September opening

[finleysmaid]

Will you resort to isolating resources and rotating more often than cleaning? 

[anju]

7 minutes ago, finleysmaid said:

Will you resort to isolating resources and rotating more often than cleaning? 

We’ve been doing both up til now and it would be more difficult in September with larger numbers of children as we would need more of certain resources in order to make smaller ‘packs’ to rotate. I don’t know really. 

[Stargrower]

Yes, I was just thinking about the cost this morning.  Tomorrow we have 16 on our Pre-school Room and a member of staff on holiday.  Normally they would be fine with two adults, but because of the time it takes to clean and reset as we go, plus all the handwashing, we really need an extra person.  It all adds up!

[anju]

2 minutes ago, Stargrower said:

Yes, I was just thinking about the cost this morning.  Tomorrow we have 16 on our Pre-school Room and a member of staff on holiday.  Normally they would be fine with two adults, but because of the time it takes to clean and reset as we go, plus all the handwashing, we really need an extra person.  It all adds up!

It does indeed!

[Stargrower]

2 hours ago, finleysmaid said:

Will you resort to isolating resources and rotating more often than cleaning? 

Possibly, but there are lots of things that need cleaning that can't be rotated such as chairs and tables, mud kitchen, climbing frame and other outdoor equipment.

[GFCCCC]

57 minutes ago, Stargrower said:

Possibly, but there are lots of things that need cleaning that can't be rotated such as chairs and tables, mud kitchen, climbing frame and other outdoor equipment.

We have separated all our toys into plastic boxes - all grouped and labelled - they are all stacked in a separate room and we rotate them twice each session, if the children are really enjoying something we just get another box of the same thing. We have someone named each day to sterilise used toys and to go round and do touch point cleaning and then at the end of the day the whole building is sanitised using a fogging machine,  so blinds, carpets and all the static equipment gets cleaned and sanitised. Each child has a basket with their name on and their own art materials in it, so when we do the fogging, they get done aswell - as do the shoes and coats that are left at nursery all the time (they have to take their shoes and coats off in the handover room before coming into the nursery). At first it was all a bit confusing for the staff but it has become part of the 'normal' routine.  

[anju]

34 minutes ago, GFCCCC said:

We have separated all our toys into plastic boxes - all grouped and labelled - they are all stacked in a separate room and we rotate them twice each session, if the children are really enjoying something we just get another box of the same thing. We have someone named each day to sterilise used toys and to go round and do touch point cleaning and then at the end of the day the whole building is sanitised using a fogging machine,  so blinds, carpets and all the static equipment gets cleaned and sanitised. Each child has a basket with their name on and their own art materials in it, so when we do the fogging, they get done aswell - as do the shoes and coats that are left at nursery all the time (they have to take their shoes and coats off in the handover room before coming into the nursery). At first it was all a bit confusing for the staff but it has become part of the 'normal' routine.  

Wow! Very thorough. We don’t have enough resources for that and I’ve no idea what a fogging machine even is 😂 It sounds costly too, in terms of paying someone to do all that. 

[anju]

1 hour ago, Stargrower said:

Possibly, but there are lots of things that need cleaning that can't be rotated such as chairs and tables, mud kitchen, climbing frame and other outdoor equipment.

Yes exactly. It’s all such a pain.

[finleysmaid]

how does everyone think their bubbles will work?

[Mouseketeer]

4 hours ago, finleysmaid said:

how does everyone think their bubbles will work?

I know it says we don’t need bubbles in the latest guidance but I just don’t see how that is a good idea (one out all out) and then in the same guidance goes on to say ‘we need to manage how we’ll minimise contact between groups’, so which is it 🤷‍♀️ but with that in mind I’m planning on splitting as a couple of key groups in each bubble (not quite worked out the logistics of which KG with which, I need to ensure a strong staff member with each bubble as well as who works what days), my other idea was to work out which chn only see certain chn over the week, far more complicated and would mean KC wouldn’t necessarily be with their KP.

do you have a plan yet FM? (Or anyone else - am I missing a more obvious way to do it?)

Edited August 6, 2020 by Mouseketeer

[zigzag]

Anyone using a steam cleaner to clean rugs etc? 

