to think they have a better idea about when that will be or how to do it but I've not seen any tests / timelines or plans. Can you direct me to some?

@elmerrrrrrrr That was unnecessarily rude. My comment was in response to people talking about how important school is for these year groups/how much they are missing. My point is that they aren't missing anything important.

As for this:

Why do people care so much about children “not social distancing”? They don’t need to. They pose no risk to each other.

They pose a risk to their families and therefore to society as soon as they start swapping the virus between families. Not to mention their teachers, who will have to work in a high risk, high viral load job with no PPE.

I haven't read through the thread so I don't know if anyone else has expressed the same opinion, however, my interpretation of today's announcement is anyone who cannot work from home, can go to work assuming they can meet the social distancing requirements (travelling to and from work and during the course of their day at work), so I would assume that staff who can work in nurseries and preschools can return to work if they can meet these requirements and open their respective nurseries/preschools if they can find a way to introduce social distancing/hygiene/PPE if necessary. My reasoning for this is nurseries and schools are already open and have been throughout the lockdown for the children of 'keyworkers' or children with EHCP's/SEN/vulnerable (or with a social worker). So I would be tempted to contact the nursery/childminder direct to query when they will be reopening in light of the new announcement (I imagine many will want to open ASAP) I guess someone needs to pose this and many other questions tomorrow.

In terms of "non-social distancing interactions" ie less than two m or actually full on contact goes, what BJ has announced is massively increasing the number of unsafe interactions from June 1st.

As regards the rest of May, it seems a bit less predictable. I imagine lots of families are wondering whether or not to set their alarms for 6 rather than 8 tomorrow. It seems a bit like a "look see".

@mysterian nurseries have been open the entire time - DD has been going throughout. She is officially still in the baby room but has moved into the big room as she's the youngest one there at the moment (22 months). I assure you the staff aren't rolling bottles to her and wearing hazmat suits she still gets all her hugs, attention.

Quite worrying you think that's how you'd operate in a baby room. I'm guessing your nursery hasn't been open for keyworker children.

Essentially, young children are NOT required to social distance. It's not hard to understand that.

I think the poster was being sarcastic @WhatsHappeningCaroleBaskin because clear government advice and guidance remains absent for nurseries anyway never mind those who’d work with the children requiring most physical interaction.

I should also say though your post has given me comfort about what to expect when my 1 year old eventually returns thank you

He had 10 minutes to summarise a 50 page document. In that time he also had to add warnings, caveats and thanks to keyworkers. If it wasnt mentioned today, it will come up in guidance later.

My DD's old nursery said last night that "in accordance with new government guidance" they will be opening on the 1st of June 🤷‍♀️

Some have said nurseries don't have to follow the same rules with distancing. So why can nurseries not follow social distancing rules and that's ok but no one else?

It's irrelevant if the children themselves are low risk, they're not living at home alone!

@NatalieH2220 how do you social distance 2 1yo kids? and also how do you give cuddles to a 1yo that has just fallen off and is crying?

the benefit of not socially distancing kids of this age is higher than the risk, nurseries will put in place other measures but not social distancing as it's completely impossible unless you leave a child on their own all day

@EasterIssland I completely agree, it's impossible which is exactly why they shouldn't be going back yet.

that's fine then how are parents going to back to work if no other childcare options? one of the parents gives up their work ? do you think all families are in that position?

"their teachers, who will have to work in a high risk, high viral load job with no PPE"

"High viral load"?! What nonsense. That is actually quite insulting to the HCPs who are treating people with the virus and therefore actually are dealing with high viral loads.

There is a chance that some children will have the virus without symptoms (and will therefore be at school/nursery rather than self isolating at home) but the "viral load" from these children will be minimal compared to patients who are actually ill with the virus and in hospital.

My 17yr old ds is in his first year of A levels in a huge ( 2,000 kids ) sixth form college. He’s worried sick about social distancing when they eventually go back

It’s illogical for your son to worry. In the under 25 category - that’s 17 million people - we have seen a total of 26 deaths. This is not a disease of the young. He has far more chance of contracting a range of other diseases or of having a road traffic accident.

Viral load for teachers and nursery staff isn’t just about Covid it’s about general coughs and colds, chicken pox, hand, foot and mouth and all those other virus that spread around in young children and to staff. If the adults are already being exposed and fighting those viruses - even if they aren’t showing outward signs of these illnesses - the added pressure of a new virus they aren’t immune to could mean they could struggle more to fight it off.

Of course the opposite might be true... they might have immune systems that are far more primed to deal with anything nasty!

Our little key worker group at the nursery has remained healthy so far and I think that’s because we do have limited numbers attending. Same children and same staff each week. I’m feeling a little apprehensive at this dynamic changing and exposure to more children and staff.

I completely agree with it being illogical @SpokeTooSoon

However this poor lad has likely had his brain steadily washed as we all have with that STAY HOME SAVE LIVES message meaning it’s completely fair he thinks GO OUT AND RISK DEATHS is the natural opposite.

And THAT is why I believe that history will show that this has been a shocking over reaction and the mental health pandemic that will hit shortly after will dwarf the sudden but serious effects of COVID 19 on the few who get very sick with it compared to the numbers of (young) people who’s mental health will be scrambled after all this and possibly end up with a lifetime of issues, putting a longer and deeper strain on services than any COVID patient would.

I am absolutely aware I’m in the minority here and I follow guidance. Doesn’t mean to say I don’t think it’s a crock of absolute shit.

Early Years were expressly told to close at the start of the lockdown: they will need to be told by Government and Ofsted when they can reopen.

Don’t waste your time asking them to reopen until then.

Children in nurseries are going to be fine. Good for them.

But what about us staff? When parents drop off will they be made to wear facemasks to talk to staff? Many nurseries and big chains won't want to inconvenience their customers in any way and care much about their staff, so that's unlikely.

Staff to staff transmission. Are rooms actually big enough? Half my room is a long corridor type layout about 2 metres wide.We're going to spend most of our time negotiating over who goes where and how we pass each other. And passing babies to other people?

Can children carry the virus? A child being cuddled by parents, then different members of staff could transport the virus from household to household couldn't they? I don't think anybody knows how well it gets around.

But at least parents won't bring children in if there's somebody at home showing signs of illness.

For the last time..
Children in nurseries are NOT expected to social distance.

They will still have their needs met, they will still be hugged, rocked to sleep, have bottles fed to them, kissed when they fall over.

DD has been going to nursery throughout and is 22-months old. The first thing she does in a morning is reach her arms out to the member of staff receiving her and she gets picked up for a cuddle.

Children in nurseries are NOT expected to social distance. Who said they are?

For the last time..
Children in nurseries are NOT expected to social distance.

However it won’t be anything like it was beforehand. I think you need to weigh up whether your child really needs to go, because like school I don’t think it will be as fun as before.

Loads of people on here are asking how such children are supposed to distance.. hence my post.

Yes, people do need to weigh it up for themselves, of course they do. I don't personally as DD has remained at nursery and will remain at nursery due to my job.

In my experience, the only difference there has been at nursery is the lack of children - there's only 5 of them.