Sir Keir Starmer calling for nursery closure!

[Boogie5678]

Sorry I’m not sure how to link this but it’s on BBC news.

In our heart of hearts, I think we all know the nurseries really aren’t safe for the people who work in them, especially the older workers. I think we all know that people desperately need the nurseries to stay open even if they know the nurseries aren’t safe for the people who work in them. These parents also tend to be younger and fear the effects of Covid less.

The thing is, it doesn’t matter what we know. The government will only make decisions based on community transmission and the impact on hospitals. At the moment, they are SAYING that there isn’t any correlation (although schools were safe...until they were not safe 24 hours later). At the moment, I think nurseries will stay open BUT they will close if numbers continue to rise and hospitals go into Armageddon mode. Personally, I would expect a couple of week’s grace.

I honestly feel for everyone (although mainly the nursery workers as it stands) but I hope everyone on this thread is supporting the nursery workers by not sending in children if you have time off or can manage. They are taking a lot on to keep your lives running smoothly,

They’re = Their

It doesn’t help to lambast the people who pay for a service. Do nursery owners want this anyway?

I suspect you’d have got better responses throughout the thread had not a hard core aggressively piled on at every opportunity.
Some of the comments on here are disgraceful.

No, Marsha, it doesn’t help but the nursery workers are scared about their health just as you are scared about not coping if they close. It’s making everyone aggressive. Flight or fight.

Please don't put the responsibility of all your childcare woes on nursery workers.
They are your children we will naturally put our health and safety above looking after your kids so you can wfh.

That is absolutely your right. But please don't take our money in that case.

You wake up earlier then the children and do a couple or hours work. You give them breakfast and let them play in the garden after / go for a short walk. You spend some time home schooling / doing an activity with the younger / SEN children. They sit down for lunch and do puzzles together after while you do some more work.... it’s about having a routine. When the children are in bed or settled in the evening you do some more work. How is this not common sense.

OMG, you actual lunatic.
Magic kids who joyfully sit down unsupervised and do all these activities for hours while you work, and then cheerfully go to sleep early in the evening. Magic mummy who gets up at 4am every morning.

If you strip away the attacks re selfishness etc the fact that a nursery is giving people the option to not pay for a period of time is not a bad suggestion.

And with lower numbers of children, staff at risk could be furloughed / take unpaid leave.

Kokeshi it’s totally ridiculous. I’m not sure why posters know so few people who do a range of jobs. I mean women in their case.
It’s not sinking in though.

Yes because I go round taking money of the parents. What a stupid post.

And yes if your child can't attend of course you should not be expected to pay I already said that.

You wake up earlier then the children and do a couple or hours work. You give them breakfast and let them play in the garden after / go for a short walk. You spend some time home schooling / doing an activity with the younger / SEN children. They sit down for lunch and do puzzles together after while you do some more work.... it’s about having a routine. When the children are in bed or settled in the evening you do some more work. How is this not common sense.

Mine are nearly-2 and just-3. The youngest wakes up at 5am. I have to have eyes on the back and sides of my head all day long. There is no way any of your suggestions would work in this house.

OMG, you actual lunatic.
Magic kids who joyfully sit down unsupervised and do all these activities for hours while you work, and then cheerfully go to sleep early in the evening. Magic mummy who gets up at 4am every morning.

I swear to god, there are posters on here who seem to have never met a small child let alone tried to work while minding one.

Flashbacks to someone last spring claiming to have a three year old getting themselves up, dressed, fixing and eating breakfast, settling down to some colouring and puzzles with no adult involvement whatsoever in a three hour period.

@MarshaBradyo yes that would help at the moment our nursery is at full capacity so no option for furlough/unpaid leave.

And yes if your child can't attend of course you should not be expected to pay I already said that.

But most nurseries are still demanding that parents pay. There are lots of posts on here about how "selfish" parents are still using nurseries, but I don't see many nurseries offering not to charge parents if they keep their children at home.

You could say it's actually the nurseries which are selfish - rather than close to protect staff and children, they're staying open and charging fees. That is of course a stupid argument since they're businesses trying to survive financially (like many parents) and pay their staff.

Why are parents selfish and not nurseries?

Messallover if that's your worry, you should campaign for them to lock down.

It's in the guidance that we should not charge if we cannot take children, so the Government would have to compensate.
They don't want to do that, of course. Much cheaper to keep them open and suggest that parents shouldn't use them unless they have to.

No to lock down. Really is harmful.

Pp said they had what was it 8 months fees covered. I doubt this is usual but if other nurseries are feeling similar they can offer parents to take out dc and stop fees. Lift wages and offer furlough / unpaid leave.

Onus is on nursery.

Onus is on Government to make it possible.
They find enough money for their donors...

Fine write to your MP then. Better than insulting fee payers online. Not you particularly but as a general strategy.

@hassletassle

You wake up earlier then the children and do a couple or hours work. You give them breakfast and let them play in the garden after / go for a short walk. You spend some time home schooling / doing an activity with the younger / SEN children. They sit down for lunch and do puzzles together after while you do some more work.... it’s about having a routine. When the children are in bed or settled in the evening you do some more work. How is this not common sense.

Mine are nearly-2 and just-3. The youngest wakes up at 5am. I have to have eyes on the back and sides of my head all day long. There is no way any of your suggestions would work in this house.

I'm in a profession that has very tight budgets. They are based on hours per day, hour per week, hours per month. It is hard enough to get the target when working a 10 hour day. It is IMPOSSIBLE to hit that target by doing an hour or two here, an hour there. Not all jobs are the same and not all jobs are do-able even if you get up at 4am to do them.

I meant targets, not budgets.

I am angry at the goverment they have the cash to help out as evidently seen by the vast amounts they have magically created from somewhere but early years has been left behind or seen as an afterthought yet we are supposedly an essential service.

@Tanith. I agree with you that the government "recommending" parents don't send their children (while paying full fees) is nonsense. Either nurseries need to stay open or they need to close and refund parents.

My own perspective is that I don't want nurseries to shut. Partly because I want to keep my job and if they do, I will have to take leave which will probably be unpaid. Partly because I believe my son's setting is safe - it's fully outdoors at the moment and they have a large space for the number of children. Some nurseries have done a fantastic job of minimising risks and I think those nurseries that can operate safely should continue to do so rather than penalising all nurseries. A nursery which keep children outdoors for the whole day in the open air has a completely different risk profile from one with a large number of children crammed in a crowded inside space.

However, if the figures on transmission support closing nurseries, I will accept that and the consequences for our family and use the rebate on fees to pay for me to take leave.

I do think staff need to be protected (especially vulnerable staff), but I don't think parents can do much about that. It is the responsibility of nursery owners to provide a safe working environment for their staff. If they really believe that to be impossible, they (not parents) need to lobby the government much more vigorously to close nurseries and provide financial support or take the initiative and place their vulnerable staff on leave.

Just like the buck stops with parents in terms of caring for our children, the buck stops with nursery owners and staff in terms of ensuring safe working practices and making sure vulnerable staff are protected. Asking parents voluntarily not to send their children is not a good solution.

The main reason we are where we are is the numbers don’t support closure.

It’s not that early years are forgotten. It’s that out if the education settings transmission is low, and overall it is tiny.