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Original poster

For Nursery Staff Only

98 replies

Chill08 · 04/01/2021 21:13

Please tell me im not the only one feeling like this! I absolutely adore my job but i am so scared about going to work tommorow i feel sick. I really feel like all nursery staff have been thrown under the bus. Im disgusted we never get a mention about the risks to us. I really need a hug 😢

OP posts:
dchange · 04/01/2021 22:25

@SendHelp30 thanks for clarifying the ratios. Also, worth clarifying on my side. I am not saying there is no spread at Nursery. More focused on the linked fatalities from nursery setting.

SamsMumsCateracts · 04/01/2021 22:26

Badgers and FreddieFox, I feel the same. I don't want to contribute to the burden the NHS is under right now. I also can't see the logic of sending my own children to school, which has confirmed that they won't be doing the home learning work set, only providing basic childcare, to put them at added risk, while I go to work, at added risk, to look after children that could be at home. It makes no sense. It should have been the way it was during the first lockdown, key worker and vulnerable children only.

I love my job so much, but I have to consider my own children's needs as well. Why should their education go down the pan, so that I can look after children who don't need to be there?

Phoenix21 · 04/01/2021 22:30

I just want to show my concern and solidarity for the nursery staff posting here.

I don’t know what’s best but it seems you’ve been ignored throughout.

Freddiefox · 04/01/2021 22:31

@ SendHelp30

Staff don’t get paid enough this, I’m looking at closing for the same period as schools, and if we can’t I will seriously think about resigning.

Cheesybiscuits01 · 04/01/2021 22:33

Nurseries in Scotland have closed to all but vulnerable children and key workers. I'm a key worker but my husband isn't so we have lost our place and will go back to having to juggle our jobs and our child. I don't understand why they have been kept open in England.

I'm a bit sad that nursery workers have been made to feel so unappreciated. Ours are amazing and I love them. They are fantastic. Im glad for the workers that they are closed even if its inconvenient for me.

Justcallmecaptainobvious · 04/01/2021 22:33

Ive decided not to send my boy in, partly because I can’t bring myself to put the brilliant staff at risk when I don’t absolutely need him in. I’m worried that, whilst there’s evidence that under 5s don’t get seriously ill, there’s not enough known yet on whether they can pass on this new variant.

Iamsodonewith2020 · 04/01/2021 22:34

Work in a nursery. Myself, 5 staff and 6 children caught covid before Xmas from one positive child.

CoveHid · 04/01/2021 22:39

The average age of staff at my nursery is over 50. Many of the team have been here for over 15 years and are conscientious and hard working. If they decided it’s too risky, understandably, and didn’t come in, we wouldn’t be able to open.

That’s leaving aside the community transmission that will still take place, with a new strain of virus that has a higher chance of spreading and with the effects of Christmas mixing and winter pressures not borne out in full yet.

We’re all worried at what’s going to happen and don’t have any confidence in the government that this is the right decision.

Freddiefox · 04/01/2021 22:39

I think what I find really hard to take is the glee that some parents have that their children will be looked after and entertained at the deferment to my health and my families

There’s a thread full of women salivating that their nursery is open.

Mylasmummy2102 · 04/01/2021 22:41

I'm the absolute same! Feel like we have been forgotten about saw this and think it's very appropriate

For Nursery Staff Only
ReeseWitherfork · 04/01/2021 22:42

@Iamsodonewith2020 goodness I hope all are ok?!

I need to send my son to nursery still because I can’t not work. I do feel awful for the staff, I have no option but to trust that the company running the nursery are looking after their vulnerable employees.

Phoenix21 · 04/01/2021 22:43

For each one salivating there will be others like us (toddler at nursery, I’m kind of hoping it will still close even though I don’t know what we will do if it does) worried about their (and our own) health, jobs and general well being.

Try not to focus on the negatives. This situation is shit, shit, shit.

In fact in adding chocolates to my shop to give to them.

Iamsodonewith2020 · 04/01/2021 22:45

Sadly this new mutant virus is so transmissible. This was our first covid case. Child was only in one morning before off ill.

ReeseWitherfork · 04/01/2021 22:47

@Iamsodonewith2020 have you recovered ok?

SendHelp30 · 04/01/2021 22:49

@Freddiefox I really don’t blame you! Take care

SendHelp30 · 04/01/2021 22:49

@Justcallmecaptainobvious thank you.

