Childcare setting open but giving DS no sessions

[NoIDontWatchLoveIsland]

DS attends a preschool covering the two years prior to primary school. Usually max 20 kids, but typically there might be 15 or 16 or so on a normal day. Open term time only, similar to school hours.

Have reopened from 1 June but only giving sessions to the 2nd years, those due due to start school in Sept. Have less than half usual numbers in. Govt funding still being claimed for the children who have been given no sessions, and those parents are unable to leave and use funding elsewhere as a terms notice is required.

Communication has been vague and isn't making clear what's limiting the ability to offer sessions to kids in the 1st year (eg perhaps staff are shielding?) Theres vague suggestion of trying to get the 1st years in but with a start date pushing ever closer to the school holidays.

AiBU to be pissed off? It feels like the staff had written off the summer term (most have their own kids) and never really expected/wanted to reopen, but are trying to comply with the requirement to reopen to continue getting funded hours money, while actually offering as little as possible.

My DS is desperately bored at home and really wants to go back. I cant even take the funded hours and use them with DS old childminder so he could have a change of scene.

I think if they had even been able to offer DS a single session (of the four he usually has), I wouldn't mind but nothing? I also would mind less if they gave a good reason eg "we usually have x staff but unfortunately y are shielding therefore we can only accept z% of usual children". But they are not doing this.

Idontbelieveit

I would be happy to work without PPE. I'm low risk and believe PPE should be reserved for those who are vulnerable or working with the vulnerable or coronavirus patients.

If it's anything like my DC's primary school, they cannot have more than a certain number of children in preschool based on the space they have available and to maintain safe social distancing. While everyone knows that littlies are virtually impossible to socially distance, they still have to take into account the space they do need to distance appropriately. Then they have to focus on the vulnerable families and preschoolers. They may have key-worker families to consider too. So the number of spaces shrinks quite quickly if you can take 6 children, 1 is vulnerable, 2 are key-worker children and then potentially you have 6 going up to reception so are more likely to get a place than those who arent, but 3 of them might still be disappointed or maybe they are sharing the week between the 6 and doing half days each.

In my dc's primary, preschool staff are being used to staff the key-worker bubble now 3 classes are back. It's removed 3 teachers and 5 TA's from the key-worker staff list, because even on days where their classes are not in, they cannot mix with another bubble. This would also reduce their capacity to offer preschool places while this continues as the key-worker care takes priority over preschool being open.

What I am not happy for however, is for non vulnerable people/non shielding people to be paid but choose not to work because they are overestimating the risk to themselves.

You say the nursery haven't told you what's going on, but you're assuming staff are being work-shy? I think it's more likely the nursery staff are being used to help with the Reception bubbles to keep those numbers low.

I get that it's knackering and you're worried about your child's development, but you sound really entitled. We're in the middle of a global pandemic and schools are doing their best. It's the Govt you should be angry at for their crap response that's left us with 40k dead and a rising-again R rate.

Thanks to all those of you who have helpfully suggested talking to the council etc about releasing funding.

To those who've asked, yes, I always pay a significant donation on every invoice to bridge the gap between the govt funding rate of something like £4.50 per hour and the local rates for childcare of over £7 per hour. I also have donated time and money throughout the year.

I think it's more likely the nursery staff are being used to help with the Reception bubbles to keep those numbers low.

This is a standalone community pre school not part of any primary school.

I myself enjoy having DS home. I wish he was happy to be at home. But he is lonely and wants other children. That's normal at his age.

This is a standalone community pre school not part of any primary school.

Fair enough. Have you asked them outright why they can't give your son a place?

If you really want rid of your child so much, then pay someone or a different nursery for your 1 day a week.

I fail to understand how as a parent you can't provide your child with a more stimulating home environment. You don't mention you having to work, so surely you could just "parent"?

Can you not meet up with other parents and their dc?

"it's not fair"

You sound quite brat-ish tbh....your nursery is trying it's best during a very tricky time....staff and space are the main reasons that the number of kids they can take is quite low...and obviously they will prioritize the olders ones who will be transitioning to school.

