Should I send my child to pre school

[HearMeRawwr]

My child's preschool is open as normal but given the current infection rates in England I'm wary of sending her. She's ambivalent, she seems to enjoy it, however she equally happy spending time with me (I'm a SAHM).
I'm also worried they may close all pre school settings as further covid reduction/control measures, and don't want her further disruption to her routine.
WWYD

Comment taken completely out of context.

Not at all out of context.

[quote Bumblebee1980a]@Idontbelieveit12

"but you can hug little Johnny while his mum swans around on walks with her friends, and in and out of each other’s cars and houses".

I read the above that you were talking in general
about parents sending their kids into nursery.

I'm not sure how you know exactly what the parents are doing. Maybe you are seeing them chat and are assuming they're in and out of each other's houses and I wouldn't take what preschoolers say as the absolute truth - they're full of imagination.

I do think you should have PPE though. Ours are fully PPE'd up.

[/quote]
I can assure you, I know they are doing it. Small town everyone knows everyone. Without going into minute detail which would be outing, I 100% know that some are going to each other’s houses. Have seen them hugging outside.

@pinkpip100

Comment taken completely out of context.

Not at all out of context.

Yes it was.

I was having a conversation with another poster that you weren't involved with.

The other poster was being derogatory about parents who put their kids in nursery. Children need to go to nursery for a variety of reasons.

See all the comments and don't just pick out the one comment you want to pick on.

@Idontbelieveit12

Do not tar us with the same brush. I can understand how frustrating that would be if they are doing that.

Personally we do nothing apart from nursery.

The other poster was being derogatory about parents who put their kids in nursery. Children need to go to nursery for a variety of reasons.

Actually the poster wasn't, as has already been explained.

And throughout the thread your attitude to early years staff is that they should just get on with it. And they are probably more at risk in the supermarket. That definitely sounds like belittling concerns to me.

@pinkpip100

The other poster was being derogatory about parents who put their kids in nursery. Children need to go to nursery for a variety of reasons.

Actually the poster wasn't, as has already been explained.

And throughout the thread your attitude to early years staff is that they should just get on with it. And they are probably more at risk in the supermarket. That definitely sounds like belittling concerns to me.

Honestly? I don't care what you think as you decided to focus on one sentence out of a whole host of paragraphs.

The other poster was being derogatory about parents of nursery children. You're biased about this prob because you work in a nursery.

Children in the early years are less likely to contract the virus and pass it on. This must be true because wouldn't nursery teachers have the virus by now???

Nursery teachers (and support staff) are catching it @Bumblebee1980a, as are nursery children.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachmentdata/file/955458/ReporteddcoronavirusCOVID-19notificationssbyregistereddearlyyearssandchildcareesettings.csv/preview

[quote pinkpip100]Nursery teachers (and support staff) are catching it @Bumblebee1980a, as are nursery children.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachmentdata/file/955458/ReporteddcoronavirusCOVID-19notificationssbyregistereddearlyyearssandchildcareesettings.csv/preview[/quote]
Thank you for taking the time to find that.

What do you suggest then? That all schools close until everyone is vaccinated? It's just not going to happen - they have to balance the risks.

I wonder how many of those have been seriously ill with it. Schools are making sure that anyone clinically vulnerable works from home.

Three people from my extended family tested positive and they said it was similar to the flu. They are now fine although none of them had underlying health problems.

@pinkpip100

Schools need to open for a child's physical, mental, social and emotional health.

To prevent the risk of spreading the virus schools need to implement various strategies such as limiting class sizes, washing hands and surfaces, bubbles, staggered schedules, teachers to wear PPE similar to the health care professions.

DS school has done this so seeing a comment that nursery children shouldn't be in school irritates me beyond belief.

You cannot say I don't care about the nursery teachers. You don't know me and you can't make judgements about someone by observing an emotive conversation.

I make sure DS doesn't mix with other kids expect nursery. I don't go out either.

