How do we keep ourselves and children safe during the day? Expand We are making lots of arrangements to keep staff, children and families safe during the day, including: Both children and staff will remain in ‘social bubbles’, and all interactions with others in the nursery will remain within their bubble Upon arrival at nursery, both staff and children will be asked to wash their hands, and good hand washing practices will be encouraged regularly throughout the day We will be considering which activities are suitable to deliver, and encouraging as much time as possible spent outdoors (which is considered a safer environment) We will ensure all toys, resources and equipment are appropriately cleaned between groups of children using them. We will temporarily remove from the environment any unnecessary items, soft toys and furnishings, and any toys and equipment which are not easily cleaned Where possible, toys, equipment and resources will be organised into three groups and put out on a two-day rota (which means each set gets at least four days of no use and will kill the virus naturally) Visits to the outdoor community will not be taking place Further information on some of the H&S Considerations we are putting in place can be read here
How will children cope with social distancing? Expand While older children may have already learned to keep their distance from others during the lockdown, we should not expect very young children to keep any distance between themselves and adults and children in their bubble. All children in nursery will need physical contact, whether for assistance or comfort, and children need to feel relaxed and comfortable. They may need additional reassurance and comfort and their emotional needs are as important as their physical wellbeing. Measures put in place to minimise potential transmission of the virus should be done without alarming or upsetting children, and staff need to incorporate new routines such as hand-washing and constant cleaning into the normal day with as much fun and loving care as possible.
How will coming off furlough be managed? Expand You will have already spoken with your manager about how comfortable you feel about returning. We will, where possible, prioritise those who are ready and willing to return to work in the first instance. The managers have been working hard to liaise with parents to find out which children are looking to return, when, and on what patterns. It may be more important for some employees to return sooner rather than later (those with key children, seniors, deputies etc) to make the settling in and transition for our children as comfortable as possible. We will look to provide you with as much notice of your return as possible and work with you about any concerns or challenges you may have about returning. Should you have any legitimate concerns (anxiety, shielding, living with a vulnerable person), we will work closely with you on a one to one basis to find the best way forward.
How will we limit people coming into the setting (parents dropping and picking up)? Expand We are putting place several measures to reduce the number of people coming into the setting, including: Wherever possible, parents will not be entering the nursery building. If children are happy, they will be collected and dropped off by a member of staff at the door. Any settling in visits will happen in the nursery gardens (accessed by outdoor gates) where possible, and face masks must be worn. Drop off and pick up will be limited to one parent per child, and parents will be encouraged to not bring siblings unless it is absolutely necessary We will encourage parents to stagger arrivals where possible, and, if multiple parents arrive at once, they will need to remain in an orderly queue outside the building and maintain safe distancing (2m) protocols All deliveries will be dropped outside the door for staff to bring into the setting We will restrict access to contractors, agency workers, and other professionals/adults (including Acorn staff not based at the setting), so that nobody is entering the setting unless it is absolutely essential
What cleaning arrangements will be put in place? Expand Cleaners are being provided with a strict ‘cleaning rota’ to ensure that everything gets cleaned thoroughly. All staff will be provided with appropriate on-site training in cleaning and infection control, and procedures for cleaning toys, resources, equipment and furniture throughout the day have been put in place.
What if I do not feel it is safe enough to come to work? Expand The managers and central support team have been working hard with all settings to ensure the environments are as safe as possible. Should you have any legitimate concerns (anxiety, shielding, living with a vulnerable person), we will work closely with you on a one to one basis to find the best way forward.
