So what happens when you can’t take more time off work for isolation?

[Overthebow]

I’m worried we will be in this position soon. DC is once again isolating waiting for test results. Nursery will not have her back until a negative test. She’s got a mild cold, unfortunately that comes with a cough. She’s happy, eating well and playing, in normal times she would be at nursery. This is the third time since she started nursery earlier this year.

We are almost out of annual leave and cannot afford to take unpaid leave, especially as we still have to pay nursery costs whilst she’s off. Surely we can’t all be expected to keep this up long term?

I guess there will come a time we no longer have to test so hopefully this won’t be an issue long term, but this winter will be hard.

The problem right now is that people don't have to isolate if there is a positive case in their household and they meet the criteria to not isolate. This is putting more pressure on childcare settings to be extremely strict with any sign or symptom that could be covid.
A little one in my care has a very nasty cough which is now entering the third week he's been tested multiple times but is now reaching the benchmark to be seen by a GP as it's long lasting. I absolutely hate having to send any of my mindees home but I have to in order to keep everyone safe and my setting open.
For what it's worth I lose out on pay when any of my mindees isolate and if I had to close but I know I'm a rare breed and not the same as nurseries who have much bigger over heads.

What do you suggest? Not testing would mean putting all the staff and children at risk as well as there families.

Unless one of them is CEV, the risk is very small indeed. I'd be FAR more worried about risking losing my job than risking getting Covid - I expect the vast majority of people would feel similar if forced to choose between "Lose job" or "get Covid".

Any yet some people continue to think Covid should trump EVERYTHING.

There must be a market for "sickness" childcare, where someone looks after your sick child. The fees would be massive, but there would absolutely be a market for this. Maybe I'll work up a business plan and go on Dragons Den?

“ This is putting more pressure on childcare settings to be extremely strict with any sign or symptom that could be covid. ”

My children’s nursery always was. And I don’t have a problem with that - they are following the rules for all sorts of sensible reasons - and I expect them the follow the law and guidance in everything else and this is no different. However this doesn’t stop it putting an enormous amount of pressure on families’ finances. None of this is about people criticising childcare settings themselves - it’s about the rules and the support that has(n’t) been put in place to help parents follow them.

@Warhertisuff It's been a long time since I've heard a suggestion like yours but in theory it wouldn't work due to types of illnesses and cross contamination. I have in the past had calls asking me if I could look after sick children which would be detrimental to the other children in my care.

@SMBH I understand that however over the last 18 months childcare providers and schools have had to refuse entry or send children home for symptoms they wouldn't have sent them home for in the past. This has caused some providers to receive a backlash. You're absolutely right that there should be more help in place for parents, the covid payments should've been extended to anyone who has to isolate instead of being means tested on what benefits one receives. If I have to isolate I will get nothing and our savings have long gone as they were used last year when my husband was furloughed and most parents chose to keep their children home during the first lockdown, my only saving grace was that I never charged parents way back then so I've not had to pay anything back unlike other settings.

Yes it’s the problem that my DC is not actual unwell enough to stay home, she has a mild cold, and would be in nursery if it weren’t for having to isolate because of a cough that comes with it. I actually think that because this is government guidance, nursery fees should be paid for the days children can’t attend because of the guidance, when they otherwise would be able to. Children get colds all the time, it really isn’t sustainable to keep them off for every little thing.

It's not sustainable for any parties one of my parents last year was under a scheme where they paid the childcare fees for her child and if there was any break for isolation on either side fees were still paid as directed by the government, I'm dumbfounded that more wasn't put in place for those parents who actually pay for their fees. Although I'm not really that surprised, just look at the issues around funding as a whole it's ridiculous.