Safe Guarding and Infection Control…
Childerwood Nursery has remained open, at the height of the Covid-19 lockdown and throughout, providing essential childcare for our key workers. During this time, we have introduced a number of new procedures to ensure we operate as safely as possible.
By planning ahead and introducing a number of contingency arrangements, we were able to avoid shortages in PPE and cleaning materials. We also experienced no disruption to our catering provision.
To stay up-to-date with the latest requirements regarding Covid-19, please visit the government website.
Safe guards and new policies
We have invested heavily in safeguards and new equipment, and all of our staff working at our nurseries have received Covid-19 training. We have also introduced numerous new policies and procedures.
Our new procedures include daily temperature checks (including on arrival) for all staff and children attending our nursery, enhanced hand-washing routines, with hand-washing facilities located throughout our nursery, and rigorous cleaning routines.
Enhanced cleaning procedures and equipment
We have also invested in a steam cleaner and a disinfectant ‘fogging’ machine and will be using this with food-safe & environment-safe disinfectant to conduct extra out-of-hours cleansing of all spaces. We also have hand sanitation stations located throughout the nursery.
Less contact points and reduced risk of infection
We now limit the number of adults entering our nursery premises, with staff greeting parents and children outside during drop-off and collection time.
Finally, we have introduced an internal ‘bubble’ system, where children and staff are grouped into their own small groups, referred to as ‘Lady birds’ and ‘Honeybees’. The children within these bubbles remain together throughout the day and use only the allocated resources. By doing this, we can ensure appropriate social distancing measures are in place and the risk of any possible infection spreading throughout the setting is minimised. Staff work wherever possible only within their allocated bubbles.
For children in our care; parents can have confidence that at Childerwood Nursery we are doing everything we can to keep our families and our staff teams as safe and as healthy as possible.
Useful Downloads
COVID-19 Adendum to Policies and ProceduresLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.DownloadArrivals and Departures PolicyClick below to download and read this documentDownloadCOVID-19 Parent GuideClick below to download and read this documentDownloadCOVID-19 Parent and Carer Surveyclick below to download and read this documentDownloadCOVID-19 Staff Guideclick below to download and read this document.DownloadRoyal Colleage of Paediatrics and Child Health Advice for Parents during Coronavirusclick below to download and read this documentDownload Previous NextCovid-19 FAQs
What to do if your child develops symptoms of COVID-19?If your child develops symptoms of COVID-19, they must not come to nursery and should remain at home for at least 10 days from the date when their symptoms appeared. Anyone with symptoms will be eligible for testing and this can be arranged via https://www.nhs.uk/ask-for-a-coronavirus-test or by calling 119.
All other household members must stay at home and not leave the house for 10 days. This includes anyone in your ‘Support Bubble’.
Further information and latest updates are available at:
The 10 day period starts from the day when the first person in the house became ill / starting showing symptoms. Household members should not go to work, school, nursery or public areas and exercise should be taken within the home. If you require help with buying groceries, other shopping or picking up medication, or walking a dog, you should ask friends or family. Alternatively, you can order your shopping online and medication by phone or online.
Household members staying at home for 10 days will greatly reduce the overall amount of infection the household could pass on to others in the community. If you are able, move any vulnerable individuals (such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions) out of your home, to stay with friends or family for the duration of the home isolation period.
Someone who lives with a child or staff member has tested positive. Can the child/staff member come to nursery?No, all household members of a confirmed case should isolate for 10 days from the date of the cases symptom onset, or positive test date if the case did not have symptoms.
Individuals should only get a test if they become symptomatic during the 10 day isolation period. If they test negative they still need to isolate for 10 days. If they test positive, they need to isolate for a further 10 days from when their symptoms started.
A child or staff member has had close contact with someone with symptoms of COVID-19. Can they come to nursery?Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, new continuous cough or loss of, or change to, normal sense of smell or taste.
No – if they live in the same house as the person with symptoms. All individuals with symptoms should get tested. Household contacts of anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 should isolate while awaiting the result of the test.
Yes – if they do not live with the person. However, a degree of pragmatism may be required for a child or staff member who has had prolonged, close contact with a symptomatic individual. In such circumstances, it may be sensible for the individual to remain off pending the symptomatic individual’s test result.
If they develop symptoms themselves they should stay at home and arrange a COVID-19 test.
If my child has to self-isolate do I need to?You and other members of your household can continue normal activities and do not need to self-isolate provided your child does not develop symptoms within the 10 day self-isolation period.
Will the nursery retain its usual opening times?The nursery will operate as closely as possible to its usual schedule, but we ask for flexibility around drop off and pick up in order to comply with social distancing. Your Nursery Manager will explain this in more detail as required.
Are staff being tested?In line with the current government guidelines staff do not need to be routinely tested at this stage. Staff and children can be tested if they display symptoms.
My child has been displaying symptoms of COVID-19 what do I do?Your child will need to self-isolate until they have a COVID-19 test which will determine next steps.
My child was displaying symptoms of COVID-19, so I got them tested but the test has come back as Negative, can they return to Nursery?Yes, if your child has a negative result then they can return back to nursery providing they are well enough to attend.
