Nurseries staying open

[meow1989]

To coin a mn phrase: is Boris on glue?!

So now I will have to pay to keep my toddler off to keep him (and us) safe?!

This is the story that came to my mind.
Working from home with small children is not safe.
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/12/01/baby-drowned-hot-tub-mother-working-home-inquest-hears/

I was so relieved to hear this. DD started at her nursery last September and she's made so much progress - it's important for that education to continue, which wouldn't be possible remotely. Our nursery is brilliant and has made it clear that it will stay open unless it is forced to close. I was pessimistic this past week, thinking that nurseries would have to close eventually, even if it wasn't announced initially. But with the funding issues and working parents needing childcare I am more reassured.

@2210mum. Nurseries should be restricted too, they are as dangerous or more so than schools.they should open to only keyworker children.

I see your point and sympathise, but who would pay for this? How would nurseries cover the lost income from parents' fees so they could stay open for the children of key workers?

I work in an early years setting and we are still open to all children. Which is great for the children and parents as the children are missing out and parents where they can can still work.

But i do feel that we are being overlooked yes we wear PPE when appropriate but not all day due to working with the children.

Personally I think we should only be open for key workers along with schools.

@BertNErnie
*I took of from this:

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/949536/NationalLockdownGuidance.pdf*

But this isn't updated guidance from today? Out of date for lots of the links including exams.

@Mylasmummy2102. Again, who will pay for this? How will settings with low attendance (let's say, 20% key workers) manage to stay open for key workers' children?

@Pl242 this is from another thread from November.

Most of the nurseries I know have carried on working as normal (here and in Spain where I’m from). When a bubbles has bursted it’s been mainly cuz of the adult being positive rather than a child. When it’s been a child the one that has been positive then other kids have not caught it , my sons bubble bursted before Xmas cuz of a child and none of the kids I know (around 4-5 out of 15) caught it.

@MessAllOver I'm not saying this but people health is a little bit more important I'm pregnant too and that is my opinion!!

My DD is an only child and attends a maintained nursery. Thanks to lockdown it's pretty much the only interaction with other children she gets. She started in September and has blossomed, I think it would be very detrimental to her development to take that away from her so I will be sending her in for 3 of hours of 'normal' a day.

But outside of that we will be following the rules to the absolute letter to make sure that as far as we possibly can, we are minimising the risk to the teachers and staff and if she has so much as a sniffle we'll keep her home.

@Mylasmummy2102

I work in an early years setting and we are still open to all children. Which is great for the children and parents as the children are missing out and parents where they can can still work.

But i do feel that we are being overlooked yes we wear PPE when appropriate but not all day due to working with the children.

Personally I think we should only be open for key workers along with schools.

I also work in early years and couldn’t agree with you more!

Ours is staying open but probably won’t be sending in. Schools aren’t safe and neither are nurseries. Cases are only going to get worse in the next few weeks and I would feel we were putting him and the family at risk if we chose to send him in.

I'm thrilled theyve said nurseries can stay open! If they were to shut I'd try my hardest to get keyworker status (work in public sector customer facing so should get it) or I will have to go off sick with stress (which will be completely true) until they re-open. If people dont want to send in their kids fine - up to them, but I'm more than happy too.

Ours is open. I really don’t want to send 1yo in, but DH is adamant we should.

Ours is open but I wont be sending DD in. I am on mat leave and she was going in to save my sanity, have some stimulation, and save her place for when I return to work. I just dont feel like I have a good enough reason to expose us to any infections from there, and also as DH works in people's houses as a tradesperson he may infect us and she could bring it in to the workers and kids. It is an expensive thing to just abandon, but its my choice and I have to take the financial hit. I think its important they stay open for people who work. I couldnt imagine WFH with my mad 2 year old demanding to be read to every 30 seconds.

@Mylasmummy2102. But the question of money is crucial as to whether settings can stay open. And we all need settings to stay open to care for the children of key workers. If they shut, doctors, nurses and people doing other crucial life-saving jobs won't be able to work. People will die as a result. So it's swings and roundabouts. There are no good choices here.

As to why parents will send their children in - Well, I could say to you and other nursery staff that you have a choice as to whether you work or not if you're worried. That would be a shitty thing to say because actually you have very little choice - you probably have bills to pay, mortgage/rent and can't afford not to work. Well, there's your answer to why parents will send their children in. They can't afford not to work.

@Foilball

Because nursery workers don't have a union.

This 🖕🏻

[quote LauristonPlace]@BertNErnie
*I took of from this:

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/949536/NationalLockdownGuidance.pdf*

But this isn't updated guidance from today? Out of date for lots of the links including exams.

[/quote]
I thought it said updated Jan 4th?

It's disappeared now so let's see what it's replaced with.

I am so relieved to hear they are staying open.

I've found it again.

Yes it definitely says Jan 4th. They need to update it as I think it means maintained nurseries are going to be closed but private settings are going to be open.

Does anyone know if nurseries attached to primary schools will be staying or the guidance just refer to private nurseries?

@BertNErnie I can see it through the government website
The pdf
www.gov.uk/guidance/national-lockdown-stay-at-home

@GoldenPoppy

I work in early years, Im over 45 and clunically vunerable. Today I was in a room with 42 children from 40 households. 1 staff member tested positive on friday. Another( her best friend) is in today with a bad cough and temperature. She was asked by management if she felt she needed to go for a test, she refused as she is terrified of the disiplinary action we face if more than 1 person gets covid. I have rocked a poorly child in my arms, been sneezed on, had a nose wiped on my uniform and had children coughing in my face. I am terrified.

Disciplinary action? Surely bringing a potential case of Covid into the setting is far worse than two members of staff catching it?

I think there was some kind of government consultation over the summer about early years settings. I can't remember exactly but remember getting quite a few emails after signing a petition for the government to support them during the first lockdown

@Chill08

I work at a nursery half of us are 40+. I'm absolutely lost for words that we are to stay open.

Me too

Most of us are late 30's/early 40's. I'm asthmatic and have a high BMI- not enough to shield but I'm scared right now. No social distancing, masks or shields. I had hoped for limited numbers, instead there will continue to be more children in the room than a standard classroom and 6 members of staff.

[quote EasterIssland]@Pl242 this is from another thread from November.

Most of the nurseries I know have carried on working as normal (here and in Spain where I’m from). When a bubbles has bursted it’s been mainly cuz of the adult being positive rather than a child. When it’s been a child the one that has been positive then other kids have not caught it , my sons bubble bursted before Xmas cuz of a child and none of the kids I know (around 4-5 out of 15) caught it.[/quote]
Thank you for this @EasterIssland. I do wonder if the rate of nursery cases will have increased since November, particularly with the new strain and areas which have been hit hard by this?

Either way I think the government could have been more explicit about the rationale their decision here. But their comms are woeful on all fronts.