'We are treated with scant regard’: Northamptonshire childminder’s open letter as early years settings remain open during lockdown

The home nursery owner has been left feeling like her and her colleagues ‘are not important enough to protect’
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

A Northamptonshire-based childminder has voiced concerns she has for herself and colleagues as early years settings remain open during the third national lockdown.

Samantha Sullivan, who runs a home nursery in Daventry, feels that early years workers should be offered more protection from the virus.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Other early years setting workers, including the owners of Little Learners and Omnipresence Nursery, have also spoken out about the issues they face, particularly when they are told to remain open while schools are shut.

Early years settings remain open during the third national lockdown, despite schools closing. (File picture).Early years settings remain open during the third national lockdown, despite schools closing. (File picture).
Early years settings remain open during the third national lockdown, despite schools closing. (File picture).

The Department for Education, however, insists that early years settings remain safe as younger children are ‘less susceptible to infection.’

In an open letter on her social media channel, Samantha, wrote: “Early years is the only educational sector that is required to remain open to all.

“We fully appreciate that we are a critical frontline service.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Unlike school aged children, very young children need constant supervision and care, rendering it difficult for parents to work from home successfully.

“We are therefore essential in supporting the economy to function.

“However, it feels very much like early years professionals are not important enough to protect (like our teacher colleagues) and not critical enough to prioritise for the vaccine (like other frontline workers).

“Naturally, parents will be abiding by the government's‘ Stay at Home' message and therefore not bringing their children back if they can manage.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The infection rate is at its highest and the daily death toll is sobering. Therefore, this is completely understandable.

“Yet at a time when we are in crisis, through no fault of our own, we are treated with scant regard.”

UNISON south east regional secretary, Steve Torrance added: “Keeping nurseries and pre-schools open is putting staff and communities at risk.

“No one wants to see education and childcare disrupted but it’s vital that this virus is brought under control quickly, or the NHS will be overwhelmed.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Staff and the wider community need to be sure that the number of families walking through nursery doors isn’t going to drive up infection rates in the local area or threaten staff safety.

“Ministers must treat nurseries the same as schools. Numbers attending nurseries need to be kept at a safe number. And education staff must be a priority for vaccinations and mass testing.”

In response to claims that early years settings such as childminders and nurseries are not safe, the Department for Education says that younger children are ‘unlikely to play a driving role in transmission’.

A department spokeswoman said: “Keeping nurseries and childminders open will support parents and deliver the crucial care and education for our youngest children.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The early years’ experience is vital for a child’s education and it gives them skills like communication that they will use throughout their life and which is not something that can be taught remotely.

“Current evidence suggests that pre-school children (0 to 5 years) are less susceptible to infection and are unlikely to be playing a driving role in transmission.

“As long as settings follow systems of control the risk of transmission is low.”

Message from the editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In order for us to continue to provide trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper while out for your essential shopping.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the highest standards in the world. The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers and consequently the advertising that we receive. We are now more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you