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CHILDCARE SETTINGS MAY operate a “pod” system with small groups of children being looked after by the same carers in the same room, the Minister for Children has said.
It has been 10 weeks since schools and creches were closed to stop the spread of Covid-19 and the Government has yet to confirm what date they will reopen.
Katherine Zappone told the Dáil today that Ireland will look towards the Norwegian model of childcare.
“Children under six cannot do social distancing. Attempts at social distancing would be traumatic for kids and adults that care for them.”
“For the phased reopening we will be referring to the Norwegian model among others and how this might apply to Ireland. As a starting point, it is important to acknowledge that children under six cannot do social distancing. Attempts at social distancing would be traumatic for kids and adults that care for them.
“Young children have had enough to cope with, without having further abnormality thrust on them as we emerge from the crisis. Regular hand-washing will be the norm in creches.”
Zappone said childcare could operate in pods: “This would mean small groups of children with the same childcare professional, in the same room with the same toys every time they are there.”
She said her department is examining how many children a childcare practitioner will care for.
Face masks for children would not be mandatory and it may not be practical for childcare workers, she said.
“Our initial preliminary advice is that the wearing of face masks for children under six is unlikely to contribute to improved infection control. It may be the case that children would not use them consistently without a degree of re-enforcement or coercion. This would not be desirable.
“The initial thinking in relation to adults working in childcare centres wearing masks is that it may not be practical, this will be considered and further explored.”
She said there is no way to avert all risk when it comes to reopening all childcare settings but measures will be put in place to minimise risk.
“With public health input, we are working to develop the safest and most pragmatic way to deliver this vital service,” she added.
“We will minimise the risk. There will be an incident of transmission but we can manage this, not prevent it.”
Asked why only six out of more than 4,000 childcare providers signed up to the Government’s childcare scheme for healthcare workers, she said: “My own personal view is that the fear among childcare workers about going into the homes of healthcare workers became larger as time went on and that is one of the things that inhibited them signing up.”
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Children are not spreaders and dont show symptoms bar the odd rare case. Why should all these restrictions be imposed for no good reason. Political correctness over common sense. There are so many other illnesses that children can catch and we havent been placing them in pods up to this moment in human evolution. This is all crazy. Let people get on with their lives.
@Tommy Fitzgerald: I read they can spread it. What are your sources?
@SC: hiqa evidence summary on the matter should cover it;
@Tommy Fitzgerald: read the article before commenting
@Tommy Fitzgerald: what do you mean by ‘placing them in pods’, I’m not sure if you read article correctly. There are no physical ‘pods’, they are referring to using the same room with same children, toys and one adult as opposed to letting children into other rooms, sharing toys between rooms and having more than one adult or swapping adults within the childcare environment which is common practise. Generally you have 1 room leader and room assistants move from room to room on a week to week basis.
@Tommy Fitzgerald: a child can spread it just as much as an adult. But they might not be super spenders like originally thought, and that’s with limited evidence. So pinch of salt
@Tommy Fitzgerald: Another abuse of the term “political correctness”. It’s not political correctness, it’s being hesitant because of a lack of strong evidence in either direction.
@Tommy Fitzgerald: Jesus how do people like you not understand at this. It’s the children who can bring it home infecting others who are potentially at risk. No where near ready to open, only afew days hundreds of infections daily.
Selfishness is just unbelievable in this comments
@Brian: why Brian, genuine question. I see this thrown around regularly. Anyone who questions locks down etc or the trauma it is having on kids is considered selfish. If we turned on it’s head is the approximate 3% of people many in their late twilight years expecting the rest of the country to completely change their lives not selfish? For the record, I don’t think it is, I’m just wondering why people can’t air genuine concerns without be labelled as selfish.
@Tommy Fitzgerald: my friends young son goes to school in Finland. A week back and he has Covid 19
@Carlin Ite: they only opened a week ago today. I’d say the chances he caught it at school are next to nil. Far more likely he got it at home.
@Sos: average time to symptoms is 5 days.
