Finding childcare is hard enough without dealing with a pandemic.
But as many working parents are expected to return to the office and schools remain closed for the summer break, families are presented with the difficult task of finding someone to safely look after their children as Covid-19 continues to wreak havoc.
Parents and carers face a difficult choice: with infection rates back on the rise and the looming threat of a second wave, is it safe to go back to work and send children into childcare settings?
Can we really expect children to socially distance? And if they can manage it, what impact will maintaining distance have on their early development?
With so much uncertainty, it’s hard to know what the best approach is for your family.
The key is to do your research, but feel confident in trusting your instincts.
Here’s what you need to know.
Types of childcare
First things first – work out what type of childcare you’re after.
Nurseries
Putting your child into a nursery will allow them the best peer-on-peer interactions and help them with developing their social skills with other children.
However depending on the nursery, the adult to child ratio is increased so they may get less one-on-one teacher to child interaction.
Plus, there are fewer nurseries that have the facilities to cope with children with additional needs especially, during Covid-19.
Childminder
Registered with OFSTED and fully vetted on a regular basis, they are limited to six children at once and work from their own home and you will find that many are more flexible that nurseries and work longer hours.
Nanny
Nannies can be self-employed or employed through yourself as a family. They can work within your home and become part of your bubble and they are one-to-one with your child.
Nannies can work with you as a parent to help your child develop to their full potential and you may be more likely to find a nanny to help with any children with additional needs.
OFSTED registration is optional for nannies, so make sure you check they are registered if you want to use childcare vouchers – otherwise make sure that they have an up to date Enhanced DBS and have good references from previous employers.
Au-pair
A person who will live with you in your home and not only help you with childcare but other household duties too. They can be cheaper as you are giving them room and board.
This is the best option in terms of someone joining your bubble, as an au-pair becomes part of your household.
After -school clubs
With schools already open in Scotland, there is no word on if after school clubs will open any time soon, again putting it in employers’ hands to be more flexible for parents.
Once you go back to work, pick -ups and drop offs will likely fall to grandparents and other family members but the pandemic may make this impossible for many.
Is childcare affordable right now? And is it safe?
Nurseries can cost hundreds of pounds a month just for one child and prices for nannies and childminders vary – so what is your best option financially?
Everyone in the UK is entitled to childcare vouchers and some free childcare depending on the age of your child.
Nurseries are taking all necessary steps to ensure they abide by government guidelines to keep your child safe. Childcare vouchers apply to nurseries only, so this may be the best option from a financial standpoint.
But many parents don’t feel comfortable sending their children to group environments such as nurseries any time soon.
Mum-of-four Rae, from the north East, told Metro.co.uk: ‘As the parent of a child with complex disabilities, childcare is non existent during lockdown.
‘Everything is closed, which of course is understandable, but left us very isolated.
‘Because all the schools closed, it meant we had four children at home, including one with additional needs, which means no respite at all – for six months. We begged both school and social services for additional support, but received none.’
Rae doesn’t feel enough has been said about how nurseries will keep children safe – so doesn’t feel ready to send her children their way.
‘Post childcare settings are pretty clean – they already have lots of handwashing and so on,’ she said. ‘If I trusted the childcare generally, then I would assume all would be fine.
‘I might be more interested in their overall Covid policy – how they would manage staff, or parents or a child who tested positive for instance.’
She believes things urgently need to change to ensure parents are able to access the childcare they need in a safe and affordable way.
Rae said: ‘Childcare is expensive – and so it should be when you consider how important it is – yet most childcare workers receive low wages.
‘Childcare needs to be subsidised so that high-quality settings, with well-qualified staff is available to all families at an affordable cost; not just in nursery settings, but for nannies and childminders too, as many families prefer a more homely setting.’
Your employer
The situation is different for everyone so it is important to find out where you stand with your employer as you return to work.
Ask your manager if you’re able to continue to work remotely, or work flexibly.
Many parents will still be nervous about their children returning to childcare settings – especially if someone in the household has underlying health issues or was considered a shielder – and most employers will take these circumstances on board as you have a conversation about your return to work.
Steps parents should take to sort out childcare when returning to work
- Decide what you want as a family: Do you want to go back to work or has your outlook been changed by lockdown?
- See what you employer has to offer: Have an open conversation about your circumstances.
- Look through different options: They are out there and many nurseries and childminders will already have their Covid guidelines in place
- Talk it through with your child too: Keep them in the loop about why things will be different and check what they actually want as well
- Let your child know what to expect: Temperature checks are likely and children over a certain age may need to wear masks and may need to follow new rules they aren’t used to.
- See if you are entitled to any childcare subsidies: Many families are and this will be a great help
Remember you are not alone. Finding childcare can be overwhelming on its own, especially when your options are limited. Talk to family, talk to friends and talk to other parents.
Asking your employer how flexible they are to fit in with your work/life balance is a good first step. You have rights as a working parent, especially in these circumstances, and most employers will be expecting these situations to arise.
Finding the type of childcare that fits your family is a must – research your options and ask your friends what’s worked for them.
Going into your search, you may notice that nurseries and childminders are working at lower capacity to accommodate social distancing regulations and less spaces may be available with nursery fees varying throughout the country.
You may be concerned about a large group setting such as a nursery or childminder as your child will be interacting with a number different bubbles. Find out how your local nursery will work and how they plan to keep your children safe.
They will have a plan in place and will be following government guidelines so may be able to offer you the reassurance you need with a simple phone call or visit.
Consider other options like a nanny or an au pair. Nannies are more accessible and flexible to work around your needs and a lot more nannies are accepting childcare vouchers. They may also have a smaller bubble and will work from your home.
Do you have a story to share?
Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/08/26/working-parents-face-even-challenges-search-childcare-can-return-work-amid-coronavirus-pandemic-13181210/
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