To think that if parents can't come inside nurseries, there needs to be more engagement with parents?

[Blueyandbingosmum]

It feels like Covid rules have gone from everywhere except nurseries, where parents are still not allowed in the settings.

I get why they are doing this, yet I feel deeply uneasy sending my daughter every day to a place I have barely seen with staff I have hardly met. She is probably autistic and does not talk much and I feel like she is hugely vulnerable.

AIBU to think that if nurseries are going to carry on having outside drop offs/ collections, they need to find new ways to engage with parents?

I don't need to go inside every day...but I need to be able to come inside sometimes, even if it's just a monthly pre arranged visit.

In my part of Scotland parents aren't allowed in schools either. No parents' evenings (not even online), no school shows, no assemblies for parents, concerts, sports days. They still have the KEEP YOUR DISTANCE and WEAR A MASK banners zip tied to the railings .

They are desperately clinging onto their Covid blanket and won't be giving it up without a fight. And no, it's not good enough.

A monthly visit seems a bit much, but you should be able to see the premises and know who her primary care givers are if you are paying. Do you get online pics/ journal?

How would it benefit the children having parents in and out?

Our nursery has been back to normal for s few months now. Hasn't really impacted covid rates or anything

After a bit of debate we’re allowed back into nursery but only for one week of the month and only for collection. The reason being kids get so upset at drop off they found they were less upset being handed over at the door rather than in the room inside. I don’t mind it as ours is really good with daily updates, recorded online, and sometimes have a quick chat with my child’s keyworker at the door.

My children are teenagers and I wasn't allowed in the nursery when they were little. You dropped them and picked them up at the door.

Plenty of nurseries areback to normal, we've been allowed back in for pick up/drop offs for most of this year

Agreed. My DD has been in nursery since March last year, she's due to go into reception in September and I've still never been inside the school building. I vaguely know her teacher but that's it. I only know what DD has learnt from what she's told me.
I've accepted that it's the way it is now but it wasn't very nice at first.

You really don't need to be in there monthly. If your daughter has additional needs you can certainly ask for a monthly Teams with someone to see where she's at, but it doesn't need to happen in the building.

Why do you need to see inside it monthly, what do you think might change from month to month? My DC went to a pre-school attached to a school from age 2.5 and parents were not to come in (pre-covid)

I get it op. I've spent two years now having no idea what my kids classroom looks like and never getting further than the playground at school and I find it sad.

I get it 100% why you feel you should be able to visualise space where your child spends better part of the day and why getting in on a monthly basis would be valuable to your peace of mind and communication with the staff at the nursery - especially if your child is vulnerable.

Our child started nursery last September so we didn't have to endure the entire no access bit but even while we weren't allowed in (and are now!) we'd have a full handover with the staff member responsible for her who would give us updates about her day and there was an online 'diary' with her meals, nappy changes and main activities too - updated 2x day. This was very important and valuable info for us.

Our preschool has kept at the door drop offs as the children have settled a lot better than before when we could go in.

You can totally ask to meet the team and see inside.

Tbh though I've done both and prefer dropping at the door. I never really saw anything special being able to go inside to do drop off.

Ours has been normal for months and months.

If you mean wanting the chance to catch up with the senco/key worker at a pre planned meeting then fair enough.

but on the whole I think the move to have parents not going into rooms at drop off and pick up times is better for most children. Extra adults and fuss can make things so much harder for many.

Strange, my dds nursery has always let us inside to drop off and collect, right into the classrooms. Initially with masks, no longer needed obviously!

think everywhere must differ

Our nursery has drop offs and pick ups inside in the rooms. Even when it was reception pick ups and drop offs, staff still did a little handover about her day (she is 1 though so maybe the older kids have less of a handover as they can talk). I'd ask them for suggestions about increasing communication. It doesn't sound good enough when your DD is autistic and doesn't speak much, they may be doing the standard handover for 3 yo (or however old she is) and not really thinking that they need to upgrade this for you.

Also in Scotland and back to normal at my kids' school and the one I work at. How frustrating for you.

I think a lot of kids find it easier to be dropped at the door.

But yes no reason they shouldn't let you. Mine does.

We've been allowed back in just recently but I don't really feel that it has made a difference really. I think you should be allowed in to see the setting but after that, a good nursery can give you all the information about your child without being inside the building. We were getting really good updates from key workers about what DD had been up to and also bring arts and crafts home weekly.

At the nursery I work at, parents still drop off and pick up at the door. Drop offs are smoother as the kids settle easier without prolonged upset, and pick up is easier too. We hold termly open evenings for parents to come and look around and chat to their child's keyworker, but nobody turned up to the last one!

OP, check what your nursery will do when the children move up a room. With my older DC, pre-Covid, they had settling in days with their new room and a known member of staff went with them. Post-Covid, the children just got moved and the staff were all unknown to them. For us it was the last straw as we'd also felt we weren't being kept up to date with DD's progress - lots of "DC can stack blocks and little about who she smiled at / shared toys with" etc. We just felt that we knew nothing concrete about her day. We moved her to a CM where she's so much happier.

We have kept drop off at door as it helps children settle quicker but parents come in for pick up now and it's lovely to be able to chat more in depth and more privately if needed. We have also re started events for special occasions where parents can come and join in. Our parents are really happy that this has returned to normal. There has been no increase in illness or covid.

My nursery let's parents in for collection. Apart from anything else it's much easier for the workers not having to get toddlers totally ready and taking them to the door.