Private Nursery Babies & Toddlers, Your experiences & views

[MrsP2015]

Just wrote and lost a massive post so this will be very basic --as I'm pissed off it's all been lost

Under 4's at private nurseries,

• will you be sending your under 4's back if they re open in June? *what's your reasons for/ against your decision? (Work/ child's development etc)

I can't find information on this anywhere but am keen to hear views.
I can see reasons for/ against so am on the fence right now. All my friends are keeping off if they reopen in June (all at different nurseries but same area) as we have had a very high rate of coronavirus.

I personally wouldn't want nursery to try and introduce any social distancing from other kids or the staff, I think this could be damaging when they are just learning to play together, share etc but would be happy for seating to be more spread out for example (not sure how as rooms have at least 20 kids in them so space is tight)

What's your thoughts?
Interested in hearing from childcare workers as well as parents- not here to judge and couldn't care less if you need nursery open so you can sit watching tv in peace
Just opinions and thoughts/ experiences please.

I have a 4 year old who was at preschool and is due to start school in September. I would really like her to be able to say goodbye to her preschool and have some socialisation with children her age before the summer break. I don't believe social distancing could or should happen for children this young but I would be happy if they could spend more time playing outside to reduce the risk. I will only take her back if our covid figures decrease significantly over the next few weeks though.

I haven't seen anything about nurseries and preschools in government briefings or media reports. I wonder of they will mirror the primary school timeline?

I work in a nursery and have two nursery aged dc. One attends school nursery and the other comes with me.

If i can stay at home with them then i will. I do not think it is fair for a 3 year old to spend 30 hours where social distancing is going on.

Also me working involves me taking the smaller one on public transport which i am uneasy about. This bothers me more than him being in nursery. I know we won't be social distancing with babies but i am unsure about how the school nursery will handle this

I won’t be sending DD back. She misses her friends but I worry that she would be even more distressed to go back and find she can’t hug her friends. I can’t imagine how social distancing will actually work at this age.

This isn’t over. The second peak is coming and we are barely at lower numbers than the first.

Because I can stay home and keep her home I will. Because it is the responsible thing to do.

Yes I will be joyously knocking on the door and throwing a party if they reopen.

I’m struggling with a small baby and her extremely hyper big brother here, and cases are low where I am. The risk to children themselves seems to be small and no-one in our house is particularly vulnerable (in theory, anyway). If my child does go back I won’t visit anyone in a vulnerable group and will continue staying away from indoor places/meeting people indoors.

I think if they open any schools they will open nurseries.
My dd starts school in Sept and goes to preschool at a nursery. Im a secondary teacher so if i go back and nursery are open she will hav to go back as no childcare.
Dh is wfh but really cant work and look after children.

Social distancing will be impossible, they need cuddles and personal care and they cant be stopped from playing together as they’d spend the whole day being separated which would be developmentally harmful. It’ll be - stay away or let them play.

As someone who works in a nursery I’m a little apprehensive of expanding our ‘bubble’ as we’ve been a healthy group so far of up to ten children and the same four staff.

Wouldn’t surprise me if it’s a phased reopening. Those who have childcare needs moving gradually towards those who only come for the funded social aspect.

DD (3 next week) is at preschool 2 mornings a week, was due to increase to a full day as well last month. She loves it and is really missing it. I’m due DD2 at the end of August, and would be really keen for her to have some time at preschool when the new baby is here, as she is full on, and I will struggle after my section I think.

I’m worried about how unsettling it will be for DD to have a new sibling and be at preschool (after months away) all potentially in the same couple of weeks, so ideally would like her to go back in the summer, but at the same time think it just might be too risky, especially with me being pregnant.

I hope it is phased too

My DS(3) was at a private nursery and is due to start at a school pre-school in September. I'm planning to send him back to his private nursery just for his free hours (two days per week) so he can say goodbye to his friends and get used to other children again! I'm currently on mat. leave so have said to the nursery I'm happy for him to go back last, to prioritise those who really need the childcare. (They're open for key workers already).

I also have a DD who is due to start in the baby room at the end of August, when she'll be 11 months. I'm nervous about how things are going to work with settling in, and am waiting to hear more before we make a firm decision. DH and I both work full-time but may be able to rejig our hours so we only need 3 days childcare.

Yep I'll be sending mine back as would my friends. Nursery on the edge of a small town, don't think we've had any cases where we are. I want her to have some time back there before starting school in September, the staff really want to get back too

I'm due in November and plan was to put baby in private day nursery my sister works at from April so I can go back to full time work but we have now agreed I won't be going back until its completely over and there is a vaccine. My sisters daughter goes to the private day nursery and said she will only be taking her in when absolutely necessary, due to me working in hospitality it will he a long time until I can go back so I will probably look after my niece allot until I have to go back to work.

No I don't think so.

Dd is 18 months and in two days a week.

I think I will take her out until she is three.

The nursery is an emergency childcare hub at moment, taken over by local authority although is usually private.

I don't think the benefits she was getting out weigh the risk for me.

