Nursery Isolation Periods

[Vergingontheridiculous]

DD is 14 months old. Being an original lockdown baby, she didn't come into contact with many bugs until she started at nursery at 11 months (so I could go back to work). As a result she is now catching everything going, and is getting a cold/sniffle/cough seemingly every other week.

Nursery has a policy of sending her home if her temperature goes over 38 degrees, and getting a covid test.

The big issue we're having (aside from the frequency at which she's being sent home) is that they refuse to take her back until she has been a clear 48 hours without a temperature. This means that every time she has any kind of short-lived temperature spike for any reason, she is excluded from nursery for 2 days after she becomes well again. This is the case even where she has had a negative covid test, and even where the likely cause is something else (e.g. post jabs).

We are therefore having to take multiple days off every couple of weeks when DD is actually well, and has tested negative for covid. We are being charged full fees for every day they refuse to take her.

I understand that there have to be policies in place to protect children and staff from exposure to covid, but I cannot see how this achieves that, given that we know DD does not have it following a test, and when she is clearly well again.

Is this a normal policy, or is our nursery being unreasonable? Are they unreasonable to charge in full for the multiple days that they are refusing to provide childcare, when I or DH have to take a day of leave to look after her? Or am I being unreasonable in expecting them to fulfill their obligations when we have a confirmed negative result and DD no longer has a temperature?

(FWIW we pay over £1,000 a month for the service).

Standard procedure and necessary, a pain in the arse though yes.

48 hours for temp always.

Lots of us in this position.

Vergingontheridiculous

how much do you actually pay per hour out of curiosity?

it's all well and good to moan about the "business"making a profit on your back, but let's be a bit real. How much do you pay for trained staff to look after your child, the business to pay all the costs, building, bills etc...

You are paying to secure a place for your child. They are not refusing to them them because it's Wednesday, they are protecting everybody.

You will have a very different view when your kid will be sent home because no one follows the rule.

You are being unreasonable.

They are not refusing to provide childcare just because they can't be bothered; they are adhering to NHS guidelines which you should be happy about. If your dd picked up a vomiting bug from another child who was allowed to attend, would you be happy about that?

I cannot believe people that expect childcare workers not to get paid just because the child can't be sent to nursery. They are available for work, it's not their fault your child cannot attend.

Perhaps a nanny or au pair would suit you better if you or your husband can't take time off when your child is sick.

Frankly, it's absolutely fine to disagree with a business T&C, but the time for that is when you sign the contract.

Why putting your child somewhere if you disagree with their conditions?

It really isn’t fair that some of us have to just abide by the policies whilst other childminders and nurseries take the ‘common sense’ approach and risk other children’s and their families health.

I second considering a childminder. Particularly if you have a DC who runs a temperature when they get any cold (thankfully DSs have grown out of it...DH does this to this day!). Our childminder is fab and sane about this.

I thought ours was bad but they do let her back as soon as she has a negative test

@DelurkingAJ

That’s not very fair on the other children and their families if your childminder waives temperatures. She sounds unprofessional.

@DelurkingAJ

That’s not very fair on the other children and their families if your childminder waives temperatures. She sounds unprofessional.

Yes, they're following the rules to the letter.

When you take a PCR test and get a negative result, you get this email:

Dear [X]

Your coronavirus test result is negative. You did not have the virus when the test was done.
If you feel well but someone you live with tests positive or you’ve been traced as a contact of someone who tested positive you must still self-isolate. Follow the guidance on 14 days self-isolation.
If you get symptoms of coronavirus, get tested and self-isolate for 10 days from when they start.
If you’re not a contact you may return to work if you’ve not had a fever for 48 hours and feel well. Talk to your employer first.

@motherloaded we pay a day rate rather than per hour, but it works out at a little over £10 per hour. In DD's age group, they are 3 children to each key worker, so they are making approximately £30 per hour per worker. I doubt the individuals get paid that.

My point is that I don't see who they are supposedly protecting if she no longer has a temperature, and has tested negative for covid. She's only getting ill from nursery anyway, as we don't go anywhere else, so if it's a protective policy it's not been working for us.

Completely normal at all times, but yes it is also mentioned in the NHS covid test results if you bothered to read them.

It is frustrating that you have to pay when you don't receive the service, but as you're fast becoming aware, germs spread like wildfire anyway. Imagine how much worse it would be if they didn't send your DC home.

It does get better, but in the mean time, perhaps come down from that high horse?

@Vergingontheridiculous YABU I’m afraid. I know how frustrating it is, but you would be surprised how many people send their sick kids to nursery under the guise of being “perfectly well” and infect everyone else.

It’s rubbish, the first 6 months after my daughter started nursery I was off work more than I was there but it is ultimately to keep others healthy. As for paying for it, of course you do. I still pay my gym membership even if I don’t or can’t use it - The building costs. staff and insurances still have to be paid whether I’m there or not. They may well make a profit but if every sick child's parents stopped paying they’d be bankrupt within a few months. Just because your child isn’t there, doesn’t mean they can shoehorn another child in for a random day to pick up the fee to meet the business model.

Ours used to be 24hrs for a temp and 48hrs for D&V. It’s all 48hrs now post Covid even with an earlier negative test.

I do sympathise but you aren’t being reasonable.

@Vergingontheridiculous YABU I’m afraid. I know how frustrating it is, but you would be surprised how many people send their sick kids to nursery under the guise of being “perfectly well” and infect everyone else.

