Our response to the Coronavirus
(COVID 19)
Coronavirus
Last updated 07.04.2021
This has been a very difficult time for everyone but I am pleased to let you know that we are currently open to all children as per the government guidelines. You may be wondering what that will look like so here is some more information for you including photos. I hope that this will reassure you that we are doing our very best to keep not only the children but the staff safe as well.
If your child seems unwell in any way, please do not send them in.
Protective measures we are taking in light of coronavirus (COVID-19)
First and foremost, it goes without saying that the safety of your child and of our staff is our top priority. We are working hard, following the latest government guidance, to develop and implement a number of new ways of operating. This will allow us to open as safely as possible, focusing on measures that will help limit the risk of coronavirus transmitting within our setting.
Some of the steps we are taking include:
What can parents and carers do to help?
There are a number of things parents and carers can do to help us make these arrangements effective, in addition to the points listed above concerning arrival and departure and not bringing toys to the setting. This list can change frequently so I will update it and highlight in yellow any changes before re-sending it to you.
For your information at the current time…
We also ask that you…
At drop off and collection we ask that you…
How to support your child
If your child finds separation difficult, spend time talking about the routine of the day prior to starting. Using pictures/a timeline can help some children to see the order of what will happen. Most importantly your child will just need plenty of time to become confident in this routine.
Share with your child’s key person any information/developments that have taken place during lock down, particularly if your family has been affected by Covid-19. This will enable the practitioner to give your child the best support that they need.
Support your child to become confident and independent in routines of personal hygiene. This should include washing their hands and blowing their nose. Read a story with your child about the importance of doing this correctly which is available on youtube here.
Talk with your child about how they are feeling – name emotions to them, i.e. “I’m feeling worried and that’s okay.” Come up with solutions together.
Access the Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED) leaflets for ideas on how to further support your child’s wellbeing here. Go to this page and scroll down to Social and Emotional Development and Well-being. There are various leaflets depending on your child’s age.
If you or anyone in your household starts to show symptoms please follow the government guidance for isolation and let Val know ASAP. The person with symptoms must get a PCR test.
Rapid tests are not to be used for people with symptoms. If your child has symptoms of Covid-19, we can only allow them back to the setting if they have a negative PCR test or have completed the required isolation period.
Main symptoms of Coronavirus
The main symptoms of coronavirus are:
Most people with coronavirus have at least one of these symptoms. Please also consult the NHS website and government guidance for the most up to date information on symptoms.
What happens if there is a confirmed case of coronavirus in our setting?
When a child or staff member develops symptoms compatible with coronavirus, they will be sent home and advised to get a PCR test. If they do not get a PCR test, they will need to self-isolate in line with current guidance. Their fellow household members must also isolate if required to do so in line with current guidance.
Where the child or staff member tests negative, they can return to their setting as long as they are well and the fellow household members can end their self-isolation.
Where the child or staff member tests positive, they should inform the setting as soon as possible. From 19 July 2021, NHS Test & Trace will handle contact tracing, and will inform close contacts of the person with coronavirus of what they need to do. From 16 August 2021, contacts of a person with coronavirus will not need to isolate if they are under 18 or fully vaccinated.
You will still be charged for any time your child is off ill or self isolating, as per our sickness policy.
As part of the national test and trace programme, if other cases are detected within the group or in the wider setting, Public Health England’s local health protection teams will conduct a rapid investigation and will advise the settings on the most appropriate action to take. In some cases a larger number of other children may be asked to self-isolate at home as a precautionary measure – perhaps the whole group. Where settings are observing guidance on infection prevention and control, which will reduce risk of transmission, closure of the whole setting will not generally be necessary.
Testing
Anyone showing symptoms of coronavirus is eligible for a PCR test - please visit the government website. A negative test will allow the child to return to the setting as soon as possible, and the household to return to normal. A positive test will help to identify potential contacts and reduce the spread of Covid-19.
We ask all parents and carers to ensure they organise a test for their child, in the event that they develop coronavirus symptoms, and notify us immediately of a positive test.
Rapid tests (lateral flow tests) are now available for everyone in England. These tests must not be used for people with symptoms of Covid-19 - anyone with symptoms must get a PCR test. If your child has symptoms of Covid-19, we cannot accept a negative rapid test - for the child to return to the setting, they must have a negative PCR test.
