Panders Posted May 26, 2020 Share Posted May 26, 2020 When you seem umpteen thousand sitting on beaches over the weekend, I suspect a huge spike in virus cases in the next 10 days. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondie Posted May 26, 2020 Share Posted May 26, 2020 and lots of these are half term this week so will be doing it most days. Scarily it is the quietest it has been in ages where i live, can't hear any children so makes me wonder if they have gone out for the day. What is so wrong is that these people will be out clapping the NHS on thursday not realising that maybe they have just started another spike in cases in ten days. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enuffsenuf Posted May 26, 2020 Share Posted May 26, 2020 2 hours ago, blondie said: and lots of these are half term this week so will be doing it most days. Scarily it is the quietest it has been in ages where i live, can't hear any children so makes me wonder if they have gone out for the day. What is so wrong is that these people will be out clapping the NHS on thursday not realising that maybe they have just started another spike in cases in ten days. fellow professionals, as we know from working with children if you give mixed messaged for example saying "please don't do that" with a cheery smile on your face and a happy tone of voice.......it has very little effect on the murder that's just about to be committed by Sally as she aims her cricket bat at Jenny for the third time that morning.....like wise you cannot say to people "It is safe for your child to go to school and sit near 15 other children from various homes with standards of hygiene" and yet at the same time say "its not safe to go to the beach and sit as a family on a picnic blanket building sandcastles near others engaged likewise"...It's a mixed message...so I suspect a lot of people are now thinking "I have to go to work" "My children can go to school/nursery" "I can queue up for 30 minutes in Costa for a coffee"........"what's the problem?" Let's just hope if there is another spike that we are all safe......or....maybe the sun has just gone to their heads! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anju Posted May 26, 2020 Share Posted May 26, 2020 3 hours ago, enuffsenuf said: fellow professionals, as we know from working with children if you give mixed messaged for example saying "please don't do that" with a cheery smile on your face and a happy tone of voice.......it has very little effect on the murder that's just about to be committed by Sally as she aims her cricket bat at Jenny for the third time that morning.....like wise you cannot say to people "It is safe for your child to go to school and sit near 15 other children from various homes with standards of hygiene" and yet at the same time say "its not safe to go to the beach and sit as a family on a picnic blanket building sandcastles near others engaged likewise"...It's a mixed message...so I suspect a lot of people are now thinking "I have to go to work" "My children can go to school/nursery" "I can queue up for 30 minutes in Costa for a coffee"........"what's the problem?" Let's just hope if there is another spike that we are all safe......or....maybe the sun has just gone to their heads! And the rather obvious mixed message regarding the breaking of lockdown rules by a powerful person when most of us have been adhering hitherto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pendle58 Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 Quote What happens if a setting decides to reduce its hours at this time and open for fewer sessions? Settings should inform their parents, the Early Years Service and Ofsted. The Early Years Service will discuss the reasons and make a decision regarding funding based on the information shared. This received yesterday from our Funding Team? I will be very cross if they do claim back our funding. Also think this should have been communicated much earlier than this. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enuffsenuf Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 2 minutes ago, Pendle58 said: This received yesterday from our Funding Team? I will be very cross if they do claim back our funding. Also think this should have been communicated much earlier than this. I thought reduced hours /staged returns was one of the pathways identified as a safe way to return for a while? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louby loo Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 1 hour ago, Pendle58 said: This received yesterday from our Funding Team? I will be very cross if they do claim back our funding. Also think this should have been communicated much earlier than this. Our's issued a longish statement saying we would continue to receive the funding unless a parent wants to use it at a different setting (fair enough really I suppose) - However it would expect the new setting to use any other unclaimed funding from their own non returners first before putting in the claim for the new child. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enuffsenuf Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 31 minutes ago, louby loo said: Our's issued a longish statement saying we would continue to receive the funding unless a parent wants to use it at a different setting (fair enough really I suppose) - However it would expect the new setting to use any other unclaimed funding from their own non returners first before putting in the claim for the new child. Indeed and I have a child with split funding who does more hours elsewhere so they are returning there next week however mum isn't as sure they are quite as on the ball with their plans as we have been and its a much larger setting so we have said that if after the first week or so (or even day) she decided she doesn't feel it's safe then the child is welcome to come to us full time without the additional funding because at the end of the day safety is the bottom line and parents mental and emotional well being also has to be accounted for....it shouldn't be a financial pressure that makes the choice. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louby loo Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 Another worrying financial issue I've seen developing on other social media [which luckily doesn't effect us] is that parents that use the funding spread over the year are now expecting their 'unused funding whilst closed' to be carried over to the summer months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enuffsenuf Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 1 hour ago, louby loo said: Another worrying financial issue I've seen developing on other social media [which luckily doesn't effect us] is that parents that use the funding spread over the year are now expecting their 'unused funding whilst closed' to be carried over to the summer months. I think some of that has been driven because some of the nursery chains(who often use the stretched offers) have still wanted fees paid despite not operating.....I guess that works both ways Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pendle58 Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 Please can I ask, is anyone taking on any new children from 1 June? I have had an enquiry from a family who have just moved into the area with a 4 year old who is due to start reception at our local school in September and she is very keen for him to attend our preschool for the remainder of the summer term mainly to help him socialise with the children from our setting who are also attending this school. My initial thought was to say no (or maybe consider joining later rather than the week we are returning?) but would really appreciate your thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 11 minutes ago, Pendle58 said: Please can I ask, is anyone taking on any new children from 1 June? I have had an enquiry from a family who have just moved into the area with a 4 year old who is due to start reception at our local school in September and she is very keen for him to attend our preschool for the remainder of the summer term mainly to help him socialise with the children from our setting who are also attending this school. My initial thought was to say no (or maybe consider joining later rather than the week we are returning?) but would really appreciate your thoughts? My 'gut reaction' was no - I couldn't consider throwing a new child into the mix - how would you do this when parents will not be able to enter your setting? It would be a huge 'ask' to expect a new child to enter provision without the usual comfort of his parent being able to accompany him. Hopefully others will be along shortly who maybe able to provide some positive thoughts for you 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pendle58 Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 That was exactly my thoughts and I explained this to mum who told me he was finding it really hard. 🙁I have told her that I may consider this if Covid-19 restrictions change over time to enable a settling in option But then I started to feel guilty and wondering whether we should at least give him a chance to meet with local children. 😩 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 I think you have made the right decision - don't feel guilty, we are in the middle of a global pandemic, in normal circumstances you would have welcomed him with open arms but, sadly, there is nothing normal about the situation we find ourselves in 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 Totally the right decision. I was meant to have four new starters this term and am now not starting them until September (hopefully) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennie Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 22 minutes ago, zigzag said: Totally the right decision. I was meant to have four new starters this term and am now not starting them until September (hopefully) We are also not going to invite in new starters until September. It simply would not allow the type of transition support and interaction between parents, child and staff that we usually encourage. I think it will be difficult enough for some of the regulars when they return. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondie Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 4 hours ago, sunnyday said: My 'gut reaction' was no - I couldn't consider throwing a new child into the mix - how would you do this when parents will not be able to enter your setting? It would be a huge 'ask' to expect a new child to enter provision without the usual comfort of his parent being able to accompany him. Hopefully others will be along shortly who maybe able to provide some positive thoughts for you I would say no too - has she moved far, just wondered if she could still access old setting where child is familiar? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pendle58 Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 Thanks 🙏. I do feel better about refusing. And like Dennie we too haven’t started anyone who was due to join us in April and no likelihood of them having settling in until September so I know ultimately it was the right decision. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouseketeer Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 5 hours ago, Pendle58 said: Please can I ask, is anyone taking on any new children from 1 June? I have had an enquiry from a family who have just moved into the area with a 4 year old who is due to start reception at our local school in September and she is very keen for him to attend our preschool for the remainder of the summer term mainly to help him socialise with the children from our setting who are also attending this school. My initial thought was to say no (or maybe consider joining later rather than the week we are returning?) but would really appreciate your thoughts? I actually am, but only as they meet the ‘vulnerable’ list, and following discussions it’s felt it will be a good thing for the child, if it was just general circumstances I’d say no, especially as a term time only setting anyway. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 We've had 3 new starters over the pandemic lockdown period - all families who are keyworkers. 