I would like to return my child to nursery, what terms and conditions apply?Exactly the same terms and conditions as applied before the COVID-19 pandemic now apply, so please refer to your original contract.
Will regular monthly invoicing be suspended for any reason?
No, invoicing will continue as it was before COVID-19 pandemic.
If we continue our monthly childcare voucher payments will these be held on account towards care in the future once nursery reopens?
Yes, these will have been credited to your account but please do check and let us know if this hasn’t appeared so it can be corrected if necessary.
Will funded hours be rolled forward where they fall in a period that nursery is closed?
No, no funding will be rolled forward, funding will be used towards overheads and staff remaining on payroll.
Can I reduce my child’s hours to funded only to avoid paying any additional fees?
You will need to speak to the Nursery Manager as there may be a waiting list for funded only places, as priority is given to those children who need education and care for longer.
In the event of staff shortages and the nursery not being able to provide childcare, do I still have to pay?No – although, we do not expect to have staff shortages at this time, but if a staff shortage did occur, and we were not able to utilise our bank, casual or colleagues from nearby nurseries, and our staff ratios to children were at risk, then we would be forced to turn children away and you would not be charged. We have never had to do this in the past and have no expectation that we would need to in the future.
If my child is unable to attend nursery for whatever reason, can I use my funding at a later date?No, this decision was made by the Local Authority who controls the funding.
What happens if there is a confirmed case in my child’s Bubble?If a child or staff member develops COVID-19 symptoms they will need to isolate from other children and staff at the nursery and we request that the child is collected ASAP. Parents will be asked to do a COVID-19 test for their child and keep the nursery updated with results as soon as they receive them.
The nursery will update you with details of any confirmed case of COVID-19. Further updates will be given if recommended by Public Health England (PHE) or Department of Education (DfE).
Will I be charged fees if my child has to self-isolate for 10 days due to a positive COVID-19 case in their room?Yes, fees are still payable all in accordance with our Terms and Conditions in particular clause 2 applies.
We are also aware of the government guidance, whilst it only deals with general principles, about fees charged during this period elsewhere, the guidance suggests that fees can be charged to maintain services. We want to be fair to all our parents, and this includes both being flexible where the law says children cannot attend, and at the same time, charging so we can maintain our nursery’s viability into the future. Without the payment of fees, we may be in a position where we are unable to keep the nursery open.
We appreciate that everyone is making difficult decisions in a rapidly changing society. If you are struggling to pay for your child’s place at this time, please approach us and we will do our best to work with you to find a solution. If you have any questions regarding your invoices please do not hesitate to contact a member of the admin team for your nursery.
If there is a confirmed case in my child’s nursery and I choose not to bring them in, will I still be charged?Yes, fees are still chargeable all in accordance with our Terms and Conditions, in particular clause 2 applies.
Is it safe to bring my child into a setting if there has been a confirmed case?There is an increased risk of infection from a confirmed case, but there is also a risk from children or staff without symptoms. However, we will track exactly which children and staff if any confirmed case and communicate this to all concerned so they can take a test themselves, and their children, to see if they have the virus – in which case they would need to isolate as per the government guidance.
The nursery will follow the guidance given by Public Health England as per any other notifiable virus, such as measles, mumps and scarlet fever, and staff will spend more time on cleaning and hygiene, and less on administration, record keeping and audit during this period. Every effort will be made to be calm and positive at nursery, and to keep things as normal as possible, so that the children can be as relaxed and happy, as this is good for their immune systems and also for their education.
What to do if your Child has been asked to Self-Isolate for 10 days?If your child has been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 then they will need to stay at home and self-isolate for 10 days.
This is in order to reduce the further spread of COVID-19 to others in the community. Please Click Here for the official government guidance
You and other members of your household can continue normal activities and do not need to self-isolate provided your child does not develop symptoms within the 10 day self-isolation period.
If your child is well at the end of the 10 day period of self-isolation, then they can return to usual activities and return to nursery.
Do I need to wear a mask when collecting or dropping off my child, even if this is from outside?We would like all parents during drop off and collection to wear a mask to provide another layer of protection for yourselves and the team. Regardless if you are dropping off or collecting from an outside area please wear a mask.
Does my child need to wear a face mask?The World Health Organisation published a statement on 21 August about children and face coverings. They now advise that “children aged 12 and over should wear a mask under the same conditions as adults, in particular when they cannot guarantee at least a 1-metre distance from others and there is widespread transmission in the area.”
Guidance for Staff, Visitors and Building Users
DO
- wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds.
- always wash your hands when you get home or into work.
- use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available.
- cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze.
- put used tissues in the bin straight away and wash your hands afterwards.
- try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell.
- try to avoid close contact with the children and staff.
DON’T
- touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean.
- enter the nursery if you are feeling unwell or have been in close contact with any person who is unwell (staff should contact the manager to discuss).
Should you have any further questions or queries relating to the way in which we manage our services, please contact a member of the team by calling 01603 865477 or emailing enquiries@childerwood.co.uk.
