A Bristol nursery chain has explained how it will run as the coronavirus lockdown eases.
In England, the Government wants nurseries and some primary school year groups to return on June 1.
Snapdragons has issued parents with a rundown of how it plans to operate.
The business has nurseries in Horfield, Redland, Shirehampton and Keynsham, as well as two in Bath.
The Snapdragons website says: "The latest scientific evidence indicates that Covid-19 appears to affect young children less often and with less severity.
"The Department of Education has published detailed guidance which enables nurseries to care for children safely and minimise the risk of transmission of the coronavirus."
Snapdragons says the key principles are as follows:
- Any pupil, staff member, parent or visitor with coronavirus symptoms must not attend nursery and must isolate at home
- Increased cleaning processes are in place, throughout and at the end of the day
- Children and team members will be social distancing as far as possible
- Children will each day stay in key family groups (a bubble) with a buddy group working alongside to ensure continuity of staffing and children
- Key family groups will be in place inside and outside
- Arrival and departure will be staggered and children will be dropped off at separate entrances, where this is possible.
- Parents will not come on site or visit the nursery rooms unless this is explicitly arranged with the Nursery Manager e.g. in the event of a child being distressed
- The process for settling in sessions will be managed away from the other children.
The update continues: "Some of the nurseries have been open throughout for the children of key workers and all the teams have done an amazing job.
"This has given us a great opportunity to practise our safe operating procedures and adapt, as necessary. Many children will be returning on June 1 in accordance with parents’ wishes."
It adds: "Nurseries play a vital role in educating and preparing young children for school. They enable children to socialise, learn and play alongside their peers. Nurseries are also important in supporting families to work."
Snapdragons also addresses the question of what will happen regarding fees if there is another lockdown.
It says: "Hopefully this won’t happen but if it does then we will have to look at the situation.
"We didn’t charge anything during the previous lockdown but this has had a serious impact on all businesses.
"We would hope our response would be the same but it is too early to say at this point."
For more information, click here.