1 moved to the area to get away from a situation, and 2 who attended another setting which had closed and they were KW. From the other setting, one has decided to stay with us, and has increased her days the other is returning to previous setting next week when they open as he starts school and is missing his other friends. I echo what others have said about worrying for our usual settling procedures - but we managed without the parents on site - we had more staff than we needed and 'squished' the settling process into a week with lots of short sessions. All have managed beautifully. It's not a way of working I will be adopting, but then not much of this is ... but if the children are happy, I'm happy. We did go through everything with parents first and explain that if the child really didn't settle or was clearly unhappy we wouldn't offer the place. We may had got lucky, but we did succeed in having 3 very happy children playing. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pendle58 Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 That’s interesting to know Rebecca. If all our returning children settle in the next week or two maybe I can see if we can do anything for this little boy. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stargrower Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 We have planned for new children to start settling in once we've been open for a week. If we don't, they will go elsewhere and we just won't be sustainable. It is going to be a challenge as they are all under two. We are planning for one parent to come in with the child for very short sessions and we will do all the settling in outside with adults social distancing. Thank goodness the good weather is meant to hold! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enuffsenuf Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 4 hours ago, Stargrower said: We have planned for new children to start settling in once we've been open for a week. If we don't, they will go elsewhere and we just won't be sustainable. It is going to be a challenge as they are all under two. We are planning for one parent to come in with the child for very short sessions and we will do all the settling in outside with adults social distancing. Thank goodness the good weather is meant to hold! Our problem is that we cannot get the children we have all back at the present time so it seems very unfair to say to someone who hasn't started yet, yes you can come and join us when I've already had to say to existing parents, it's highly unlikely we will get your child back before September, It may well be that I lose some of those who might wish to join us but its like a shop saying to someone who's shopped there for years, sorry I cant serve you and then advertising for new customers.....it just doesn't sit right with me. Once I've worked out how I can get all 26 children back, at the same time and keep everyone safe and follow the guidelines then I will start to take new children again. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stargrower Posted June 1, 2020 Share Posted June 1, 2020 The children we have starting were already on the waiting list and had been allocated a place. They haven't taken a place from anyone else. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 On 01/06/2020 at 10:53, Stargrower said: The children we have starting were already on the waiting list and had been allocated a place. They haven't taken a place from anyone else. So none of your existing children want to come back at the moment? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enuffsenuf Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 25 minutes ago, Cait said: So none of your existing children want to come back at the moment? I wondered this..I cannot start any of the new children because I am unable at present to offer all my existing children a place...so it would seem unfair to welcome new children in when old established faces are being told there's no room at the inn. Maybe their setting was quieter and had plenty of spaces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stargrower Posted June 6, 2020 Share Posted June 6, 2020 19 hours ago, Cait said: So none of your existing children want to come back at the moment? Yes, we have lots of children back. So we have a little boy settling in on Monday. He is a year old and has been on our waiting list for a baby room space for a few months. His place is there, he was due to start in April but we were closed. He isn't taking anyone else's place. We haven't turned any existing children away to fit him in. We have six baby room places, he has one of them. There will be three others there on Monday, plus him, plus two who haven't yet returned. I hope that makes sense. 🙂 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enuffsenuf Posted June 7, 2020 Share Posted June 7, 2020 16 hours ago, Stargrower said: Yes, we have lots of children back. So we have a little boy settling in on Monday. He is a year old and has been on our waiting list for a baby room space for a few months. His place is there, he was due to start in April but we were closed. He isn't taking anyone else's place. We haven't turned any existing children away to fit him in. We have six baby room places, he has one of them. There will be three others there on Monday, plus him, plus two who haven't yet returned. I hope that makes sense. 🙂 That makes perfect sense...I think those of us who normally operate with 26 and who are now operating with 16 are in a different position which is why the question was asked. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finleysmaid Posted June 8, 2020 Share Posted June 8, 2020 hope all goes well for anyone opening today. We are thinking of you . FM xxx❤️ 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enuffsenuf Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 well one of my colleagues dropped her children at school today as she has been doing throughout lockdown only to discover her schools onsite pre-school had reopened today.....all the children.🤧..all the parents🤢 no social distancing🥶, no staggered starting times etc😵 all standing alongside the poor keyworkers bubble. 🥵 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.