Nurseries

[LJB689908]

I had to collect my little girl (17 months) from Nursery last week as she was coughing (no fever or other signs of illness) - I obviously then had to get her a test before she could return. Test came back negative as expected, but she then had to wait an additional 48 hours before they would let her back in as this is now the guidance apparently.

Just wondering how working parents are meant to cope going forward? I lost 3 days pay last week as I'm out of annual leave until the end of the year and my job isn't one I can do from home. Obviously nursery expect paying if she's there or not, losing 3 days pay I can just about manage with but say she starts coughing again in a week or so and we have to repeat the process again and I lose more money I'm not sure id be able to pay nursery the full amount for the month. Anyone else in the same boat? I don't really know what the answer is as I completely understand why they have to be excluded and tested but it's going to be a real struggle financially if it is a regular occurrence :(

Where is this new guidance and when did it change? Our nursery haven't mentioned it and afaik neither has DH's employer (hospital). Why would a nursery exclude for 48hrs after a negative test if hospital staff can return to frontline work with sick patients straight after a negative test? Sorry this isn't a helpful response just not heard of this before.

Our after school childcare are refunding parents who's children have been absent due to covid self isolation. They don't need to but have recognised in the circumstances its the right thing to do. It also disuades people from sending kids in that really shouldn't be there.

Yeah that sounds crazy from the nursery. Everyone else I have heard has been straight back as soon as the negative test appears. Is someone jumbling this with the d&v policy?

@MeadowHay

Where is this new guidance and when did it change? Our nursery haven't mentioned it and afaik neither has DH's employer (hospital). Why would a nursery exclude for 48hrs after a negative test if hospital staff can return to frontline work with sick patients straight after a negative test? Sorry this isn't a helpful response just not heard of this before.

When I picked her up Tuesday apparently the guidance had only come in a few days earlier. That's interesting to know re hospital workers etc not having to wait 48 hours. I definitely need to question this further with her nursery, I just naively went along with it thinking that's just the way it was

@Orangedaisy

Yeah that sounds crazy from the nursery. Everyone else I have heard has been straight back as soon as the negative test appears. Is someone jumbling this with the d&v policy?

It's deffo now looking like there's some confusion with them. Seems crazy now everyone else can just go back to normal after a negative yet she had to wait?

We got quite "lucky" with the testing, she was tested within a few hours of being picked up and we actually got the results under less than 12 hours - I can't imagine this being the case during winter - so adding in the 48 hours additional it would be near enough taking a week off every time they had a cough! How could that be sustainable going forward?!

I just double checked with DH and he confirmed nothing's changed with his employer. So I would query this with nursery

This is 100% not government guidance.

I think the guidance is child free of fever for 48 hours and a negative test (that was what was on my son’s notification of negative test email). Since your child didn’t have a fever they should be allowed to return immediately.