MORE BUSINESSES REOPEN AS FURTHER RESTRICTIONS ARE LIFTED Childcare set for the ‘new normal’
IT WAS a mixture of nerves and excitement as children returned to their beloved crèches and childcare centres yesterday (Monday) for the first time in almost four months.
As the industry adjusts to the change, Louise Cahill of Gorey’s Little Daisies childcare and Conor Ryan of Faylinn Childcare said that they both felt lucky to have purpose-built centres in operation.
‘We are self-contained, we have our playground and our pods, which are just our own rooms. It’s a big responsibility but things haven’t changed all that much, the main change for the children is just the dropping off and collecting,’ said Louise.
Conor said that the future will depend on setting, and whether it’s viable for a centre to adapt.
‘We’re purpose built on two acres, on a six acre site in total. Each group of eight would have its own dedicated garden and we have a large common garden. Now that we’re operating in pods, really it’s coming into its own’.
Louise said that the summer months should run smoothly, but she is concerned about the lack of guidelines for September when more age groups re-open.
‘We’re still in the dark there on what is going to happen. Now, there are reduced numbers in the centre and we’re coping well. Some parents brought their children back but others have decided to take a longer holiday.
‘We did inductions for both parents and the childcare staff via Zoom for all of the changes that were going to happen. It was all about positive communication with the parents so that they were aware of everything that was changing. We had to work together as a team between parents and staff.
‘Today (Monday) we are doing half-day sessions for children as part of the settling-in process’.
As the children returned, the majority were delighted to see friends.
‘We’ve been happy but it was very emotional. They were running down screaming each others’ names, so excited to see each other as they really missed each other. Any child who was upset, we’d work with the parents on that’.
She said that going forward, the only challenge for herself and Brenda O’Connor will be on the issue of numbers and whether reductions will have to be made. She said that within the sector, cleaning is constant and strict but that of course further measures will be taken.
Conor said that support from all parties has been positive in that all wanted to return, but that the time factor was a challenge for re-opening.
‘The whole thing has been challenging for everybody and the sooner we can get back to the new normal the better for everyone’s mental health. We’re returning in one of the later phases, in other European countries pre-schools would have been one of the earlier phases. Things have extended out an awful long time, it’s challenging on us as providers, the staff and then the parents.
‘From the point of view of a two or three year old, on March 12 we were there, and the next day we weren’t and that presents an abandonment issue and trust issue. There was no time to prepare or have this winding down from the separation, and the transition for children especially of that age is the whole key to everything. It will be interesting and challenging over the next weeks to see how they re-adapt and we will assess the trust issues.
‘But unfortunately with Covid, depending on the wave, we may have to go backwards. That will have an awful long lasting affect on children if it does come to that because again it could be at short notice again’.