Will nurseries close now?

[Bathsheba1]

I have seen a increase in news reports about unison calling for early years to close, petitions, SAGE advice that it’s not the right thing to do keeping them open for all.

Do we think they will shut soon to protect the staff?

Ours is closed anyway. I think a lot of nursery attached to schools are closed already.

I don’t think so. Firstly the government doesn’t want parents to be unable to work. Secondly they don’t want to pay for the closed nurseries.

Only if the government closes them or if they don’t have the staff to open.

Yes I’m thinking the government will cave on this due to pressure and force closure.

I don’t think the rationale about protecting nursery staff makes sense unless you want to close nurseries until staff are vaccinated. Yes there’s a risk of covid in nurseries but that won’t go away in mid feb. Many staff in nurseries are quite young so won’t be vaccinated for months and children won’t be vaccinated for now.

Better protection for vulnerable staff until they are vaccinated might make sense I.e furloughing them if they request this. I suspect the percentage of nursery staff who are over 50 or cev is quite low.

And if they are closed many parents of young children will be forced into trying to care for them while working which isn’t practical or safe so yet again young children are put at risk. Or parents of young children - mostly mothers - give up work.

They should be open for key workers and vulnerable kids only.

Probably.
Even though they shouldn't. But there's no reason any more.

Ours is closing tomorrow

Vulnerable and keyworkers only

I reckon vulnerable and keyworker only it will be sooner than later

I bloody hope not. I will actually go jump off the nearest cliff. Nursery being open is saving most people’s sanity, including my child’s.

I think they will become only for key workers and vulnerable kids soon. I was surprised they were except.
In my case I work in a uni they have counted all university staff as key workers. My sons nursery is on campus so most of the kids in nursery are uni staff kids so i dont think it would change much at all in our case.

Yes I hope so. I'm a nursery nurse and don't feel safe at all.

My nursery is fully open but they asked us to send evidence of being a critical key worker so I wonder if they are going to change in the near future

@Chessie678 I hadn't thought of this, they aren't on the vaccine schedule are they? So when will it be safe for nursery staff?

I seriously hope they stay open. I use a childminder and if she closes I'll join @MoirasRoses so we can jump off a cliff together.

They won't close them because they don't want to pay for them. Unlike private schools, nurseries can't ask parents to continue paying fees since they can't provide a meaningful online service. So nurseries would have to take a huge financial hit many would not be able to absorb unless the government stepped in with financial support.

Whether nurseries should be closed is another question.

I really hope so.

The majority of children attending my nursery have parents at home, not working.

I know this isn’t the case for all, but our health and well-being matters just as much as those who can work from home. Unfortunately our low-status makes us entirely expendable.

Schools have not been closed because they are not unsafe. They have been closed to reduce the levels of transmission of the virus, so the number of covid cases. Nurseries can remain open because they do not greatly contribute to the spread of the virus. There will be a degree of transmission but it is not the same level as in schools, particularly secondary. That is why nurseries can stay open. And they should stay open, not just for economic reasons, but because early years education and socialisation with peers is absolutely essential for their development.

*should read schools have not been closed because they are unsafe!

@MadeForThis

On what grounds?

I hope they don't, but expect they will. Both DH & I wfh atm but during Lockdown 1 it was horrendous as we have two DC under 6. DD is now at home as school is closed but she can at least work/play independently for short periods. DS (2) can't so DH & I would have to split our days to cover childcare, homeschooling & work again.

I used to work in the nursery industry and found there were plenty of 45 year plus staff. So they certainly aren’t all young and fit. Also the turnover is extremely high in nurseries due to low pay, high demands on staff so it didn’t surprise me to hear of a significant number handing in their notice given latest developments. It’s so low paid that it’s an easy for staff to switch to new employment or temporarily claim benefits.

@Chocolatte21Schools have not been closed because they are not unsafe. They have been closed to reduce the levels of transmission of the virus that’s the exact same thing!