It’s rubbish, the first 6 months after my daughter started nursery I was off work more than I was there but it is ultimately to keep others healthy. As for paying for it, of course you do. I still pay my gym membership even if I don’t or can’t use it - The building costs. staff and insurances still have to be paid whether I’m there or not. They may well make a profit but if every sick child's parents stopped paying they’d be bankrupt within a few months. Just because your child isn’t there, doesn’t mean they can shoehorn another child in for a random day to pick up the fee to meet the business model.

Ours used to be 24hrs for a temp and 48hrs for D&V. It’s all 48hrs now post Covid even with an earlier negative test.

I do sympathise but you aren’t being reasonable.

Our old school had a 24hrs post last paracetamol/ibuprofen dose before being allowed to return to school. I think it is a really sensible policy, however frustrating it is for the parents.
In fact I hope one of the good things that cone out of covid is the fact that presenteesim isnt essential. If you are ill, stay at home and stop the spread of whatever. And that means not getting g back into school/work the second you can manage it.
Bear with it. It will get better, but the first few months suck.

They aren't actually allowed to charge for covid related absences. I would have a chat about that at least. Might make them more inclined to be a bit more flexible if there is an expectation of a refund each time. The CMA ruled it was unfair of settings to charge when families were isolating

@Vergingontheridiculous YABU I’m afraid. I know how frustrating it is, but you would be surprised how many people send their sick kids to nursery under the guise of being “perfectly well” and infect everyone else.

It’s rubbish, the first 6 months after my daughter started nursery I was off work more than I was there but it is ultimately to keep others healthy. As for paying for it, of course you do. I still pay my gym membership even if I don’t or can’t use it - The building costs. staff and insurances still have to be paid whether I’m there or not. They may well make a profit but if every sick child's parents stopped paying they’d be bankrupt within a few months. Just because your child isn’t there, doesn’t mean they can shoehorn another child in for a random day to pick up the fee to meet the business model.

Ours used to be 24hrs for a temp and 48hrs for D&V. It’s all 48hrs now post Covid even with an earlier negative test.

I do sympathise but you aren’t being reasonable.

@Vergingontheridiculous YABU I’m afraid. I know how frustrating it is, but you would be surprised how many people send their sick kids to nursery under the guise of being “perfectly well” and infect everyone else.

It’s rubbish, the first 6 months after my daughter started nursery I was off work more than I was there but it is ultimately to keep others healthy. As for paying for it, of course you do. I still pay my gym membership even if I don’t or can’t use it - The building costs. staff and insurances still have to be paid whether I’m there or not. They may well make a profit but if every sick child's parents stopped paying they’d be bankrupt within a few months. Just because your child isn’t there, doesn’t mean they can shoehorn another child in for a random day to pick up the fee to meet the business model.

Ours used to be 24hrs for a temp and 48hrs for D&V. It’s all 48hrs now post Covid even with an earlier negative test.

I do sympathise but you aren’t being reasonable.

@Brazilianut - she only has my DSs and one other child (whom she also takes on the same basis)...so the set up is very different to what I suspect you’re imagining.

@Vergingontheridiculous YABU I’m afraid. I know how frustrating it is, but you would be surprised how many people send their sick kids to nursery under the guise of being “perfectly well” and infect everyone else.

It’s rubbish, the first 6 months after my daughter started nursery I was off work more than I was there but it is ultimately to keep others healthy. As for paying for it, of course you do. I still pay my gym membership even if I don’t or can’t use it - The building costs. staff and insurances still have to be paid whether I’m there or not. They may well make a profit but if every sick child's parents stopped paying they’d be bankrupt within a few months. Just because your child isn’t there, doesn’t mean they can shoehorn another child in for a random day to pick up the fee to meet the business model.

Ours used to be 24hrs for a temp and 48hrs for D&V. It’s all 48hrs now post Covid even with an earlier negative test.

I do sympathise but you aren’t being reasonable.

But to add to my post after seeing some of the other posts. There's not a lot of profit running a nursery and the profit margins are usually pretty tiny. Unfortunately (and it's not fair on ppl like yourself but it's not their fault) the gov don't fund enough. For funded places the nursery only get £4-5 per hour and they're not allowed to charge too ups. Most nurseries are running at a loss and they're fighting to stay afloat esp after covid

Our old school had a 24hrs post last paracetamol/ibuprofen dose before being allowed to return to school. I think it is a really sensible policy, however frustrating it is for the parents.
In fact I hope one of the good things that cone out of covid is the fact that presenteesim isnt essential. If you are ill, stay at home and stop the spread of whatever. And that means not getting back into school/work the second you can manage it.
Bear with it. It will get better, but the first few months suck.

Our old school had a 24hrs post last paracetamol/ibuprofen dose before being allowed to return to school. I think it is a really sensible policy, however frustrating it is for the parents.
In fact I hope one of the good things that cone out of covid is the fact that presenteesim isnt essential. If you are ill, stay at home and stop the spread of whatever. And that means not getting back into school/work the second you can manage it.
Bear with it. It will get better, but the first few months suck.

It's not only covid, a lot of nurseries and schools do this.
If a child has a temperature they are likely unwell.
Why wouldn't you want to care for your own child when they are ill They need a parent not a childcare worker.
Can your partner not share parenting when child is ill?