DDs preschool refusing to let her attend as she also attends childminder

[porger80]

DP and I both work full time. DDs preschool say we have to choose between school and childminder as gov regulations say parents should be discouraged from using more than one setting and they can't justify the risk my DD might pose.
Preschool offer 15hrs a week, no more. CM is 1 mum and her 2 kids only so not a massively busy setting with loads of kids.
Gov guidelines for EYS providers state that parents may need to use more than one setting.
Has anyone had similar? Who can I take advice from? LEA or DfE? DD would be so sad to miss her school - it was closed from March to Sept last year, but we also need help from her CM.

They're trying to protect their staff as much as possible, I can see their point. At this stage I would be very grateful you have any childcare options to be honest as a large proportion of working parents are juggling both, homeschooling etc. Is there an option to use childminder full-time? Or have your child at home on childminder days?

Also, 1 in 50 have the virus at the moment, so exposure to an extra 3 people at your CM setting is actually more significant than it seems.

You both seem to think you're quoting government guidelines - are you looking at the same paragraphs?

Same guidelines, I am quoting directly and they are interpreting - unless they have access to other docs that I don't (more than possible I suppose?).

I realise the logic behind keeping settings to a minimum but I'm not sure my CM would be much different to a childcare bubble for example? And they are not penalising those using them? I just wanted some advice from anyone if they have experienced similar and who they got advice from? If parents are allowed 2 settings then I'm not sure if the school can overrule that?

Ask preschool and your cm if they know of any other cms providing care for children from their setting.

My old CM got together with the other local ones and they all took a group as it were: one is eyfs with no other setting, one is school a, one school b and the other from the nursery. I think this was suggested by lots of cm groups so you might get lucky.

I had this issue and the preschool contacted the county council education team and they allowed it because we’re both key workers. Saying that I think essentially it is up to the setting so you can’t do much if they are not willing to accept you.

I'm using two different settings with no issues at the moment, I didn't realise it was in the guidelines not to. In fact I'm sure I read that key worker children in school can also still access wraparound care with a childminder so that seems to suggest multiple settings is fine.

I think they can probably make up their own rules, so is there one that has hours to suit you better?

This is the case quite often OP, from my experience. Each setting will want to limit their contact web, and several EYFS settings where I live have stated a child can only attend one setting at the moment for this very reason. I can see their point.

@Wonderwalk did the preschool want to take your DC and then took advice from council or did you have to argue it with them do you think? This preschool don't want to be open to anyone and are annoyed they have to be - I think this is quite clear in a lot of the language they are using in emails etc.

The guidance for EY providers seems to go into a lot of detail about their responsibilities to minimise risk, which it seems yours is trying to do...

*Parents and carers should be encouraged to limit the number of settings their child attends, ideally ensuring their child only attends the same setting consistently. This should also be the same for staff.

There may be situations where a child needs to attend more than one setting, for example, children attending a childminder before their nursery opens so that their parent or carer may go to work.

Settings, parents and carers should work through the system of controls collaboratively to address any risks identified and allow them to jointly deliver appropriate care for the child. This section of the guidance contains more information about the system of controls for settings.*

So I suppose they can ask you if it's essential that your daughter attends both settings, and encourage you to just use one of the two... and if it is essential, you should work together to address additional risks and work out how your DD gets appropriate care.

I don't envy them having to comply with these requirements, to be fair. The detail and changes are insane... restarting toothbrushing, for example, but it has to be dry brushing. Minimising group contact and sizes. I feel for them, as well as you.

My GDs nursery is the same.... if you have another childcare provider you have to choose one or the other.....this is a council run nursery.... I think ultimately they can do as they wish.
I think it’s along the same lines as school Round here now saying key worker Children must attend 5 days or not at all....to reduce the risk of them being cared for ( and therefore mixing) by others on the days they don’t attend school.

My childminder has said we have to choose her OR nursery and can't mix settings but nursery recommend one setting, don't insist or enforce the rule. I don't blame my CM and completely understand her rationale (she is a small bubble of 3-4 and nursery obviously much larger so to mix then exposes her to additional risk) so in the end we agreed she would be sole provider and I've re-jigged hours so rather than her usual 7:30-9 and 3:30-5pm with a nursery run in between, she will be having DS 9-4pm. It's costing me a bit more and I may end up losing my 15 hours (she is applying to take over from the nursery this term but no guarantees so I'm paying her up front and will get a rebate if she does sort it) but at least it gives me a solid 7 hours working time and TBH I'm more comfortable using smaller CM setting than nursery at the moment.

@WalkingOnStarshine the guidelines say parents can use more than one EYFS setting but are encouraged to minimise the amount they use. The school have decided their own rules effectively (as far as the guidelines that I can see anyway)

I probably could get hold of another setting for DD, it's more the case that my DD is getting penalised and can't see her friends etc just because we need a second setting due to the fact that we both work FT. We are both key workers working with very vulnerable people. Other kids in that school will be part of childcare and support bubbles and could be visiting friends and family every weekend for all the school know - just doesn't seem fair that's all.

eta if your CM is anything like mine, I expect she'll be grateful for the income! She's lost probably two thirds of her business and I just hope she doesn't end up closing and looking for a paid employment

@Houseyhousey good point - although this poses a different question, can I move 15hrs worth of early years childcare funding from school to a CM for a limited amount of time? So complicated

Yes children are allowed to attend 2 settings, but to minimise risks many settings are asking parents to choose just 1. Some settings are minimising the risk by closing completely.

@porger80 it came across that they didn’t want to accept us and we did have to question where they were getting their guidance and whether they could double check. They then said they would contact the council, they contacted us and said we could attend but had to do a separate risk assessment

I’ve heard that a few times; I get that it’s tricky but I can understand why they do it.

[quote porger80]@Houseyhousey good point - although this poses a different question, can I move 15hrs worth of early years childcare funding from school to a CM for a limited amount of time? So complicated [/quote]
Have they already put a claim in for her? Have you signed your declaration?

[quote porger80]@Houseyhousey good point - although this poses a different question, can I move 15hrs worth of early years childcare funding from school to a CM for a limited amount of time? So complicated [/quote]
Yes, you should be able to move all your funding to the childminder for this term but you need to make a decision quickly.

I am a childminder and have also decided not to take children who also attend school or preschool at the moment. Guidelines are guidelines, but settings need to make their own safety decisions.