Pre school and COVID-19

[F1nn]

Hi.
I’m sure This is a very ongoing and open ended discussion but what are peoples thoughts on sending little ones back to nursery or child care setting with this new variant?
Me and my partner agreed after months of having our 3yo at home that it was time to send her back to nursery before starting reception in sept. But now with this new variant of COVID and seemingly opposed decisions between government/healthcare professionals/school boards we are anxious and confused to say the least.

Hi, Iam a childminder I am open again from next week and currently all families returning. I have been open all the way through but will. E keep close eye on local rates as this new strain is spreading faster than old one did, if I felt it was safe for my family to close then I will. If I close then no families will be charged but if they decided not to attend then I will be charging full fees.

My baby has just turned 1 and will be starting nursery tomorrow for the first time. I would love to keep him at home but we both work full time and are both key workers so even if we go into another lockdown the baby will need to go. I'm hoping I get to do settling in with him this week as I fear they may stop that if / when a lockdown happens.

I'm a childminder who work right through. I feel as safe as i can be as we dont break the rules and I know my families are being careful. There are only 4 children here so its a small consistent group.

why would you send her?

Very selfish indeed to send children in to nursery for any reason at all other than both parents keyworker or SEN that cannot be managed at home

Surely no one on the planet is currently sending their child in to nursery unnesseserily?

@quarks is this sarcasm or not......?!

I think if I had an option I would keep her home at the moment as that seems the safer option. I am a single parent working from home and have to send my daughter to nursery/ childminder and it is not the experience I would want for her. It is freezing cold as all the windows are open, there are very few other children in 1 other child on Wednesday, and 4 on Thursday. She is in 8am to 5.30 so spends quite a bit of time on her own. Staff are anxious which she is picking up on too.
On the other hand I had her home with me 24/7 for 18 days over Christmas and really struggled with constantly having to be ‘mummy!’ I did not figure in a pandemic when choosing to be a parent!