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Original poster

Private nursery

105 replies

Mozfan · 24/12/2020 10:02

Will they open in January or are we thinking it’s unlikely? One of us is a key worker, the other one isn’t.

OP posts:
Ilovegreentomatoes · 25/12/2020 11:58

@Freddiefox totally agree. The sooner boris announces a total lockdown with all schools and nurseries shut the better.

Santastealer · 25/12/2020 20:27

Nursery staff should be one of the first in line for the vaccine. NHS staff need nurseries open so just vaccinate the staff and then they can be open as usual.

MarshaBradyo · 25/12/2020 20:30

We could all wear PPE, work in groups smaller than 8, we could take the children’s temps when they come in.

The nursery I chose does all this. It is a lot more expensive than alternatives however. If they’re forced to close it’d be very hard though.

MarshaBradyo · 25/12/2020 20:32

To survive as a business that is

Coriandersucks · 25/12/2020 20:52

[quote Ilovegreentomatoes]@Freddiefox totally agree. The sooner boris announces a total lockdown with all schools and nurseries shut the better.[/quote]
And how long do you propose this national lockdown should last? I for one know that I would have to walk away from my job, so we wouldn’t be able to afford our mortgage, so we would lose our home. As a poster above said, we don’t put our kids in nursery for jollies.

Plus the nursery workers where my sons go are desperate for it to stay open, they’re terrified of losing their jobs and the nursery not being able to survive and they know that it’s better for the children and they want to be there. Maybe you’re not in the right line of work...

DfEisashambles · 25/12/2020 21:15

@Ilovegreentomatoes being told you’re in the wrong line of work by a condescending poster because of your concerns and in view of the new strains. It’s enough to make you reconsider a lowly paid career risking your life to provide those same people childcare.

I for one would be happy for nursery staff to be vaccinated as priority.

Freddiefox · 25/12/2020 21:49

@ Coriandersucks

Just because you pay for a service doesn’t equate to the staff health being put at risk so you can maintain your mortgage.

I care about my staff and their families but also the children and their family that attend my nursery. You have been told that children don’t spread it, well it’s a lie. They do spread it. I have staff that are ECV who thankfully can now go back to shielding. My staff want to do their job and they have been amazing, they would just like a little bit of protection implemented, like every other work place. But they have been left high and dry.

There are plenty of things that can be done to give staff some protection rather than just carrying on as if there there is no pandemic.

But maybe I’m in the wrong job Hmmit’s is really just another way of shutting someone down who doesn’t agree with you.

MarshaBradyo · 25/12/2020 21:58

Freddie if it’s a private nursery why can’t what you list be implemented?

Granted the one I use was always more expensive so it’s easier. Does it come down to not being able to shift the payment structure and market?

Smaller groups where what people pay for anyway but checking temperature and PPE is easier?

Remmy123 · 25/12/2020 22:12

Why won't nursery's be open?

Tyranttoddler · 25/12/2020 22:18

I hope they don't close. My nursery has been open since June with 1 case. Teaching would be a nightmare with a toddler at home, it was a nightmare last time. I have no idea how people with more than one child managed it.

Remmy123 · 25/12/2020 22:25

Nursery ages are v v low risk - not one case in our nursery so wouid be daft to close them - plus parents cannot work

Remmy123 · 25/12/2020 22:26

Who said they are closing then?

Ilovegreentomatoes · 25/12/2020 23:18

You know what after reading these replies from parents who care so little about the health of the ppl that care for your child- I really hope you realise that this industry is so understaffed already due to low pay and poor working conditions that if me and more like me leave you will have trouble finding anyone to look after your child. Staff are leaving in droves and no one is applying for the jobs so be careful what you wish for.

Ilovegreentomatoes · 25/12/2020 23:24

Btw as soon as I find another job like many others I will be leaving.I can earn more stacking shelves in asda and as much as I love the children the risks and responsibilities for mw is not worth it.

Ginger1982 · 25/12/2020 23:43

Our private nursery is only opening for the children of key workers until, at least, 18th January 😢

Remmy123 · 25/12/2020 23:49

@Ilovegreentomatoes nursery age children are not high risk. More chance of catching it in Sainsbury's!!

