For Nursery Staff Only

[Chill08]

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 😢

Well No reason why I should be more scared then before christmas. And since we have had no children with CV at our nursery and no staff who personally have had it. Then No I am not scared. But I do hope parents take heed and we have less children.

I am not a nursery worker but you all have my heart felt sympathy. Everyone has the right to feel safe in the workplace. Nobody should feel under duress to undertake work in a dangerous situation. I feel for those considering leaving it is so difficult when you feel undervalued and unprotected by those who should be protecting you. A job is not worth the loss of a persons health and there is only so much stress and risk to health a person can take before they have to consider whether the job is worth it.

It really winds me up when I see parents saying how happy they are to see nurseries open because you know Tommy really misses his friends and is bored at home.
Well him being bored doesn't trump the need for staff to feel safe.
Fuck boris and this fucking useless goverment.My solidarity with other nursery staff its disgusting that we are in this situation.

I don’t see anything wrong with @Jobseeker19 comment. It’s the reality of what they do. My child has been peeled from me, the point is there is a huge amount of work involved and little remuneration and little appreciation for it frankly which is bad enough, then add the worry of catching covid.

It's made me feel so angry. Early years staff have always been undervalued and this just tops it off.

I can't see how it makes any sense that schools aren't safe but nurseries are? If anything the risk is higher in many cases simply due to the age group- more personal care, closer contact, ratios mean more adults in each room, poor hygiene practice, more contact with parents....

It doesn't help that there have been 5 cases recently in my workplace (mostly staff) who have then passed it on to their family members. I'm frightened.

My 4 year old goes to two separate nurseries and there hasn’t been one case in either of them. Ditto all the other nurseries that friends use locally. We live in a large city which has had quite high numbers. I just don’t think spreading in nurseries is an issue. I’m so pleased they are staying open, it’s an absolute lifeline.

I'm probably more disappointed with my bosses reaction to the news . Simply business as usual, see you in the morning! On the staff WhatsApp group, whilst members were talking about worrying for their child now going into school etc. Just seemed off . No asking if everyone was ok etc. Parents are happy to take their children in so that's good enough for her.

I love my job and always one of the first to help in any situation but I feel pretty let down tonight

@PinkPiranha11

My 4 year old goes to two separate nurseries and there hasn’t been one case in either of them. Ditto all the other nurseries that friends use locally. We live in a large city which has had quite high numbers. I just don’t think spreading in nurseries is an issue. I’m so pleased they are staying open, it’s an absolute lifeline.

There’s no evidence of any spread in gyms or hairdressers but workers there get the luxury of a safe work space.

Our nursery were actively encouraging parents not to keep their kids at home as staff were worried about keeping their jobs if there werent children there to look after.

Fortunately we’ve had no cases so far so fingers crossed we keep it that way. I’m certainly not salivating over the fact that nurseries are open, just incredibly grateful.

This is interesting because the nursery staff ive spoken to have said they were really hoping to stay open. So it’s interesting to see the other side - I now wonder if they are just saying that to parents at our nursery, or if this is an example of opinions on MN being different to my real life.

Firstly @dchange i really do applogise for my post aimed at you last night. I was feeling highly emotional and you literally got the brunt of it and thats not acceptable i needed to vent and you got it. So sorry.
To everyone else who has posted on here thankyou. Ive been awake most of the night, reading your posts now its good to know we are all in the same boat and its not just me. I have given myself a good talking to this morning and i will be in work this morning with a cheery smile looking after the children its what i love to do. I just hope our parents are kind xx

No hard feelings @Chill08 wishing you and all parents a good day. We've got this

I think nursery staff are worried about their health even if they’re relieved about staying open. In this thread you see some parents saying ‘don’t worry you’re fine you won’t be affected by covid’. Then some are sympathetic because of the way things are going, even I’m worried about transmission with new strains.

I'm in Scotland and the chain of private nurseries I work for is only open for keyworker children which there is only a small handful of. A few staff have been put on full furlough and the rest are on flexi furlough. Only management are in full time

We need a union with widespread membership. Schools closed because of the teaching unions who have wide membership amongst teachers threatening legal action. If we aren't a unionised workplaces then we cannot really expect to be protected.

I'm so grateful that my DD's nursery is open, although if it was key workers only she'd still have a place as DH works in food production and I'm a food retail Finance Manager.