Iamsodonewith2020 · 04/01/2021 22:50

I am getting there. Can only walk a few minutes before getting breathless. On steroids currently

ThatsNotTheTeaHunty · 04/01/2021 22:53

@Jobseeker19

I'm disappointed that they didn't remain open for key workers only.

He should have also highlighted the tough job that we do.

We are still expected to do all the paperwork and planning, sleep training, potty training, settling new children in, peeling them from their parents when they are crying.

This is on top of the extra cleaning for the same shitty pay and under appreciation from people who think we are glorified baby sitters.

Erm I think you are in the wrong job. You get paid to care for children what do you think your job is exactly? I'd be mortified if I found out someone like you with your attitude worked at my child's nursery.
Leodot · 04/01/2021 23:02

@Chill08 Have a hug from me ❤️. I’m an EYFS teacher and I know how hard it’s been this term! You’re doing amazingly ❤️.

@THATbasicSNOWFLAKE Congratulations on your pregnancy. ❤️ How far along are you? What does your risk assessment say? I think given the new strain and increased transmission you could say that your workplace isn’t safe for you. Are you in a union? I don’t know how it works in the PVI sector as I teach EYFS in a school but could you speak to your midwife and see if they can get you signed off? I’m 29 weeks now and am no longer in the classroom, due to the 28 week guidance but even if I wasn’t in the third trimester, I wouldn’t have gone back this week to do keyworkers etc as I think it’s just too much to ask when you’re pregnant.

CandEB · 04/01/2021 23:02

I have to say I really appreciate your hard work. I really don't feel like I have any other choice but to send our Dd2 in. Her older brother has complex sen needs and is prone to violent meltdowns and with him home 24/7 she would never get any respite. Obviously we do our best to oroctect her and shield her from this but it's practically impossible to avoid her witnessing all of his meltdowns. Nursery has been the greatest thing for her and I couldn't be more thankful to the staff.

Mogtheforgetfulmum · 04/01/2021 23:07

And nursery staff have every right to feel and be safe at work @ThatsNotTheTeaHunty

Thank you for everything you do @Jobseeker19

I'm a teacher and feeling so conflicted about sending my 2 year old in, despite it being a nightmare working from home by myself with her.

ThatsNotTheTeaHunty · 04/01/2021 23:10

@Mogtheforgetfulmum

And nursery staff have every right to feel and be safe at work *@ThatsNotTheTeaHunty*

Thank you for everything you do @Jobseeker19

I'm a teacher and feeling so conflicted about sending my 2 year old in, despite it being a nightmare working from home by myself with her.

I didn't say they didn't if you actually read what I put. The poster wasn't talking about feeling safe.. can you please read something before getting on your high horse dear.
Lifeispassingby · 04/01/2021 23:23

Snap feeling the same OP. We only had approx 1/4 of our children attend today and we are facing permanent closure if DFE and LA don’t give us funding for children whose parents choose to keep them at home whilst schools are ‘closed’. It’s a very stressful time

Posturesorposes · 04/01/2021 23:25

The peeling them from their parents comment is absolutely uncalled for. I was just about to post something massively sympathetic and understanding as I treasure my baby’s key person at nursery enormously - but that comment from @Jobseeker19 has left such an awful taste in the mouth. Just horrendous.

Tumbleweed101 · 04/01/2021 23:26

We've been lucky and not had any cases at the nursery so far and we stayed open in March.

My view is a little different now as my dd brought home covid from her NHS job over xmas, the household have all had a mild version of Covid. Seeing how mild it was shows how it probably is for the majority of people so I don't feel particularly worried about it now, except for those who might be vulnerable. I think the media show all the bad cases but given how many cases that are being quoted I think the vast majority will be as mild as it was for my family.

I need to shield my mum who has COPD but I'm hoping that the rest of us have a degree of immunity now which means I'm not worried about working through this next lockdown. No more than I have been anyway. I also believe that working in an environment where we are exposed constantly to viruses will afford many of us a degree of protection from the more severe forms of Covid, unless we are vulnerable in some way.

Obviously we all worry that we, or those we love, will be among those with a bad reaction so I do think that we should be amongst the first groups being offered the vaccines though as we do work in a high risk environment, just like health care workers.

I do assume that we have been asked to stay open because of the repercussions our sector shutting has on the rest of the workforce so in that sense we are being left deliberately vulnerable by the government.