Nursery and temperatures

[pullingknots]

I was wondering about a current situation with our nursery that my 3 year old. I am happy with the nursery generally but I am self-employed and am finding that almost every week they call me to say she is not well.

I go in to collect her and she is playing happily and clearly very full of beans, but they explain that she has a cold and that her temperature was 'somewhat elevated.' My problem is that they then tell me that even if her temperature has returned to normal she cannot be brought in the following day.

This seems mad to me as she is perfectly healthy (completely normal temperature - currently playing in the paddling pool) and yet I have to take an unpaid day off work, all the while I am still paying for childcare.

Is this normal? I fully understand that if she had sickness or diarrhoea then she would need to wait the appropriate period before returning to nursery - but their approach seems excessive.

I live in a place where many of the nurseries are at capacity, except this one, which only has about 6 children there - I'm beginning to see why.

Are they being excessively cautious or am I a terrible mother for thinking she could have gone in today?

Seems a bit weird, based on what you've said.

If dd has a temp then they call me to get permission for Calpol. If she still has a high temp after 30mins, I collect, but if not she stays there. There'd be no issues with the following day in either case.

Our nursery’s policy was exactly the same as the PP. My dd was there for nearly 4 years and I probably only got called to collect her due to a fever maybe twice? It does sound annoyingly cautious.

My nursery started doing stuff like this but soon stopped when I sort of told them off. I just explained to them that I wasn't possible for me to always come and get her for only a slight fever or a snotty nose and that it was unreasonable for them request for me to come get her when she was so clearly fine. They stopped that nonsense and now only ring when she's actually poorly. Sometimes I think if one of the nursery workers is off sick or something that they get overwhelmed and don't have the staff for the number of kids.

That's ridiculous. Can you exert any influence at the nursery, for example is there something like parent governors at a school?

Yeah they are being ridiculous.
You could ask if they have a sickness and infection policy, and if not ask them to provide one.
Our nursery policy includes various illnesses and how long children should be off nursery for.
I would also ask for a written record of the symptoms they’ve observed including exact temperature (none of this “somewhat elevated” crap) and time taken.
I would also check ofsted guidelines and probably consider making a written complaint.
If your daughter is well, with no temperature, not on medication and not infectious, it’s absolutely ridiculous for them to exclude her.
Have you put her name on any waiting lists for other nurseries?

Take her in tomorrow, there is no way they have a policy which states a child with a slightly elevated temperature should be kept off for that long. Children of Nursery age are always getting temperatures unless she is sick or has had diarrhoea then she can go in tomorrow.

Try asking to see their policy on this. It should be immediately available. Don’t give them chance to change it! I could understand if D/V as you say. But there is no reason for a high temp. Unless she is particularly unhappy and needing 1:1 attention.

Thank you all very much for your responses. I spoke to the manager and explained that the current situation was unworkable for me. She said she would speak to the owner and when I came to collect my daughter she confirmed that they would use their discretion in the future.

I'm not 100% sure what that means but I think she got the message that I was (politely) rather frustrated and that an alternative would have to be found if it couldn't work.

Fingers crossed and thanks for reassuring me that I wasn't being unreasonable.