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Original poster

Childminder not following covid guidelines

125 replies

Rainydaize · 02/10/2021 22:14

I have 2 daughters who both go to the same childminder. Dd2 had a positive test but the childminder refused to take dd1 stating that there were vulnerable children in the setting and they could be investigated if more children caught covid.
They are both therefore isolating. Dd1 had a negative result at the same time dd2 had a positive so I thought she would be fine to go in.
I was then asked to do another PCR on dd1 so she could go back in, but this has come back positive. I spoke to test and trace and they have said that she should isolate from the start of symptoms (when she got her negative test) and to assume the negative was a false negative. This would mean she could go back to the childminder on the same day as originally planned.
The childminder has called a helpline apparently and has now asked for ten more days isolation from the date of a positive test.

I'm self employed and will really struggle to work if I have to do another ten days isolation with dd. (They are both pre schoolers).

My dp isn't around, we separated over lockdown due to dv, so it's taken a long time for me to finally try and get my life back and this has just really stressed me out. I've had to cancel so much work already without the girls being allowed in, and I'm already trying to save every penny I can for a decent Xmas for them.

All of this doesn't sit right with me because it's going against the guidelines but I know I've got a lot of personal stuff going on too so aibu to wonder why they can't be going in?
What should I do?

OP posts:
Chloemol · 03/10/2021 01:05

@Rainydaize

So could I be looking at needing to keep her off for 3 months because she can make her own rules?!
No. The childminder has asked you to keep her off for 10 days from her positive test

So that’s what you need to do

FromTheAshes · 03/10/2021 06:30

@Rainydaize

And would I expect her to close if someone in her family comes down with covid because it's her guidelines for whole families to isolate meaning she wouldn't be able to work?
Yes, ofsted have confirmed that if a childminder has anyone testing positive in their household, even if they can fully isolate from the rest of the house, the childminder must close for the full isolation period. They are being very strict with this.

Also, the EYFS sets a duty on childminders to minimise the risk of infection and protect the health of all the children they look after. This is why they often have exclusion periods above and beyond the PHE mandated exclusion periods, eg HFM. Outbreaks of illness, including covid, have to be reported to ofsted, who can then investigate and inspect the childminder. If they don't feel the childminder has done enough to protect the children in their care, they can terminate the childminder's registration and her entire livelihood is gone.

WhatILoved · 03/10/2021 06:45

Hello
Sorry you are going through this. I'm a childminder and I have told my families I will not be following govt. guidelines because they do not protect us or our families. If we get COVID we have to close our business for 10 days which affects not just one family but ALL families and therefore massively impacts on my income and the food I can put on the table. Infection control is a massive issue for us. As an example myself snd my family became very unwell with norovirus after a parent didn't follow my guidelines and sent in a sick child. As childminders we are used to this and unfortunately it's one of the bad things about our job. 48 hours loss of income is not as bad as 10 days. Also COVID can kill. We are bringing this back to our family and maybe 10 other families. Please do not berate us for going against govt, guidelines which most of my childminding network believe are downright dangerous. I suggest using a nursery if your job/situation does not allow flexibility re illness (although I remained open to keyworkers when many nurseries closed). When I had young children and worked in retail I needed 24/7 opening which nursery provided.

Staryflight445 · 03/10/2021 07:24

Why on earth did you think it was ok to send one in after a negative even though they had the same symptoms as the one who tested positive?
Goodness me, and you knew there were vulnerable people in your childminders care.

as long as you’re alright though op 🙄

rose69 · 03/10/2021 08:00

Test and trace can start the isolation period from when the symptoms started but no earlier than 5 days before the test. If you have done contact tracing you could ask 119 to confirm isolation end date. However it's up to your child minder whether she accepts the date.
Whatever date she accepts find the government guidance that says you should not take a PCR test within 90 days of a positive test. These can return a false positive and dc would need to self isolate again. If dc have no active symptoms at end of 10 days they are free to end self isolation. Their lack of an active infection can be proved by a lateral flow.
Your local council website would have info about claiming for financial support as the parent looking after a self isolating child.

Teaandtonic · 03/10/2021 08:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

squee123 · 03/10/2021 08:24

She may well still be infectious, and if she goes in and infects the childminder you won't have childcare anyway. I know it's tough, but I think you just have to wait it out

Original poster
Rainydaize · 03/10/2021 08:42

Thanks, yes I absolutely don't want her to spread it around I'm just confused by all of the differing rules. That's what's confused me. I do want to do the right thing. I think a lot of confusion has come from not knowing her stance until we were in the situation, and obviously I hadn't appreciated that places were able to make up their own rules.

OP posts:
FriendshipHelp · 03/10/2021 08:48

Honestly? She’s asking for a few more days to protect vulnerable children and you can’t force her to take your child, all you’ll likely do is get her handing in her notice and you’ll have to find a new childminder.

It does suck for your work I’m really sorry, but it will affect more people if she gets it and can’t take any of her charges.

Luckypoppy · 03/10/2021 08:49

As a school we say 10 days from positive result. This keeps it very clear for our parents.

Think about it, if she goes back a little early and childminder or a member of their family catch it, it will be closed for another 10 days.

I know it's a no win situation but the childminder has the right to keep her home as safe as she can.

Frazzled2207 · 03/10/2021 08:51

Well common sense tells me that the first should be regarded a false negative and they both isolate for the same amount of time
Which “helpline” did she speak to? Unfortunately I can well believe that different people at t&t say different things
At the end of the day though, I think she can make up her own rules as she is her own business. These should be clear in the Ts and Cs though. I run a business involving children and since the pandemic we’ve had to amend our Ts and Cs and let parents know at least twice.

swanswallow · 03/10/2021 08:52

I get your frustration but they are guidelines not rules. She is right to err on the side of caution given one of the other children is vulnerable and to consider herself and her business.