I just get frustrated by the nursery teachers saying that SAHM or parents in general
shouldn't allow their children in school. You don't know everyone's individual situation and what the individual schools are doing to reduce the risk of the virus.

@Bumblebee1980a I appreciate it's a really tricky time for everyone, parents, teachers, support staff, school leaders - and especially for children.

I do know that last spring/summer when we had fewer children and very small bubbles (therefore limited staff contact too) there were no cases and everyone felt much more at ease. It was very limiting in terms of resources etc though, as everything had to be divided up; also lots of cleaning! But at the time it was the only option. We had to prioritise children for attendance, initially KWV only, then as things opened up, those children starting school in the September plus those who were identified as really struggling (or with families really struggling). Our Local Authority continued to fund us based on the Autumn term census, so the reduction in numbers was financially sustainable without having to make staff redundant.
I honestly think that would be the best option for the immediate future, while we get community infection rates right down and bring hospital numbers to a manageable level for the NHS.

It's the same with primary and secondary schools. Everyone is clamouring for them to open fully ASAP, but at this stage, without the additional measures that are needed (especially smaller class sizes), that would only lead to infections rising, hospital admissions rising - and potentially with higher levels of the virus circulating, more mutations arising too.

Absolutely you should. It doesn’t follow that all children should suffer just because most (unfortunately) are. Of course it depends a bit on local rates. Rates in our area are currently much lower than they were Oct-Dec last year, and the nursery was open then with zero cases. We are also very quick to COVID test for cold symptoms (I wish the test was far more child-friendly, but that’s a separate thread!).

@pinkpip100

Unfortunately during that time the NSPCC received 1,500 phone calls from adults worried about the impact on domestic abuse on children so it's really not as simple as saying that when children weren't as school cases went down, well yes but at what cost?

Infection rates are going down. I'm not simply saying all schools should open now. I have my views on what I think should open first (school wise) but I'm not having that debate today.

I am happy DS is at school but at the same time I feel sorry for the young ones who can't go in and who can't go out and play with a friend (only under 5s can).

Also CAMHS is so underfunded too which is even more depressing. NSPCC calls going up and still the same funding in CAHMs. Anyway I'm digressing.

I'm more about mental health as that's my background.

Why don't schools reopen? Who cares about school staff getting Covid? The government don't.

Children weren't in when cases went down*

[quote Bumblebee1980a]@pinkpip100

Unfortunately during that time the NSPCC received 1,500 phone calls from adults worried about the impact on domestic abuse on children so it's really not as simple as saying that when children weren't as school cases went down, well yes but at what cost?

Infection rates are going down. I'm not simply saying all schools should open now. I have my views on what I think should open first (school wise) but I'm not having that debate today.

I am happy DS is at school but at the same time I feel sorry for the young ones who can't go in and who can't go out and play with a friend (only under 5s can).

Also CAMHS is so underfunded too which is even more depressing. NSPCC calls going up and still the same funding in CAHMs. Anyway I'm digressing.

I'm more about mental health as that's my background.[/quote]
But I wasn't suggesting no children in school - just reduced numbers / rotas etc so class sizes can be smaller. It seems the most sensible way forward but not being taken seriously by the DfE sadly.

I completely agree about mental health services by the way - woefully underfunded and underrepresented for years. It saddens me that the Tory ministers now using their fake concern about children's mental health to further their cause to open everything up now (aka shield the vulnerable and go for herd immunity), are the same people who have voted in favour of cuts to these services time and time again.

@pinkpip100

Fair enough. Yes I certainly agree with the class sizes, space etc.

Such depressing times for everyone at the moment and obviously some more than others.

Definitely @Bumblebee1980a

www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news/article/concern-as-reports-of-covid-in-early-years-settings-more-than-double-in-a-week?fbclid=IwAR1N8pdO-LJw4PvUbimDFUOhGysiE9_t7hBcCX-MCjqJH6BEm1isfgCHmS4#.YA70VEY7Ong.facebook