If you or anyone in your household has a positive lateral flow test, please let us know and get a PCR test in line with government guidance. Please do not send your child in until you have a negative PCR result or they have completed the required isolation period.
Further guidance is available about getting tested.
I hope that this has given you the information you need to understand what arrangements we have made to enable children attend our setting. We are looking forward to welcoming you and I hope that you are assured that we have taken all possible steps to ensure safety for all in our setting. If you have any questions or suggestions, please let us know.
If your child seems unwell in any way, please do not send them in.
Protective measures we are taking in light of coronavirus (COVID-19)
First and foremost, it goes without saying that the safety of your child and of our staff is our top priority. We are working hard, following the latest government guidance, to develop and implement a number of new ways of operating. This will allow us to open as safely as possible, focusing on measures that will help limit the risk of coronavirus transmitting within our setting.
Some of the steps we are taking include:
- Asking that anyone who is displaying coronavirus symptoms does not attend the setting. That includes children and staff who work here.
- Cleaning our hands more often than usual. We have developed routines to ensure children understand when and how to wash their hands, making sure they wash them thoroughly for at least 20 seconds using running water and soap and dry them thoroughly, or use alcohol hand rub or sanitiser ensuring that all parts of the hands are covered.
- Ensuring our children understand good respiratory hygiene by promoting the ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ approach and ensuring a good supply of tissues and bins throughout the setting.
- Implementing an enhanced cleaning schedule, ensuring surfaces touched by children and staff are cleaned regularly and throughout the day, including table tops, door handles and play equipment.
- Encouraging parents and carers to wear masks and physically distance from each other and from staff when dropping off and collecting their children and to limit drop off and collection to one symptom-free parent or carer per household.
- Asking children not to bring toys or other items from home to the setting.
What can parents and carers do to help?
There are a number of things parents and carers can do to help us make these arrangements effective, in addition to the points listed above concerning arrival and departure and not bringing toys to the setting. This list can change frequently so I will update it and highlight in yellow any changes before re-sending it to you.
For your information at the current time…
- We will be outside the majority of the time regardless of the weather so please dress your child appropriately. If it is sunny please apply sun cream to their skin at home before you bring them in, cover their shoulders with a t-shirt. Please ensure your child has a coat during the winter.
- We will be asking the children to use the hand washing station or hand sanitiser in the garden, at drop off, at collection, at intervals during the day and in when in the house.
We also ask that you…
- apply suncream before coming to the setting. We will reapply when needed but this will limit chances of exposure.
- leave lunch boxes (with ice blocks) in the lunch rack outside the front door.
- provide named water bottles and leave in the tray next to the lunchbox rack
- only provide essential items in a bag
- do not bring in any comforters, soft toys, blankets, toys, or anything other than their coat, spare change of clothes, sun cream, and packed lunch if they need one. We are limiting how much comes into nursery
- send your child in a new set of clean clothes each day ideally with no longer than three quarter length sleeves
- wash your child’s clothes after each session
- ensure all 3 of your emergency contacts are up to date and are able to collect your child in the event of an emergency or they become ill. You must be able to collect your child within 30 minutes of receiving a telephone call.
- park on the drive as much as possible
At drop off and collection we ask that you…
- keep 2m away from the door when dropping or collecting children (for babes in arms please pass them over at arms length if possible)
- leave children’s bags on the front step or if able the child can bring it in with them
- please wear a mask, especially if we have to take your child from your arms
- avoid coming to the door until it is clear to do so
- stay 2m away when another parent is at the door
- do not spend unnecessary time socialising with other parents at the door
- only have one, symptom free, adult dropping/ collecting the child at the door.
- do not bring in any comforters, soft toys, blankets, toys or anything other than their coat, spare change of clothes and packed meal if they need one.
- Use the driveway for your car as much as possible
How to support your child
If your child finds separation difficult, spend time talking about the routine of the day prior to starting. Using pictures/a timeline can help some children to see the order of what will happen. Most importantly your child will just need plenty of time to become confident in this routine.
Share with your child’s key person any information/developments that have taken place during lock down, particularly if your family has been affected by Covid-19. This will enable the practitioner to give your child the best support that they need.