Her nursery is much smaller than some others though, only 7 staff including the manager and the cook, so they are one bubble. If (when?) it pops, we've agreed that DH will take the time off work as there are others doing his job, and I'm the only one doing mine so if I'm not in things don't get done.

@mangoandraspberries our staff were saying this to parents- they know it’s essential for them to go to work. Staff room chat is another story unfortunately. Many are worried and many now can’t work as schools aren’t providing wrap around care even for key workers.

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

I'd be happier if childcare fully closed because then employers would offer flexibility, whilst they are open they won't, so yes some people are glad they can keep working and keep their jobs.

I have a nursery aged toddler who went to nursery throughout the previous lockdown as we could access the provision for key worker's kids. I am so so grateful to all the nursery staff and whilst of course I want nursery to stay open as it's essential for me and DH to work, I agree that there has been absolutely no recognition of the hard work that nursery staff have done throughout this pandemic. The discourse has always been about teachers first and foremost and risks in schools etc totally ignoring the fact that there are apprentice nursery staff being paid pennies for long periods of close contact with babies's bodily fluids all throughout the pandemic. I feel for you and please know that some of us really do see you and appreciate your hard work. We would have been absolutely lost without nursery provision, I dread to think about it. Thank you so much to all of you.

In my DCs nursery, there is one member of staff over 40 and she's asthmatic, but they've all said this morning they're thrilled to be working and were dreading being furloughed as the money was so tight the first time and they were bored. DC very happy they're in their usual routine, DH and I can work effectively, it's better for everyone. Those who are CEV shouldn't be in work.

Please sign this petition if you are anxious about nurserys being open

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/566718

The Early Years Alliance have just posted the DfE's reasoning for keeping Early Years open as usual, when all other educational settings have been shut. In short, it is to allow parents to work from home distraction-free, so the economy ticks over. There is mention of under 5 year olds having the lowest confirmed covid rates. It fails to mention that the test itself is almost impossible to carry out on that age group and many parents would be unwilling to put their children through that. Understandably so, but I feel that this is misleading to use as a reason when we all know anecdotally that Covid does spread through Early Years settings, given that we are working face to face, with no distancing measures or PPE.

You can have a look at what was said here:

www.eyalliance.org.uk/news/2021/01/dfe-provides-update-rationale-behind-decision-keep-early-years-providers-open

From a personal standpoint, I'm an early years worker. I'm also a single parent to DD9 who is currently being assessed for autism. We have been alone throughout this. There is nobody I can bubble with for childcare or otherwise. Her father and family have been mixing as normal, so that is not an option.

This means DD going into school as a keyworker's child, so I can work, albeit I will be considerably late for work each day, as wraparound care is not running.They won't be educating her (I'll be trying to homeschool her after work) and she will find the change in routine/familiar faces that have her such a mental health boost over the Autumn term incredibly upsetting...

I'll be working with open windows and cleaning of resources being the only mitigating factors. PPE is not allowed...two year olds (quite naturally) do not socially distance...or wipe their own noses...or cover their coughs. There is no way of knowing which families have or have not stuck to the guidelines. Our small team is made up of workers aged 30-60.

It is felt that our sector have been thrown under the proverbial bus, with little regard from government or parents for the fact that we are working in an unsafe environment. At this point, I personally feel that it is inevitable that I am going to catch this now and if/when I do, I just pray I will remain well enough to look after DD, or else we are stuffed.

I love my job - I truly do, but I love my daughter more and just want to be ok for her...feeling pretty sorry for myself right now, but am resigned to the fact that this is happening and there is nothing I can do except put my head down and get on with it.

the test itself is almost impossible to carry out on that age group and many parents would be unwilling to put their children through that.

Really? I guess some parents do, but the majority dont. If DS was in childcare with someone whose parents wouldn't test them I'd be really annoyed, it's irresponsible.

@Backbee

I agree. Totally irresponsible. Unfortunately, we are not legally allowed to request a test result either way and have to take the parent's word for it. Also unfortunately, we have had parents send in children with clear testable symptoms, who then seem disgruntled when we ask them to come and collect them and suggest arranging a test.

Did anyone else hear the virologist on BBC breakfast pointing out that the decision to keep nurseries open is political, not scientific?

Early Years workers are not safe. Nurseries should only be open to keyworker and vulnerable children.