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Original poster

What about nurseries?

85 replies

Anniemabel · 29/12/2020 15:29

There is a lot of talk and speculation about secondaries closing, and also potentially primaries but I can’t find anything about nurseries. I feel like I need my nursery child in childcare more than I need my older ones in school in order to work.

No one can answer for definite but I’m interested in views as I’m trying to contingency plan but it’s impossible!

OP posts:
WalkingOnStarshine · 29/12/2020 20:56

I'm also worried about this. We use a childminder and I'm dreading the thought of them closing again. When everything closed in the spring I spent every day either screaming at my poor toddler or crying into my laptop. Nothing is changing yet so I'm holding out hope and trying not to think about it too much, but I know I cannot do it again.

Thegirlhasnoname · 29/12/2020 22:26

Our fees are due on the 4th and I’m holding back transferring them until last minute. We paid full fees when they were closed during the long lockdown (think it was for 3 calendar months) but no way can we afford to do that now as I’ve just gone on maternity leave. It will be very hard having my 2 year old at home all the time (currently in nursery 3 days a week) especially when I’m about ready to pop but I would resent paying nursery nearly £900 a month for the privilege even if it does keep her spot in their books

It’s the not knowing that I hate dealing with.

Motherofmonsters · 29/12/2020 22:40

I hope they stay open, DS has only recently been flagged for having sensory issues and his Preschool need to put things in place for him to transition to reception. He needs as much time and help to adjust as possible. If they shut for a long time he's going to really struggle.

GervaseFen · 30/12/2020 08:39

I hope it's safe enough for them to stay open but would understand if they can't. I don't know what we will do though. Last time I couldn't look after my child and do my job properly and I don't want to repeat that. If the govt closes nurseries, there should be furlough-type support for one parent to take leave.

Brunt0n · 30/12/2020 09:02

I am worrying about this too. Working from home with a 2 year old isn’t fair on anyone - I wasn’t being a good employee or a good mum

Sexnotgender · 30/12/2020 09:04

@Brunt0n

I am worrying about this too. Working from home with a 2 year old isn’t fair on anyone - I wasn’t being a good employee or a good mum
It’s appalling that nursery care is treated as non essential. You cannot look after a toddler and do a job.
Brunt0n · 30/12/2020 09:13

Yes and I remain convinced it’s a feminist issue, as I watch mine and my friends careers be put on hold / damaged once again as the lions share of the childcare juggle falls to the women! 😣

ByersRd · 30/12/2020 10:13

Working parents can be furloughed for childcare reasons. No juggling work and young children.

Sexnotgender · 30/12/2020 10:19

I’m in a very privileged position in that my husband’s job is relatively flexible. More flexible than mine. However I’m aware I’m in a tiny minority of women and I’ll still need to juggle a lot of balls whilst nursery is closed.

Brunt0n · 30/12/2020 10:22

@ByersRd

Working parents can be furloughed for childcare reasons. No juggling work and young children.
That doesn’t help if your employer needs you to keep working. We are a bit fucked if all the teachers, doctors and nurses get furloughed to look after their toddlers aren’t we?
Wherediditgo · 30/12/2020 10:24

@ByersRd

Working parents can be furloughed for childcare reasons. No juggling work and young children.
That’s not what furlough is for
MarshaBradyo · 30/12/2020 10:24

Furlough is only for employees

If you pay for childcare and you are SE it’s not available

Sexnotgender · 30/12/2020 10:27

That doesn’t help if your employer needs you to keep working. We are a bit fucked if all the teachers, doctors and nurses get furloughed to look after their toddlers aren’t we?

Exactly. I really need to do the job I do. By the time someone else was trained for my role we’d be back at work anyway.

GervaseFen · 30/12/2020 11:03

@ByersRd

Working parents can be furloughed for childcare reasons. No juggling work and young children.
I wish it were so straightforward but last time round state employees weren't eligible for furlough and we were just told to get on with it. It was awful and if I fail to do my job properly it will affect promotions and put me first in line for redundancies.
MoirasRoses · 30/12/2020 11:38

@ByersRd - it not that simple at all. Employers do not have to offer this. My employer for example is extremely busy at the mo (thank god) & needs all hands on deck. I’ve been refused furlough for childcare reasons as have all my colleagues.

I wish they’d bloody make a decision. If they close nurseries, we are going to have to fully isolate, get tested & then use my vulnerable parents. And not go anywhere while we are relying on them. GREAT. And before anyone gets on their high horse, my & my OH work in customer service & take 100’s of calls a day. You cannot do that with a 3 year old & 10 month old. Completely impossible. The 10 month old would have fallen off the sofa or down the stairs in the first 10 minutes. Or the 3 year old would have given her a tiny toy that’s in her mouth etc etc ..

