Hello,
I'm Leila, a first year Phd student at Cardiff University, doing a project on exclusion policies of nurseries and childminders (when children are ill). I'm particularly interested in getting parents' perspectives on this topic. If there is anything you would like to share, such as concern that your child has been/might be needlessly excluded for minor illnesses (therefore causing problems for full-time working mums, for instance), or concerns about your child(ren) picking up any nasty infections (from others in day care), I'd love to hear from you. As you might be aware, child-care settings are breeding grounds for common infections in children. Some parents find this terrifying, while others believe that children should be exposed to as much as possible (in terms of common infections). I know there is a lot of confusion/concern with infections such as conjunctivitis, ear infections, whooping cough and rashes (chicken pox etc). Do these worry you at all, and what would you normally do? Do you feel the need to consult a GP? I understand that it can be difficult, particularly for single working mothers, who have no alternative than to take time off work when their child is ill. I'm interested in hearing your thoughts on exclusion policies of nurseries- do you know of any, or do you feel pressurized by them at all? My e-mail address is [email protected], for anybody who would like to contact me directly. Otherwise, you are welcome to write anything you like here! Many thanks, and hope to hear lots of thoughts and opinions.