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I think in England private nursuries are already open and in Wales they can open as of Monday (or at least that's when ours is).
Are other people sending their kids back? It seems to me that its 'safer' than school because the numbers are lower even if social distancing is probably harder. We are supposed to be sending ours back two days a week. However I am starting to have anxiety about the return.
Put simply, the level of work my wife and I have means we need some childcare. Balancing work and childcare by working till 11pm is taking its toll. I also think it would be better for our child to see some of her friends. I just have this niggle that we are being selfish putting her back when it is risky (albeit very marginal).
The only other option is I use up annual leave taking a couple of days holiday a week but I have deadlines I have to make so am not sure it is sensible (I'd end up working evenings to get it done anyway) or would even be granted and it only delays the process by a few weeks. Plus if there is a second wave then we may need that capability then.
so WWSTWD?
I just have this niggle that we are being selfish putting her back when it is risky (albeit very marginal).
Selfish to whom?
The people mainly at risk from this are those in your 'bubble' who are older or in poorer health. Basically, it's unlikely your kid will get seriously ill, but a possibility that she will bring it back to your household, and your extended family, unless you take precautions.
Will she still be seeing grandparents or other elderly relatives regularly? Personally, I wouldn't alternate between nursery and grandparent childcare, which I know a lot of families are forced to do.
As for the current level of risk, unless you live in a hotspot area, it really isn't going to get any better than this. Anything you don't feel safe doing now, you certainly won't feel safe doing come the autumn when it is possible that case numbers will rise again.
As above unless your immediate bubble are an at risk group I wouldn't worry. Even for the over 65s the majority who have had complications have had existing heath problems (proportionally more over 65s have health problems than under 65s).
Our nursery is being very good with social distancing, playing outside where possible etc.
My Daughter is in full time school now (we're both key workers), she'll be going to our Childminder for about 13 days over the schools hols, days we haven't managed to cover between the 2 of us.
WAG have decided to close childcare hubs during the summer hols, which we've taken as a positive step, or rather an indication that things are moving in the right direction.
The Childminder we have used since she was a Baby (our daughter, not the Childminder) pretty much only minds Kids of key workers so has been working throughout lock down, and we'll be sending her there in a few weeks.
Is it perfectly safe, no, but the risk factor for our Daughter is lower than say, travelling in the car to get there, as of the end of May only 3 people under the age of 15 have sadly died of Covid.
Is it perfectly safe for the Childminder, no, whilst the science on adults catching covid from small children is far from complete, there is at least evidence to suggest the risks are lower.
Quite a few have been open throughout for key workers kids 🤷♂️
WAG have decided to close childcare hubs during the summer hols, which we’ve taken as a positive step, or rather an indication that things are moving in the right direction.
Hopefully you're correct. Seeing it from the other side it might be that covid is emptying the coffers and closing saves money.
Thanks all
Selfish to whom?
I guess I worry we're being selfish to my child but as you say children are at very low risk so maybe more selfish to prevent her going to something she'll enjoy out of a percieved risk.
We're going to reduce contact with the local set of grand parents (not for them but because the care for even older relatives) to full lockdown style levels.
You could ask what the nursery have in place regarding distancing measures if that will help reassure you? The problem facing private nurseries is that any that were receiving child care vouchers were not able to get furlough money for the staff although they weren't informed/realised this after they've furloughed the staff. My wifes nursery lost 90% of it's income from kids not coming in and a few keyworkers kids. Whether the nursery survives this is another matter. My wife's been furloughed until September as she's not contracted to work during the summer holidays.
There may be a large number of private nurseries go under as they've absolutely 0 means of any other income without the kids coming in.
@BenjiM - they've sent through a bunch of stuff that seems pretty sensible.
I'm pretty certain the Welsh govt provided support for nursuries; I can imagine it will still be a struggle thoguh as we ahve had to go from 4 days to 2 due to reduced numbers permissable on site.
Our 20 month old is returning to nursery 3 days a week starting next week (based in S. Wales). We have been struggling to both maintain our full-time jobs, so this will be a huge relief for us. As far as Covid-19 concerns go - our little one is more at risk on the back of my bike on the trip there than from the disease. My wife and I are much more concerned about his development, especially social, and are very happy that our nursery has completely minimised the amount of changes they have made compared to pre-lockdown.
As for Covid-19 risks to any one else - I can understand if parents are alternating care between nursery and grandparents, but it's not even clear at this point if young people and/or asymptomatic people are as infectious. Personally, it's just one of the risks we are going to take in life.
@twrch - same as us re. the job front, up until last week I was looking forward to a bit of an easier work situation. Not sure why I've had second thoughts so much this week. Maybe just re-adjustment post lockdown hitting home.