One of the biggest issues many parents have faced during lockdown is the continued stress of providing childcare and doing a full-time job from home, while unable to get any help from friends, family and grandparents.
But now, it looks like newly released government advice has offered a small chink of hope to some parents, if they hire nannies or childcare at home – and of course if you have the funds to do so.
On May 1, the government updated an FAQs document online about what you can and can’t do during the coronavirus lockdown.
Under the heading ‘Can I travel to someone’s house to look after children?’ the advice states: ‘If you provide paid-for childcare in a child’s home, you can go to your place of work - this is in line with Government guidance that you can travel to work if working from home is not possible.’
Half of my friends are texting me their joy of having peace to work while their nanny looks after the kids downstairs.
The advice essentially seems to suggest that if you can employ a nanny or private childcare that can be provided at your home. If you are a nanny you can continue to go to work.
The advice does add that a lot of precautions and restrictions should be put in place to stay within Public Health England guidance. Such as…
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if you or someone in your own home has symptoms, you should not go to work, but self-isolate in accordance with Government advice
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you should not work in any household which is isolating or where an individual is being shielded, unless it is to remedy a direct risk to the safety of the household
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wash your hands more often than usual, for 20 seconds using soap and hot water, particularly after coughing, sneezing and blowing your nose, including when you arrive at work and when you return home
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to reduce the spread of germs when you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue, or your sleeve (not your hands) if you don’t have a tissue, and throw the tissue in a bin immediately. Then wash your hands
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clean and disinfect regularly touched objects and surfaces using your regular cleaning products to reduce the risk of passing the infection on to other people
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maintain social distance as far as possible with family members and others that you are not directly caring for
The new advice prompted a lot of chat on Twitter – and a lot more questions. What is the different between someone providing childcare at your home and your child travelling to the childcare at a childminder’s house for instance?
Some parents have already got their nanny back, says one mum we spoke to. 'My friends with nannies are quite divided,' she told us.
'Half of them are texting me their joy of having peace to work while their nanny looks after the kids downstairs, and the other half don’t feel comfortable getting their nanny back until schools and nurseries reopen because, if the government doesn’t feel it’s safe to reopen schools, then why is it safe to have your nanny back?'
Importantly, the advice adds: ‘People should not be leaving their home to undertake unpaid and informal care of others’ children.’
So as grandparents, friends and family cannot provide childcare still, it seems this is more a case of logistically allowing some childcare providers to still travel to their place of employment.
READ MORE: Parenting In Covid Times: From Managing Germaphobia To Impending Separation Anxiety
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