GoldenOmber · 30/12/2020 11:52

I wish it were so straightforward but last time round state employees weren't eligible for furlough and we were just told to get on with it. It was awful and if I fail to do my job properly it will affect promotions and put me first in line for redundancies.

Here too. My employer started off very supportive and ‘just do what you can!’, but after the first few weeks there was so much to do that we were just expected to get done, somehow, we were all trying to fit in our normal hours around the children. My youngest hadn’t even turned 1.

HayCaramba · 30/12/2020 12:21

Same here.
I know furlough covers childcare now, but it’s at employer’s discretion as I understand it. Mine will expect me to use annual leave to reduce my working hours to more “manageable” and work evenings and weekends (my OH works long hours in a job that cannot be done from home).
I’m grateful to still have a job but it’s not going to be easy if they close again.

Hardbackwriter · 30/12/2020 13:09

Same - my employer was very overtly supportive but in practice I felt under huge pressure because our workload as a team massively increased and I'm the only one with a young child. I think as it was, even though I felt like it was killing me, there was some resentment that I didn't pull my weight.

ChablisandCrisps · 30/12/2020 13:23

Both DH and I are key workers in roles that cannot be done at home so keeping absolutely everything crossed! Last time, I could get the school aged kids into school key worker provision but they only did 9-3 and there was no nursery for my smaller DC. We ended up having to get a nanny which cost all of my salary plus another £300 so that we could go to work as government employees are not eligible for furlough and it was made very clear we needed to do our normal working hours every day. It was shitty but if we have to do it again we will Sad

IcyApril · 30/12/2020 13:26

@AutoIncorrect

20 staff tested positive in the week before Christmas at the nursery I work in. I think they will close them. The symptoms were all sore throats and shivers, no one had the usual symptoms. Personally I think the new strain has different symptoms meaning people are spreading it without realising, lots of kids come in with symptoms like this and it won’t necessarily be picked up unless they develop a high temp (none of us infected ones did) meaning it rips through like wildfire.
Interesting. I’m waiting on a test result.

27th - I felt like I was walking through treacle, I was so tired.
28th - headache plus a bit of a sore throat. Coughed a couple of times. Hot flushes.
29th - tested. Mostly ok. Coughed a little.
Today - shivers and hot flushes, coughing.

Sexnotgender · 30/12/2020 13:34

It’s so odd with the symptoms.

I presented a couple weeks ago:
Started with a streaming nose and feeling ‘coldy’ on the Saturday.
Sunday still felt like I had a cold, felt very faint, went to bed Sunday evening with chest feeling quite tight.
Woke about 1am with a horrible persistent cough, immediately booked test! Then rang NHS 24 as I was 22 weeks pregnant and breathing was laboured.
Went to urgent care, doctor said I presented as having Covid.
Test was negative.

Mysterian · 30/12/2020 13:39

I'm a nursery nurse. My nursery didn't shut down at any point. They kept a skeleton staff and looked after key worker children.

Now? No masks. Only nappy changing PPE. LOTS of cleaning. Constant sending children home for tests due to temperatures, leading to parents moaning. Vulnerable staff working. I'm immunosuppressed. Still hugging children.

I got Covid for Christmas. Literally. First symptoms on the 25th.

We do feel like we're being ignored. I wonder if it's because we're not valued like teachers? Or because we're not in a union?

LetsGoFlyAKiteee · 30/12/2020 13:44

My nursery closed during the first period..not sure what will do this time assume keyworkers this time round.

Staff are allowed to wear masks in the rooms if really wanting to. Masks always worn when greeting parents at the door and moving through rooms. No mixing of upstairs and downstairs staff. Cover staff kept in one bubble all week.

Lots of cleaning..children isolated and then sent home for testing if any temperatures. So far no postive child. We did have a postive member of staff in the upstairs bubble coming out postive so that was closed off and so far so good since..but who knows.

LetsGoFlyAKiteee · 30/12/2020 13:45

*have a member of staff...woops that's a ramble

AlwaysColdHands · 30/12/2020 13:53

I am so grateful to nursery staff. I’ve worked in early years settings myself and I think that staff are hugely undervalued by society.

To reiterate, as others have said, there is no furlough, or annual leave or any kind of leave for some people who simply need to work. I’m a university lecturer, I have approx 150 pieces of assessment coming in next week, and have to begin teaching online from the 18th - there’s no one else that can step in and do this for me. My employer says “just do your best” but last year showed that the experience was no reduction in workload or reduced expectations. Lip service and sympathy but no changes to requirements. There will be many parents in this situation. I understand if nurseries have to close, but I’m allowed to express my individual concerns which are that the consequences upon my mental and physical health from a personal perspective will be horrific.

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