Scottishskifun · 26/12/2020 03:30

@Ilovegreentomatoes that's your experience and by the sounds of it your nursery. I care about the people who look after my child (and my SIL BTW!) and believe them when they say they have every procedure possible in place for the safety of children and staff. They have been open throughout and they do take temperatures on arrival, isolate a child with a staff member who wears a mask if any signs of being unwell and call the parent immediately. They wear masks on parent handover, have a once a week acceptance of items from home, spend most of the day outside etc etc etc.
Like any industry you get good and bad ones the "newest" member of staff at my sons nursery has been there 5 years, longest is 22 years. People don't stay that long if it's rubbish working conditions! They have had one case in 9 months and no other child or staff member got covid we all isolated for 2 weeks. I genuinely believe this is due to the procedures they follow.

Yes some elements of nurseries is poorly paid but this is dependent on the nursery. My SIL has had some dreadful places but she has also worked at some amazing ones on a reasonable salary.

Parents are concerned and anxious and we also realise how important nursery is for our childrens development, mental health and wellbeing. It's not about inconvenience of having them at home it's about a potential indefinite time frame and what that causes to our very young children who can't explain how they are feeling other than hapoy/sad etc

Hardbackwriter · 26/12/2020 09:07

@Ilovegreentomatoes

You know what after reading these replies from parents who care so little about the health of the ppl that care for your child- I really hope you realise that this industry is so understaffed already due to low pay and poor working conditions that if me and more like me leave you will have trouble finding anyone to look after your child. Staff are leaving in droves and no one is applying for the jobs so be careful what you wish for.
I honestly can't work out what you think parents should do. No, I don't want nursery to close again, but I'll obviously accept it if it does. But what is it you think I should be/have been doing in the meantime? Should I have taken DS out of nursery preemptively? I didn't get the impression that what the staff at his nursery wanted was for everyone to do this and the place collapse, but is that what you're saying would be the right thing to do? Or was I supposed to stop sending him but keep paying, as some sort of charitable endeavour? If I was going to give the best part of £1k a month to charity I probably wouldn't pick a nursery as the beneficiary... You seem really angry that nurseries exist and see parents using them as some sort of act of callousness to the staff but I don't really see what else you think should have happened.
MarshaBradyo · 26/12/2020 09:30

Green looking around I did see a big divergence between care on this. Can you find a better nursery to work for?

Generally ones that don’t offer 30 hours free have been better as parents pay over that.

MarshaBradyo · 26/12/2020 09:31

Green looking around I did see a big divergence between care on this. Can you find a better nursery to work for?

Generally ones that don’t offer 30 hours free have been better as parents pay over that.

Like any business in private sector the employer can bring about higher standards.

And like pp staff stay as they are valued.

MarshaBradyo · 26/12/2020 09:34

Whoops went a bit awry

Anyway if you do want to move to ASDA of course it’s up to you. But not all nurseries are the same.

Rosebel · 26/12/2020 09:41

I have worked at nurseries for a long time before working elsewhere and I loved it, only left because of the long hours.
Now I work in a supermarket, shall I stop and tell all the other mums to stop? Who will you buy food from?
All jobs are important, a lot of us worked outside the home throughout. I can't just stop working unfortunately.
It's nothing to do with not caring about the staff. It's about trying to keep a roof over my child's head.

DfEisashambles · 26/12/2020 09:51

I was shocked to learn what a previous au pair earned at a nursery, long hours didn’t allow for much time with her own DC and she was exhausted every day.

She is working in a supermarket now - better hours and is happy to be able to get on with her work peacefully without eight toddlers vying for her attention and care. It’s a shame because she was amazing with my children and still sends them Christmas cards every year.

Tanith · 26/12/2020 09:58

"We could all wear PPE, work in groups smaller than 8, we could take the children’s temps when they come in.
The nursery I chose does all this. It is a lot more expensive than alternatives "

The nursery you chose is going against Government and professional guidance. It's nothing to do with cost.

MarshaBradyo · 26/12/2020 10:02

@Tanith

"We could all wear PPE, work in groups smaller than 8, we could take the children’s temps when they come in. The nursery I chose does all this. It is a lot more expensive than alternatives "

The nursery you chose is going against Government and professional guidance. It's nothing to do with cost.

Why? Confused

That’s bizarre!