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Original poster

Nursery rejected DC because of Covid contact

178 replies

DinoRoar345 · 25/11/2021 09:33

DH has Covid. DS and I don’t (negative PCR and multiple LFTs). So I need to take DS to nursery and go to work. I said to nursery, if DS seems unwell please call me because he’s been exposed to Covid. And they said he can’t come in, please take him home!

Government policy is if you’re double jabbed or under 18 you do not have to isolate even if you’re a contact of someone with Covid. I need to go to work but now I have no childcare! Can I complain to council or Ofsted or something? I can’t stay off work for ten days when I don’t even have Covid.

OP posts:
wonkylegs · 25/11/2021 14:39

@DinoRoar345
I understand how frustrating and annoying it is and how it puts you in a difficult position however I agree that the nursery have done the right thing for various reasons.
The government guidelines are the base position but that doesn't mean it's the best position. The nursery have clearly done a risk analysis and decided to take a firmer approach. It makes sense not only to protect health but also the business. Your child represents a risk of bringing Covid into the setting and other kids and staff getting it which may risk them being unable to operate.
How would you feel if nursery had to shut down at short notice because another kid brought Covid in and all the staff were off? - I'm guessing you and all the other parents would be pissed off.
DHs work (hospital) has taken the stricter approach of family contact means isolation because they can't risk an outbreak in the staff it would be too difficult to cope with.
It's not even to just to protect vulnerable people it's now mainly to protect service viability.

girlmom21 · 25/11/2021 14:46

@Giveaschitt

The child could be a carrier though

So could literally anybody...

Yeah but the kids in the house with a positive case and his mother has literally said to the nursery "oh if he develops any symptoms let me know". To me I would assume that the child was being willingly exposed to the virus, not that the dad is isolating as OP has stated. I'm not saying she's lying - just that it wouldn't come across well given the way she said it
Namechangehereandnow · 25/11/2021 14:49

Obviously any child (or adult) can be a carrier … however if a direct family member actually has Covid, then the child is more likely to become infected and be a carrier, than a child from a home where no one has Covid.

Have many posters actually lost their common sense?? I honestly don’t see why you wouldn’t take extra precautions for such a short amount of time? When someone is knowingly infected, why would you not protect those around you.

Out of interest, why must your child go to nursery OP? Why can’t his father look after him? Why is it better to take him to nursery under these circumstances?

EmJay19 · 25/11/2021 14:54

I agree with you @DinoRoar345 they are breaking the rules. Would be different if you weren’t expected to go to work…

ZeroFuchsGiven · 25/11/2021 14:54

@Namechangehereandnow

Obviously any child (or adult) can be a carrier … however if a direct family member actually has Covid, then the child is more likely to become infected and be a carrier, than a child from a home where no one has Covid.

Have many posters actually lost their common sense?? I honestly don’t see why you wouldn’t take extra precautions for such a short amount of time? When someone is knowingly infected, why would you not protect those around you.

Out of interest, why must your child go to nursery OP? Why can’t his father look after him? Why is it better to take him to nursery under these circumstances?

She's already said her dh can't look after him as she doesn't want her ds to catch covid.
ZeroFuchsGiven · 25/11/2021 14:55

@EmJay19

I agree with you *@DinoRoar345* they are breaking the rules. Would be different if you weren’t expected to go to work…
What rules are they breaking?
ZenNudist · 25/11/2021 14:56

The mistake was telling them. Frustrating and I think that government rules should be applied.

OinkPinkPonk · 25/11/2021 14:57

@EmJay19

I agree with you *@DinoRoar345* they are breaking the rules. Would be different if you weren’t expected to go to work…
What rules?
MaggieFS · 25/11/2021 15:00

Presumably it's a private nursery? In which case there's no point in constantly referring back to the government guidelines. They can do what they want and as they are being more cautious than the guidelines there's no legal issue.

I do understand your frustration, but I completely understand why they've done it. Surely you can see that too?

Aderyn21 · 25/11/2021 15:01

You are being deliberately obtuse. You know it isn’t safe, which is why you don’t want your dh to look after your child but are pretending there’s no risk to vulnerable kids and their families because it suits you to treat government guidance as bullet proof fact.
I do agree you shouldn’t have to pay for a service not provided though.

whatthehelldowecare · 25/11/2021 15:01

The government rules set down the minimum standards, and it is up to individual businesses/schools/nurseries/people to risk assess and fix their own rules.

As someone mentioned above, there are no government rules which say that a child with chicken pox cannot attend nursery, - nurseries are still allow to refuse them.

Literally hundreds of thousands of people have died and lives have been massively turned upside down over the last 18 months. I'm sorry, but you having to take some time off work, or your husband having to watch your child whilst poorly, is not the end of the world. What would be the end of someone's world is if their kid caught COVID from yours, brought it home and it killed a vulnerable family member.