Support your child to become confident and independent in routines of personal hygiene. This should include washing their hands and blowing their nose. Read a story with your child about the importance of doing this correctly which is available on youtube here.
Talk with your child about how they are feeling – name emotions to them, i.e. “I’m feeling worried and that’s okay.” Come up with solutions together.
Access the Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED) leaflets for ideas on how to further support your child’s wellbeing here. Go to this page and scroll down to Social and Emotional Development and Well-being. There are various leaflets depending on your child’s age.
If you or anyone in your household starts to show symptoms please follow the government guidance for isolation and let Val know ASAP. The person with symptoms must get a PCR test.
Rapid tests are not to be used for people with symptoms. If your child has symptoms of Covid-19, we can only allow them back to the setting if they have a negative PCR test or have completed the required isolation period.
Main symptoms of Coronavirus
The main symptoms of coronavirus are:
- high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
- new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
- loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you've noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal
Most people with coronavirus have at least one of these symptoms. Please also consult the NHS website and government guidance for the most up to date information on symptoms.
What happens if there is a confirmed case of coronavirus in our setting?
When a child or staff member develops symptoms compatible with coronavirus, they will be sent home and advised to get a PCR test. If they do not get a PCR test, they will need to self-isolate in line with current guidance. Their fellow household members must also isolate if required to do so in line with current guidance.
Where the child or staff member tests negative, they can return to their setting as long as they are well and the fellow household members can end their self-isolation.
Where the child or staff member tests positive, they should inform the setting as soon as possible. From 19 July 2021, NHS Test & Trace will handle contact tracing, and will inform close contacts of the person with coronavirus of what they need to do. From 16 August 2021, contacts of a person with coronavirus will not need to isolate if they are under 18 or fully vaccinated.
You will still be charged for any time your child is off ill or self isolating, as per our sickness policy.
As part of the national test and trace programme, if other cases are detected within the group or in the wider setting, Public Health England’s local health protection teams will conduct a rapid investigation and will advise the settings on the most appropriate action to take. In some cases a larger number of other children may be asked to self-isolate at home as a precautionary measure – perhaps the whole group. Where settings are observing guidance on infection prevention and control, which will reduce risk of transmission, closure of the whole setting will not generally be necessary.
Testing
Anyone showing symptoms of coronavirus is eligible for a PCR test - please visit the government website. A negative test will allow the child to return to the setting as soon as possible, and the household to return to normal. A positive test will help to identify potential contacts and reduce the spread of Covid-19.
We ask all parents and carers to ensure they organise a test for their child, in the event that they develop coronavirus symptoms, and notify us immediately of a positive test.
Rapid tests (lateral flow tests) are now available for everyone in England. These tests must not be used for people with symptoms of Covid-19 - anyone with symptoms must get a PCR test. If your child has symptoms of Covid-19, we cannot accept a negative rapid test - for the child to return to the setting, they must have a negative PCR test.
If you or anyone in your household has a positive lateral flow test, please let us know and get a PCR test in line with government guidance. Please do not send your child in until you have a negative PCR result or they have completed the required isolation period.
Further guidance is available about getting tested.
I hope that this has given you the information you need to understand what arrangements we have made to enable children attend our setting. We are looking forward to welcoming you and I hope that you are assured that we have taken all possible steps to ensure safety for all in our setting. If you have any questions or suggestions, please let us know.
A walkthrough of how the setting is during this time......
Have a look at our facebook page for a video walkthrough by clicking here
When you arrive at the nursery we ask that you leave your water bottle and lunch box (with an ice block) in the trays at the front door. There is also some hand gel to use before coming in and suncream in case you need to apply it. We ask that you make sure you allow the 2m distance required...
We then welcome the children in using these fun stepping feet and they can choose a toy en-route to play with...
The children then come into the kitchen area which we are using as a calm space for them...
Next we head out into the 140ft garden which we have made into 3 groups. Baby, Toddler and Preschool. Here is our baby area...
Then to our toddler area...
lastly our pre-school group...
Further information...
Our pandemic policy is here and the Covid 19 appendix for our other policies here. You can also see our risk assessment here.
We hope everything on this page has helped reassure you about sending your little one to us but if you have any questions then please get in touch using our contact page here.
We hope everything on this page has helped reassure you about sending your little one to us but if you have any questions then please get in touch using our contact page here.