What if I or a child within the setting shows symptoms of covd-19 whilst working? Expand We will be following the Government guidance relating to Covid-19 at all times. We have also put in place an ‘Emergency Action Plan’ that outlines the procedures for any suspected cases of Covid-19 in the setting. This action plan covers what to do whilst waiting for children to be collected, what staff should do to keep themselves and others safe, cleaning protocols, communication procedures, and disposal of PPE, clothing and other things that might be infected. The basic process is summarised below. Should a person (staff or child) develop symptoms (new persistent dry cough, high temperature or loss of smell and taste) the manager must be notified immediately, and the person should remove themselves from the setting – if it is a child, their parents will be contacted to collect immediately. Anybody infected will be advised to follow the guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection, and get tested as soon as possible. Once tested, if it comes back as negative, the symptoms will be managed like any other illness absence – staff should liaise with their manager about when it is safe to return to work. If the test comes back as positive, the manager must be informed immediately, who will also inform Laura & Steve in CSO. Anybody tested positive must adhere to the self-isolation rules. If either a child or member of staff tests positive, the rest of their ‘group’ at the setting “should be sent home and advised to self-isolate for 14 days”. However, the guidance states that the household members of those in that group do not need to self-isolate unless the children or staff member who they live with develops symptoms themselves.
What is happening with the furlough scheme? Expand The government's furlough scheme paid 80% of employee salaries. It ran from 23rd March to the end of July before transitioning to a 'flexi-furlough' scheme. This scheme comes to an end at the end of October 2020. It is being replaced by the government's new 'Job Support Scheme', however Acorn are not currently expecting to be able to use this scheme.
What will happen if a member of staff breaches social distancing rules outside of nursery? Expand Employees breaching the government guidelines and Acorn policies could have huge ramifications for a range of people; staff may have to move between bubbles to cover staff shortages, parents may have to stop working (and lose pay) to look after children self-isolating, colleagues may have to self-isolate which could affect their pay, and the organisation may lose significant amounts of money partially crediting childcare fees to support families. As a result, breaches are taken seriously and could result in the employee having to take up to two weeks unpaid leave and could also lead to disciplinary proceedings. Teams need to feel confident that they can trust their colleagues not to put others at risk. If you know of any employee going against the government guidelines, we encourage you to speak to your manager or a member of CSO. Acorn’s speak up procedure and Whistleblowing policy are there to support this process.
Will annual leave be carried over into next year? Expand Only those who have not had a period of furlough should request to carry over annual leave, as we anticipate they may struggle to book all their leave within the current year. This may be extended to those who have saved annual leave for specific events (weddings etc), however this must be approved by your manager and HR / Zoe. The government announced an amendment to the working time directive, which allows for flexibility of employees carrying over annual leave over the next two years. This is intended for those who had time booked of during furlough and only covers statutory accrued annual leave. As Acorn offer enhanced annual leave as a benefit, this is not applicable to us.
Will children, parents or staff have to wear PPE? Expand The government guidance states that: “Wearing a face covering or face mask in schools or other education settings is not recommended” and that: “Schools and other education or childcare settings should … not require staff, children and learners to wear face coverings.” However, if an employee feels more comfortable wearing PPE (i.e. a face mask) during child drop off and collection, they will be free to do so. PPE that we already use will remain the same, as outlined in company policies: Infections Disease Control Child Food & Nutrition Intimate Care & Wellbeing If you are in a vulnerable group and concerned about this, please discuss this with your manager, or Steve Petty on 07872 063529.
Will sick leave be extended for Covid-19 related absences? Expand As a minimum, Acorn will support staff in line with the government guidelines on Statutory Sick Pay relating to COVID-19. Acorn’s usual absence policy will also apply. If a member of staff is self-isolating due to them or somebody in their household/support bubble having symptoms or testing positive, or due to close contact with a positive case in an Acorn setting, employees will be able to use any remaining sick leave, family leave, annual leave, or lieu hours to cover any periods of self-isolation. Decision to top up allowances or wages to support staff over self-isolation periods can be made at the discretion of both the relevant manager and the HR Manager or CEO. Employees may not be entitled to full sick pay and may have to take unpaid leave if: Self-isolation is not due to one of the reasons mentioned in section 6 (for example, if an employee chooses to self-isolate due to close contact with somebody in a different household but has not been contacted by NHS Test & Trace) The close contact is due to not following the government guidance properly (weekly SSP is payable but only if contacted by NHS Test & Trace) Self-isolating due to having COVID-19 symptoms but the employee does not provide proof of a positive test result after 7 days (classed as fit note)