[Stargrower]

16 hours ago, Mouseketeer said:

I know it says we don’t need bubbles in the latest guidance but I just don’t see how that is a good idea (one out all out) and then in the same guidance goes on to say ‘we need to manage how we’ll minimise contact between groups’, so which is it 🤷‍♀️ but with that in mind I’m planning on splitting as a couple of key groups in each bubble (not quite worked out the logistics of which KG with which, I need to ensure a strong staff member with each bubble as well as who works what days), my other idea was to work out which chn only see certain chn over the week, far more complicated and would mean KC wouldn’t necessarily be with their KP.

do you have a plan yet FM? (Or anyone else - am I missing a more obvious way to do it?)

We stopped bubbles on 20th July when the requirement ended.  It was a logistical nightmare and we "popped the bubble" several times for various reasons.  For example, one day we had one child left in a bubble from 2.30pm - 5pm.  We couldn't leave her on her own with that bubble's adult, so she had to go into the other bubble., which completely defeats the object!  We are full daycare with a huge variety of attendance patterns and it just wasn't practical.  I was happy to stop as we are spending 95% of our time outdoors, from breakfast until going home time.  As the spread of infection reduces massively outside, I felt that it compensated for the lack of bubbles!  We are doing tons of handwashing and lots of cleaning so I feel we're doing our best.

[sunnyday]

1 hour ago, zigzag said:

Anyone using a steam cleaner to clean rugs etc? 

Oh zigzag - I have often been tempted to buy a steam cleaner - this could be just the excuse I needed 😃

[zigzag]

3 hours ago, sunnyday said:

Oh zigzag - I have often been tempted to buy a steam cleaner - this could be just the excuse I needed 😃

Just wondered how good they are and if it’s worth investing in one if it means I could bring back some soft furnishings!

[ladybirds1991]

We will are lucky enough to be able to have two different areas where our children can enter and leave by so we will be having our returners come in via one door without their parents and our newbies coming in via another with their parent, restricted to one parent, which we will allow for the first week ish then hopefully ween parent off, as 9 times out of 10 it is the parent who tends to have the issue with 'letting go' lol and at that point their child will come in without them, though they won't be allowed any further in than the main hall and won't be allowed to interact or mingle with anyone else while there, so fingers crossed it all works! 

[anju]

9 minutes ago, ladybirds1991 said:

We will are lucky enough to be able to have two different areas where our children can enter and leave by so we will be having our returners come in via one door without their parents and our newbies coming in via another with their parent, restricted to one parent, which we will allow for the first week ish then hopefully ween parent off, as 9 times out of 10 it is the parent who tends to have the issue with 'letting go' lol and at that point their child will come in without them, though they won't be allowed any further in than the main hall and won't be allowed to interact or mingle with anyone else while there, so fingers crossed it all works! 

This all sounds good - thank you for sharing what you’re doing. It’s given me some ideas for how to arrange things in September 😊

[ladybirds1991]

On 07/08/2020 at 09:07, zigzag said:

Anyone using a steam cleaner to clean rugs etc? 

No we haven't yet, what we have been doing is getting a disinfectant carpet spray from our suppliers and spraying that on our mats and then hoovering off, seems to work just as well to be honest lol.

[sunnyday]

'Soft play' centres are allowed to open???

Is that because they are 'plastic fantastic' and therefore can be 'easily cleaned'?

I am confused (it doesn't take a lot) - we can't have any 'soft furnishings' but they can open.......germ factories at the best of times in my humble

[anju]

16 minutes ago, sunnyday said:

'Soft play' centres are allowed to open???

Is that because they are 'plastic fantastic' and therefore can be 'easily cleaned'?

I am confused (it doesn't take a lot) - we can't have any 'soft furnishings' but they can open.......germ factories at the best of times in my humble

Completely agree - hive of heat and germs I reckon! 

[sunnyday]

17 minutes ago, anju said:

Completely agree - hive of heat and germs I reckon! 

