Early Years workers - what do you think about staying open in lockdown?

[Confusedcabbage]

I'm a parent and feel delighted it's staying open. My child is in a small bubble, the nursery have strict rules and processes in place, and I wouldn't be able to look after her and work from home at her age, nor would work out me on furlough.

But it's not just about me. If you work in an Early Years setting AIBU? Are you upset by the news or happy you're staying open?

As a nursery manager and a parent to a toddler, I am 100% not happy about staying open.

My partner is off work unpaid to avoid my daughter having to be within the nursery setting unnecessarily.

As a childminder I feel we've been thrown under a bus. Damned if we open, damned if we close. I cannot see how it is safe for 12 different families to come into my home but hey ho. I was messaged last night consistently by parents wanting to know immediately what I was doing and these were not key worker parents. I could just about manage financially if I shut but feel the pressure is too much so have spent hours today working everything out. I've had to let some families down but on the whole the majority of kids will be back tomorrow. I was too scared to close as I fear parent's will go elsewhere as people are having to work. It's a shite situation.

My sister works with in a nursery with 2 and 3 year olds and is extremely happy shes still on maternity leave as she doesn't want to go in.

'They are happy for my child to be there' they moan about you behind your back not to your face 🙈

Childminder here - I'm happy to be staying open. I only look after eyfs children so only have 5 children from 4 families so am fairly confident that I can keep them and my family as safe as possible with lots of cleaning and other measures in place.

* It’s called early education, not childcare*

Please don’t kid yourself.

@LoveMyKidsAndCats completely agree in the same way we moan about anyone who dares bring their child to nursery after 1pm on Christmas Eve 😂😂

I work in a setting and I would be happy to stay open for key workers and vulnerable children as I think that is our duty but it baffles me why sahm are sending their children in when they don’t really need to be there. I have to send my children into school, both parents are key workers, so that they can send them in!! The children do not understand social distance, and I would not expect them too, but we have to sometimes peel them off their parents, cuddle them when they are upset, change them after accidents and help with lunch boxes all potentially risking our health’s and the health of our family to do so.

@Alwayslookfortherainbow

I think you’re being quite judgemental. You don’t know why the SAHM is sending them in, maybe they are suffering with bad mental health. We’ve been told if we don’t send ours in, as they are open, we have to pay full fees

@Alwayslookfortherainbow

Or actually, we can give notice, pay a full month and not have their place saved for when we need it again.