I've been weighing it up in my head. My two year old was just really settled and doing fantastic at nursery. His vocabulary and socialisation skills were coming along really great. I've tried to make the days structured and fun but he's climbing the walls. We have little outdoor space and walks have been mainly really stressful.
However, I don't currently have childcare needs and he can stay home and we'll power through. I'd rather them phase it for everyone's safety so those that need nursery for childcare are obviously a priority over myself, I think that's fair

I'll be sending my 4yo back to nursery. He starts school in September and he'll be at a massive disadvantage if he's been at home for 6 months when he has to do that.

Also I need to work so that forces my decision anyway.

I don't think nurseries will social distance. Pre lockdown ours were just steam cleaning everything in sight and washing hands mega frequently. Not allowing parents in etc.

It really don't know. I'm on mat leave with a 9.5 month old currently and due to go back to work in July. She was due to go to nursery 3 days a week. If they open I'm not sure what to do..... if they don't open, I'm still not sure what to do.

Work is flexible and I'm sure I will be able to work from home but it will be impossible with a nearly one year old and I would have been out for a year so need to retrain and be eased in gently.

So confusing!

I have a 2 year old and 3 year old. They both go to preschool three mornings a week. This was due to increase in Sept. We are certainly keeping them home until September but I am beginning to think about waiting until spring. My eldest gets very sick when he gets sick and I just don't think there's enough evidence about this virus, long term impact, etc.
We are facing massive financial hardship and this decision will mean we continue to do so. But for us, this currently, although could change, is the best decision.

I’ll certainly send mine back. It’s a private nursery and absolutely wonderful. Great staff and levels of cleanliness, I’d also absolutely hate for the business to go bust. I think it’s good for DC to be around children and the risks are minimal (I accept picking up/dropping off will still be distanced).

Only thing that would make me reconsider

• when my work place returns (currently furloughed and may struggle to afford childcare, but would just look at cutting the days down from 3 to 2)
• if they actually try to socially distance 2 year olds. Then he’s better off at home/with family.

I am thinking of a part times nanny for our three year old.We can cobble around the other days like we have been, but need some support.

Dc was due to attend nursery at school and wrap around after Easter, so I gave up her day nursery place (which will have been a big mistake)

Nurseries can't practice social distancing so apart from extra cleaning I've basically assumed that it would be business as usual if I send DS (3 last week) back.

I'm the only high risk one in the family, for multiple health conditions, so I think my husband will defer to me for the decision. I would like DS to go back (he did 2 full days a week) so that he can play with his friends and do the activities but I am pretty sure I would be hospitalised if I get covid-19. I need to weigh up the risk vs whether I could work from home alone with DS here and his wellbeing. I'm leaning towards sending him.

Yes I will send my son back to nursery. He is 3 and loves it. He is really missing contact with other people and sometimes goes a bit crazy at home. DH and I have reduced our working hours to share the job of looking after him but it's hard and it's not sustainable from a financial or mental health POV. I am pregnant and I have PGP so it's increasingly difficult for me to take DS out on his bike for example (I can't keep up and he doesn't always wait for me to catch up).

I think it would be ridiculous to expect social distancing at nurseries. Between the adults, yes, but not between the children and not adult-child. It would be impossible, confusing and upsetting for the children.

I am comfortable with the risk level, obviously the evidence is still emerging but I think if children really were transmitters of the virus there's be stronger evidence of it by now.

It will depend on my DH's work - at the moment he's been granted special leave to cover childcare on the days I'm working (I'm a keyworker) but that won't last forever and he can't WFH in any meaningful way while caring for 2 under 4, so they'll have to go back. I'm not concerned from a safety point of view, and we love the nursery, just hope they settle back in ok!

Yes. DH and I are both teachers. If schools go back then my smallest one will have to go back to nursery full time 5 days a week.

Should add - DS1 is 3.5 and has been there almost 3 years, but lots of his friends have gone and/or will be starting school in September, DS2 is 11 months and had only just started before we took them out, so it'll be challenging for both of them in different ways.

I'm keeping mine home. My DD is 2 and was doing 2 days a week in nursery while I'm on maternity leave. We paid close attention to coronavirus situation in China and Italy and actually pulled her out a couple of weeks before lockdown was announced - I think people thought we were mad at the time! But she catches everything going and we have 3 vulnerable people in our household. I think she benefits a lot from nursery and her going makes things a lot easier for me at home, but since we're in the fortunate position that she doesn't need to go, we'll keep her off until we're satisfied that the level of risk is low enough.

When we told nursery we were pulling her out, we asked if we could pay a retainer amount for that period to keep her on the books - continued revenue for the nursery, but taking out the costs for consumables we wouldn't be using, such as food and nappies. It was a flat no, so we said we'd reluctantly have to withdraw her instead - can't afford to pay full fees for goodness knows how long this will go on. In the end we didn't, because lockdown happened, but it'll be interesting to see if they'll reconsider the suggestion when they open again.

Hell yes will be sending my 2.7yr old back - I think being out of routine and not socialising etc is of greater harm to her than the tiny risk of Coronavirus. Obviously if I had a vulnerable person at home I may think differently. Also pretty sure the nursery will go under if we don’t go back