Covid-19: 'It is more important my daughter goes to nursery'

Families across England are once again home-schooling their children, but nurseries are allowed to stay open. What does that mean for parents and a nursery owner in one market town?

Marta Wojcinska, 33, sends her three-year-old daughter Nadia to Cheeky Monkeys Two, in Bedford. She usually works on site as a cook, but has been furloughed.

She says she is happy to carry on taking Nadia to nursery, despite the current rise in cases in the Bedford Borough area.

The area has been in tier four - the highest level of coronavirus restrictions - since 19 December and has 736.9 cases per 100,000 people in the week to 31 December. The rate for England as a whole is 537.5.

"I see how much she enjoys being there with her teachers and friends," says Ms Wojcinska.

"It has a big impact on her skills and knowledge and it is great that she is still in nursery, it is really important for her to interact.

"She is the only one, so she likes contact with children her age."

Ms Wojcinska says "everything is being done to keep her safe", adding "I am more worried about going to Tesco shopping than sending her to nursery".

"There is no big mix, she stays in her room and they collect her from me outside. Then when she comes home she changes her clothes, washes her hands - she knows how to stay clean."

Single mother Zuzana Kopcanova, 41, needs her daughter, Olivia, three, to go to nursery so she can continue working from home.

"I'm trying to continue normal life as much as possible," she says.

"I think children and all of us need people around us to talk to and play with.

"The virus is here we need to try to live with it and the children are not catching it.

"I am worried for my own health but it is more important that my daughter goes to nursery."

Debbie Moliterno, 53, runs the Cheeky Monkeys site in Bedford, as well as another branch in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire.

"Hearing the news on Monday night I'm grateful that nurseries can stay open. On the other hand I'm scared, as financially we couldn't afford to close," she says.

"There's a petition running for nursery staff and early years to have access to an early vaccine. We are on the front line as well supporting key workers but we are having no support. We are putting ourselves at risk.

"We are a sector that has been let severely down by the government.

"I have never known things so bad. There are going to be many businesses that will not get through this latest lockdown."

She says she has put all safety measures in place, but has only received a small grant from the government for £5,000.

"Both my nurseries have managed to stay open, but with very little support," she says.

A Department for Education spokeswoman said: "Early Years settings remain low risk environments for children and staff and there is no evidence that the new variant of coronavirus disproportionately affects young children.

"Keeping nurseries and childminders open will support parents and deliver the crucial care and education for our youngest children.

"We are funding nurseries as usual. Where nurseries do see a drop in income from either parent-paid fees or income from DfE, they are able to use the furlough scheme."

Other essential businesses and services can stay open in England. These include:

You can read the full government guidance here.

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