My daughter's nursery still hasn't reopened and won't be until July...she only goes term time so will be back 2 weeks before the we holidays and I have to tell work I can't be on-site for another month

My 16 year got his GCSEs cancelled, now that’s unfair. Seriously, we are all in this boat, you just sound like you’re wingeing tbh.

If you really want rid of your child so much

So is this the "New Normal"?

Slagging off women who encourage their children to be independent of them?

I love how a pandemic gives free rein to be horribly nasty to people with an aura of total self righteousness.

What a wonderful world we will reemerge into.

Gosh there are some horrid posters on here.

‘ If you really want rid of your child so much, then pay someone’

‘I can't help wondering if those mums crying outrage are doing it more because they want their morning of peace.’

‘I am always so shocked and sadden that a 3 year old can be "bored". ‘

I think people should really be aware of tone. These sorts of posts are just sanctimonious and nasty.

To reiterate points from my OP

• I wouldn't mind if they explained the very sensible reasons they may have why there is no space for even a single session a week for my child.

As simple as "we dont have enough staff", or "we are not allowed more than x children".

All they say is they want to wait and see. I don't think that's good enough. We are in low risk area and friends children in other nurseries are getting much more. I think an explanation of why they can offer so much less than other providers would help me.

Cremebrule

I LOVE having DS home and I would be bored without him but I cant bear to see him sad about not going back.

I would love to know how many of these people saying how incredibly easy it is to entertain a toddler have actually done it under lockdown conditions. I found entertaining my toddler easy when we could see family and friends, go to the zoo, swimming, softplay, library, etc. Also, children need to socialise for their development, is that not obvious? It isn't healthy or normal for a toddler to only see two people all day every day.

NoIDontWatchLoveIsland you’ve had an undeserved pasting so please don’t take it to heart. It is only natural to want the best for your child. For some children, that will be at home. For others, that isn’t enough. For mine it certainly isn’t.

thesearmsofmine
Quite a few of his friends were in the 2nd year or the key worker group and are back at preschool so not free for playdates (and really shouldn't be mixing with more people or else what's ths point of limiting numbers at the preschool?)

My friends who have children mostly live at least an hour away, and not everyone is willing to travel yet especially where public transport is involved.

We will try and find a way for him to socialise.

Learn to be with your kids, that's not somebody else's job.

I fail to understand how as a parent you can't provide your child with a more stimulating home environment. You don't mention you having to work, so surely you could just "parent"?

1. I can't provide other children for him to develop skills for interacting with peers. I have done my best by producing baby DD but she's too little as yet.

1. I do work. Sadly DS not very interested in accountancy yet.

1. For the first few weeks we threw ourselves into all sorts, painting, junk modelling, all sorts of games and it did occupy him for a bit. But he's a child. He does not understand lockdown and he wants to play with other children who will join him in laughing gleefully brandishing the tube from the kitchen roll and pretending to be a pirate king.

Yea to sisterhood eh?its more normal for child to miss interaction with other children, and it’s very hard to keep,a small child fully occupied 24-7 without swimming, parks and the usual stuff which breaks up the day. I loved my children to bits when small but we would have all gone nuts if we couldn’t see other people.

Our small local park has been locked shut because it's got play equipment

What is with the disdain for childcare on this thread? Have I fallen through a wormhole into an alternate universe - the vast majority of 3 year olds in the UK go to some kind of childcare, is that because most mothers hate their children? Do dads use childcare because they hate their children, too, or is that ok because they are too big and important to do it?

I honestly think if my toddler showed no signs of frustration and boredom after 10 weeks of lockdown I'd actually be a bit worried that they were so incurious and uninterested in interaction.

Oh yes, “yeah to the sisterhood”....

just not if they work in early years settings, then they should be expected to just get on with it 🙄

DSs nursery is only open to 4 year olds going up to school, doesn't matter that DH and I are both frontline keyworkers they won't take him and there's no alternative provision in our area for children his age (18 months) , it's really shit and we're exhausted.