Get a grip OP.

toomuchlaundry · 25/11/2021 15:03

@Marianne1234 quite a few people are. Some schools have now been asked to implement the no household contact being in school rule. Not implementing this can cause chaos in schools. As stated above DS"s school have had to close year groups (on PHE advice before anyone argues that the school is breaking rules) and go back to remote provision.

teaandtoastwithmarmite · 25/11/2021 15:04

When I had Covid and was isolating my DH took DD to school. It was only when he caught it she had to stop going and that was only because she is too young to get to school by herself (8) so I don't see why nursery should not take your DS. I feel your pain OP!

aSofaNearYou · 25/11/2021 15:07

I wouldn't complain. They don't have to follow the minimum guidelines and in fact this is much more sensible.

It's quite hard to feel sympathy when you don't want your DC to catch it from your DH, but see no issue with other kids catching it from your DC.

Gliderx · 25/11/2021 15:14

Of course nurseries can exclude children with Covid, chicken pox, vomiting bugs or other illnesses. But this child is not ill - he's had a negative test.

The nursery cannot unilaterally exclude children contrary to public health guidelines and expect to be paid. It was different when isolation was mandatory for close contacts since in that case the nursery was making the place available but the parent was legally prohibited from taking it up. Here, the nursery is refusing to make the place available in circumstances where the parent could legally use it. So OP's fees should be refunded.

FinallyFluid · 25/11/2021 15:15

I think this thread set out to be goady, either that or the OP is hard of thinking.

teaandtoastwithmarmite · 25/11/2021 15:23

Totally agree with @Gliderx

teaandtoastwithmarmite · 25/11/2021 15:23

@teaandtoastwithmarmite

When I had Covid and was isolating my DH took DD to school. It was only when he caught it she had to stop going and that was only because she is too young to get to school by herself (8) so I don't see why nursery should not take your DS. I feel your pain OP!
Oh and incidentally she didn't catch it
Newrunner29 · 25/11/2021 15:31

A ta in my childs pre school class has both her children at home with covid but she has had to come into work she said due to guidelines

containsnuts · 25/11/2021 15:36

We've just been reprimanded and DD's school place threatened due to following the guidelines and isolating with symptoms pending results. The whole thing is a mess. I appreciate your frustration, OP, but direct it at the government's weak messaging - not the nursery. Nursery are trying their best.

Skyechasemarshalontheway · 25/11/2021 15:47

Your child might have tested negative but could still become positive. We had this happen 1 positive 4 negative a few days later 2 were positive had they went to work/school they could have passed it on. The first one to get it was our 6 yr old so she transmitted it into our house so kids can pass it on even to those double vaccinated.

Emilyontmoor · 25/11/2021 16:16

OP is entitled because she assumes she is entitled to the nursery providing childcare so she can work whatever the risk to the other children, whose parents also work. OP is going to learn over the coming years of working parenthood that that is in no way their entitlement and if the nursery or school judges there is a health risk to the other children they will refuse to let them attend, and they will ring you up and ask you to pick them up. They might even raise their eyeballs to the heavens when you dash out an urgent email on your laptop whilst waiting for your child.

It is their responsibility not yours to call that. I have a DC with sensory issues who throws up at strong smells, so I do really know about losing childcare when it seems a bit unfair but of course they have to send a child home who has vomited because they can’t be sure it is down to sensory, not health, issues. And if their child reports that little Emily was sick today but stayed on they would have many parents complaining as well.

And you do not get a refund for any Heath related absence.

So I suggest OP is resigned to the situation or they will spend the coming years a seething mass of resentment and there are going to be many other occasions when that is actually justified without getting worked up by a situation which a big majority here think justified!

Emilyontmoor · 25/11/2021 16:21

Actually come to think of it you can get compensation for pandemic related absence. During the swine flu epidemic in 2009 several private schools were closed (it only took one case) and included in the fees was insurance which paid out in the event of the school closing as a result of a public health issue. So not quite accurate and maybe worth checking where you are paying fees that they don’t include that insurance.

hedgehogger1 · 25/11/2021 16:25

I know of a previously perfectly healthy 6 year old that's in hospital with Covid. I don't blame them at all.

Boofay · 25/11/2021 16:35

Childminder here. I have written into my covid policy that no child can attend if there's a positive case in their household. Government guidance can say what it wants, it's just that, guidance. I have other exclusions due to illnesses in my illness policy. If parents don't like it, they can find childcare elsewhere. And of course, should they require a refund while I ask their child to stay away due to a close contact, that's absolutely fine.

One family who's child comes to my setting isolated when mum tested positive. Over the course of her isolation, they all ended up becoming positive. I won't take that risk by allowing household contacts into my home and setting.