My middle granddaughter had her 4th birthday party at one of these soft play centres - one of her little friends had a bit of a bump and was bleeding - so off I went in search of their 'First Aider' "oh no sorry we don't have one" (WHAT!) okay says I, I'm a First Aider so if I could have your first aid box, I can deal with it myself "oh sorry we haven't got a first aid box" 😡 I had to 'behave' as it was her party, but honestly that can't possibly be legal......suffice it to say I have never been in one since

[anju]

3 minutes ago, sunnyday said:

My middle granddaughter had her 4th birthday party at one of these soft play centres - one of her little friends had a bit of a bump and was bleeding - so off I went in search of their 'First Aider' "oh no sorry we don't have one" (WHAT!) okay says I, I'm a First Aider so if I could have your first aid box, I can deal with it myself "oh sorry we haven't got a first aid box" 😡 I had to 'behave' as it was her party, but honestly that can't possibly be legal......suffice it to say I have never been in one since

OMG!!! 😱😱

[Mouseketeer]

I’ve only ever been to a couple but they never seem the most hygienic places at the best of time ...they have such enclosed spaces and do they have someone following each child around to clean dribbles and sneezes ....it’s crazy that one of our children can go to these places yet we’re supposed to still ask parents to choose one setting only 🧐

[blondie]

23 hours ago, anju said:

Completely agree - hive of heat and germs I reckon! 

Not sure if it's me but they always smell and the floor always seems damp/wet - how do they check whether children are having toileting accidents etc., 

[Mouseketeer]

15 minutes ago, blondie said:

Not sure if it's me but they always smell and the floor always seems damp/wet - how do they check whether children are having toileting accidents etc., 

I hadn’t even considered the toileting accidents, I’m sure there are some fantastic places and I think I read x amount of children to 10sq mts but I can’t see how they can keep chn in their own 10mts sq 🤷‍♀️

[sunnyday]

Did I read somewhere that we should expect new guidelines 2th August or did I dream that?

I can't see how the 'one setting' works anymore - would be good to know now and not a week or so before start of term 🤦‍♀️

[anju]

24 minutes ago, sunnyday said:

Did I read somewhere that we should expect new guidelines 2th August or did I dream that?

I can't see how the 'one setting' works anymore - would be good to know now and not a week or so before start of term 🤦‍♀️

Absolutely - we need to know now! Haven’t seen anything saying a date for new guidance though 😕

[louby loo]

3 hours ago, blondie said:

Not sure if it's me but they always smell and the floor always seems damp/wet - how do they check whether children are having toileting accidents etc., 

That's why the children just wear socks...... you check for 'dampness' and any added colour or texture on socks! 🤣

I think the 'ball pit' areas are not to be used yet ?- which I guess it the main offender accidents to be fair.

[Mouseketeer]

5 hours ago, anju said:

Absolutely - we need to know now! Haven’t seen anything saying a date for new guidance though 😕

We so do, our guidance is still that staff shouldn’t be working in more than one place yet the very recent guidance for schools says that’s acceptable, one of our staff also works as a TA, how can you ask someone to give up a job? there are so many decisions to make with no real guidance and what do we get?..... ‘how to clean a toothbrush’  😡

[anju]

10 hours ago, Mouseketeer said:

We so do, our guidance is still that staff shouldn’t be working in more than one place yet the very recent guidance for schools says that’s acceptable, one of our staff also works as a TA, how can you ask someone to give up a job? there are so many decisions to make with no real guidance and what do we get?..... ‘how to clean a toothbrush’  😡

Same with us - one of my colleagues works in the school as well. I think school guidance says specialist teachers can do actual visits to different schools too but ours says no to speech therapists etc visiting unless unavoidable (I think) - surely the guidance should be consistent 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Mouseketeer]

2 hours ago, anju said:

Same with us - one of my colleagues works in the school as well. I think school guidance says specialist teachers can do actual visits to different schools too but ours says no to speech therapists etc visiting unless unavoidable (I think) - surely the guidance should be consistent 🤷🏻‍♀️

It really needs to be doesn’t it, the schools will have class bubbles but chn from each class could well go to the BS/AS clubs and be looked after by the same adult, I’m still undecided on the shared setting with all the other things open that chn can attend now and families mixing (from posts I see or get shown on Fb they are really mixing 😔), then staff are ‘what are you going to do about that’ and you feel like you’ve turned into ‘constable covid’ (other spellings are available) trying to manage everyone’s behaviour and the expectations on you to keep everyone safe whilst having a nervous breakdown yourself ☹️