Nuffaluff · 03/10/2021 09:00

I find it hard to get over the fact that you had one DD with a positive test and symptoms, but that you tried to send your other DD in with symptoms. Never mind that she had a negative test, we all now know that these aren’t reliable. What did you think? That one DD had Covid but that the other just had a cold?
I suspect your childminder is not very happy with you at the moment. You’ve lost her trust and she has vulnerable children she needs to protect.

HalzTangz · 03/10/2021 09:07

I think you were advised incorrectly by whoever you spoke to

I've never heard anyone to be told to count a negative test as day 1 of isolation.

It's always been day you get positive result is day 1 of ten days isolation.

RobinPenguins · 03/10/2021 09:10

It's always been day you get positive result is day 1 of ten days isolation.

Only if asymptomatic. It’s always been day 1 is the day you first have symptoms.

HalzTangz · 03/10/2021 09:12

@Rainydaize

Ok so I'm hearing now the part about her not taking dd1 whilst we thought she was negative.

Now the bit I need to try and work out is when she can go back in. Originally I was told this was when she had a repeat negative pcr. She had symptoms, so ten days past then? What if I'm asked to do ten days past a positive test?

I think I've let dp get in my head a bit with it as I tried to talk to him and he told me to get it sorted.

Once you have a positive PCR result you can't take another PCR for 90 days.

You can take an LFT though. On day 10 take a LFT, if negative share result with childminder

HalzTangz · 03/10/2021 09:19

@Rainydaize

Of course that's what people are doing. Just like they are continuing going to work if they have positive cases in their household. Because that's the guidelines.
The guidelines are family members go to work or school when they have no symptoms.

From reading your post both your kids had symptoms, one tested positive, one negative. You tried to send negative in even though they had symptoms.

What you should have done was assumed both are positive and isolate for ten days.

If CM insists on a negative test it will have to be LFT test as you shouldn't do a PCR test for 90 days.
Next time, if they get symptoms, keep both off until negative results on both

Freddiefox · 03/10/2021 09:20

She’s asking for a few more days to keep vulnerable children safe.

I understand that you have deadline, but she’s protecting her business and her income as much as you.

If she has too many covid cases she will be asked to close for a period and she will loose money.

Are there any other options open to you? Ca family help out with care?

You mentioned your dh and dv, and him getting in your head. I just wanted to say that whatever you do, however you do will never be enough, so try not to worry about what he says .

HSHorror · 03/10/2021 09:20

Op it sounds like you were wrong to try to send other dc in as she had symptoms despite negative test and was obviously close contact. Did you even tell the CM ablut those symptoms? So then it looks like you were doing something dodgy. Then you do the other test get a positive and now trying to shorten the 10d by saying she had it earlier...
Well tbh noone knows so safest to go from the positive test. It is unlucky that possibly the 1st test was wrong. But i can see that to the CM it may look like you just was dc back in so whilst maybe technically you follow the rules you ignored common sense.
I hope if you have symptoms you are assuming it's covid even if you test negative.
Hopefully longer term if we continue testing they would become more accurate as even pcr miss 1/5 positives

Freddiefox · 03/10/2021 09:21

Also when did the symptoms start? And when did you try to send her

Claudyapples · 03/10/2021 09:25

@Rainydaize

And would I expect her to close if someone in her family comes down with covid because it's her guidelines for whole families to isolate meaning she wouldn't be able to work?
Yes as the children will be going into her household Confused, I'd be surprised if any would open. 10 days from the test is reasonable.
Original poster
Rainydaize · 03/10/2021 09:29

I've never tried to pull the wool over her eyes and I've always been transparent about what's going on. The issue is not me trying to swindle them in under the pretence they are fine. I've spoken to her every step of the way about what's going on. I can see how it might look if I was just trying to get them in but that's just not the case.
I just want to work out the isolation period for dd1 now. That's useful to know about lfts thanks

OP posts:
Dutchesss · 03/10/2021 09:32

There's a lot of colds going round, there's a high chance your daughter's symptoms could have been a cold, she could have then caught covid from her sister. You need to do the right thing and keep her at home for longer.
I'm assuming your daughter had cold symptoms to start with as you were planning to send her in.

Original poster
Rainydaize · 03/10/2021 09:36

@HSHorror

Op it sounds like you were wrong to try to send other dc in as she had symptoms despite negative test and was obviously close contact. Did you even tell the CM ablut those symptoms? So then it looks like you were doing something dodgy. Then you do the other test get a positive and now trying to shorten the 10d by saying she had it earlier... Well tbh noone knows so safest to go from the positive test. It is unlucky that possibly the 1st test was wrong. But i can see that to the CM it may look like you just was dc back in so whilst maybe technically you follow the rules you ignored common sense. I hope if you have symptoms you are assuming it's covid even if you test negative. Hopefully longer term if we continue testing they would become more accurate as even pcr miss 1/5 positives
So the symptoms haven't been the typical top 3, apart from a mild cough.

I've been isolating with the girls but I didn't think I need to because my test was negative?

OP posts:
cansu · 03/10/2021 09:42

Go ten days from positive test. If she asks her to take another pcr say no this isn't allowed and she can't retest for 90 days. If she still makes a fuss look for new childminder as she is being ridiculous. Yes she can set her own rules but they need to have some regard for the conditions across the country and other childcare settings.