@Tommy Fitzgerald: This idea has been around for a while and nothing since to suggest otherwise. https://www.independent.ie/world-news/coronavirus/swiss-elderly-told-they-can-hug-children-who-are-under-10-as-theyre-not-spreaders-39166432.html
It’s about time Zappone socially distanced herself from politics
I have a 5 year old due to start school in September and I don’t see any way they can expect a junior infants class to social distance. Also how they expect young kids to meet up outside and social distance is beyond me. Either they let them play together in small groups normally or we just continue, like lockdown, not seeing anyone at all. This could go on for years, I’m not keeping my kids away from others for that long. We have to figure out a way to deal with this while letting our kids develop normally. Increased testing, quick turnaround of results and extra hygiene measures are surely the safest way to do this. It’s not perfect but spending your days constantly pulling a child away from another and snapping at them for getting too close is no where near perfect either
Providers didnt sign up because they couldn’t get insured. Why isnt she acknowledging that?!
What about staff needing to take lunch breaks , go to the toilet , change nappies etc it’s not really practical to only have one staff to a group of children. Also children with additional needs will need extra supports in the room can’t be left to one staff member. Some childcares also share outside areas and toilets between rooms.
@Lynn: now there’s some logical sense, it’s an impossible scenario.
Just wrap them all in bubbles instead.
@Tom Fitzgibbons: The headline reminded me of The Boy In The Bubble.
Ridiculous that 3 months after losing her seat Zappone is still calling the shots!
@Jackie Thomson: you can’t really blame anyone except everyone
I’m glad that someone has some sense. I hope that Leo would also allow my son to play with someone…
@8-Bit-Relic: eh your son can play with someone. Just at a distance…
@8-Bit-Relic: they can play in groups of 4 since Monday you know?!
@Cc Ireland: while keeping social distance……
@David Clements: You have just read an article about the lack of ability to do social distancing.
@Cc Ireland: I don’t and you have just read an article about why not…
@Cc Ireland: Social distancing and a group of 3 year olds? You must be having a laugh
@8-Bit-Relic: depends on the kids and it depends on the parents. Teach your 3 year old to stay away from people and he will. I’m not talking about firing him into a full ball pit. I’m talking about 2 kids with their parents on a green or park with scooters, blowing bubbles, kicking a ball, drawing with chalk on the ground etc etc.
@David Clements: Please read the article again.
@Mickety Dee: I didn’t say anything about three year olds social distancing? The article says children wouldn’t be expected to social distance as they are not likely to pass it on. Children in their pods can play together whether that be in crèche or a parentally organised meet up of 4 or less.
@8-Bit-Relic: the article says children wouldn’t be expected to socially distant so therefore that pressure shouldn’t be put on them. It doesn’t say that as a result of this children will not be allowed to play. But as a side not I have seen lots of children out playing with footballs, skipping ropes and tennis rackets all socially distance but I guess their parents took on the challenge to teach their children about social distancing.
@Cc Ireland: ‘Attempts at social distancing would be traumatic for kids and adults that care for them.’
Yes, the article stated Zappone wants to exclude small children fron social distancing. However, the current restrictions are still in place.
You want to imply that I haven’t taken any parenting challenge because you have WATCHED other children?
@Cc Ireland: yes, but children don’t play separately, they play close together, it’s human nature! We are being asked to live in a manner that’s against everything that makes us who we are, human beings who need and thrive on close contact and interaction.
Could have done applying the pod system to the nursing homes, it seems to address all the things that led to unnecessary deaths – too late now
What they are proposing for the childcare sector going forward is never going to work. I read in another article they are looking at doing a “Drop Off” service at creches, where the childcare provider collects each child in their class. My question here is , how would this ever work with just one carer in each room ? Are they to leave children unattended each time they have to collect someone. What about breaks, parent interaction, tending to some children’s needs etc. There is a lot that needs to be discussed before this sector reopens.
Good to see an acknowlwdgment that under 6′s cant socially distance. Does any thoughts on how 1-1 music lessons could return? Having a wide range of ages.. (not online) .. sharing instruments such as pianos etc..
Face masks on under 5s likely won’t work. Preschool kids. My niece is 3 and is back in creche in September. We tried putting one on her for a walk outside. Kept yanking it off. We put one on her fav teddy as an example. It didn’t work. Any ideas? We’ll keep doing it till September comes.
@Optimus Prime: the article says that masks aren’t practical for children under six
@Optimus Prime: not advised to put masks on children that young, by all medical professionals.
@Optimus Prime: the best thing is to make sure that anybody she comes into contact with is wearing a mask.
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