My child's nursery isn't closing...

[DieCryHate]

Within 20 minutes of the PM's daily statement my child's nursery has emailed to say since the "government hasn't insisted, we are open for the foreseeable future". Not sure how I feel about this. Our child attending means we can both WFH easily, but I do not feel comfortable waving them off when the government clearly feels it necessary for all of our wellbeing that they don't attend. I also feel annoyed that this could be because they're hoping no one actually attends but we'll still be paying full whack.

How would you react to this situation?

Ours is too, for the time being anyway.

I’ve pulled my DS and will continue to pay full fees, I’m still being paid and I value them and hope they survive the storm.

I’d also continue to pay if they were forced to close

This thread is very useful because our nursery is staying open to all and my interpretation of the announcement today is that is should close to all but vulnerable children and those of key workers.
They are “seeking legal advice” about whether they can continue to charge parents. Again, I don’t think they can as they close for 2 weeks a year and the contract states no fees will be payable for the 2 weeks of the year that they close.
There is no reference to any event of this nature whatsoever.

@pawsin I hope you don't me asking but my son goes to a private nursery Tuesday and Thursday mornings. As yet we haven't heard if they will remain open. None of us have symptoms or have been in contact with anyone who has. He loves going and I'd hate not sending him in while he can still go, especially if soon he won't be able to go. But at the same time I feel bad for the staff. I'm a SAHM so keeping him off will have no impact on me at all. Realistically should I do my bit and keep him off, even if they do remain open for all children? Sorry if it sounds stupid but if by me keeping my son at home may help the staff and other children then I'll gladly do so. (And I don't want the staff to think why am I letting him go in when I don't really need to).

Sorry for jumping on your post OP.

Just for the people saying they are ok to keep paying even if the nursery closes. I have this week wound up my business as it isn’t surviving the crisis and I’ve been making a loss for the past 3 weeks (after being profitable since Jan). I now have no income and haven’t started to look at my situation in relation to benefits.

I honestly can't fathom paying for an indefinite period and I understand why people say they will or should but in all seriousness, you could continue to pay and still not have a place in 3-6 months time if the nursery go under. There's also other factors, you could continue to pay and lose your job or be relocated for your job or whatever. No one has a crystal ball. I think if it was a known quantity like the nursery will close for 30 days and will definitely reopen, then fine, keep paying to keep your place but INDEFINITELY is a big ask even for those that can afford it. This could go on for 3-6 months. It might happen again after reopening for another INDEFINITE period of time.

Have to say, I'm secretly hoping mine stays open - although I know deep down this won't be the case.

Also waiting to see if I count as a key worker - I work for the NHS, not frontline but NHS relies on what we provide in order to run.

I can't work with a 20-month old at home.

My nursery said today they were staying open but I don't know if they will change their mind over the next few days. I'll struggle to work if my toddler is in the house.

I'm in the same position with our CM. She's remaining open

Deplorable!

Then again, she may go out of business if she doesn't stay open.

My DD's childminder decided to close Monday night, before this was all announced.

Following the PM's statement my nursery sent a message to say not only are they staying open, they will also now be opening their doors to school aged siblings...

@gigi556 You make some really good points. My son is due to leave his private nursery where he is full time in August to start school (depending on where we are with the Coronavirus) so there is the very real possibility he could be walking out of nursery on Friday for the last time. So I’m weighing up what the best thing to do is morally - the nursery emailed a couple of days ago to say they were planning on not charging parents if the government say they need to close but would welcome voluntary payments but this is subject to change. What’s to stop people whose children are due to leave in August anyway handing in the months notice now knowing that the nursery have no chance of filling the place right now although running the risk that if nurseries reopen then they have no place.
I’m not saying this is what I’m doing and both my husband and I are now working from home as we have office jobs so we are both being paid as normal and I certainly don’t want to ‘profit’ from this. But who knows if we will both have jobs when this is over so I’d be cautious of putting too much money in the nurseries direction.
Maybe I’ll pay the first two months in full and then review then? Who knows.

My nursery say as they are OPEN we have to pay full fees. Open to key workers.
Yet I'm sure they have been ordered to CLOSE by Boris. In which case we wouldn't have to pay.
They are being very careful with their wording.

Very interesting, seems to be quite common. No need to apologise PP, great we have a space to discuss these things.

I've not heard anything since other than being asked our job roles this morning, presumably to confirm we aren't key workers.

We're due to relocate next week, so my daughter is finishing up at her existing nursery and due to start at a new one imminently. Old one said last night that they'd be closing Friday; new one said they've been advised by the council they can stay open to all and sundry for the foreseeable. Interesting to see the divergence in opinion!

List of key workers, assuming it applies to nurseries too. It doesn't state whether it's one parent or both 🤷🏼‍♀️

www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision

@Roomarmoset did you read that guidance as nurseries to remain open? It's not clear is it?

No it's not clear 😔 I dropped DD off this morning and asked if they knew what was happening and the guy said no! The manager is there when I pick her up so I might find out more later, I hope so anyway!

The guidance applies to early years settings too. They can remain open for key workers children, if they didnt there wouldnt be many key workers able to work!

I believe the guidance quite clearly includes early years settings. But my employer remains open. Does anyone know what might happen to nurseries ignoring the advice? I feel really uncomfortable going into work knowing they’re just shoving their heads in the sand. We could be spending this weekend planning but instead we’re all left wondering.

Following on from my last post, my DS nursery have now said they are staying open and fees are payable.
I thought the closures included early years settings though. To be fair, I do want to support the nursery as much as possible even though I won’t be sending DS in and me and DH will both be trying to work from home (and to be fair we will both still be getting paid....for now and both our jobs are not guaranteed). However, my DS is due to leave in August for school so I don’t really want to pay full fees indefinitely if he is never going back there. I think we’ll probably end up paying 2 months then if the pandemic is still going strong then we hand in notice??? Oh I don’t know, it’s so hard to know what to do for the best healthwise and morally.

My daughter in law's childminder is staying open, but she's (DiL) a keyworker and the childminder only has her 2.