Latest news with #nurseries
The Guardian
15 hours ago
- Health
- The Guardian
Nurseries in England bring in Covid-style protocols as measles cases rise
Parents and experts have voiced alarm over rising measles cases, with nurseries bringing in Covid-style isolation protocols to clamp down on outbreaks. There have been more than 500 confirmed cases in England in 2025, the majority in young children. A child died at Alder Hey hospital in Liverpool on Sunday after contracting the infectious disease. With cases increasing and vaccine uptake in some parts of the country worryingly low, nurseries are bringing back infection control measures last used during the pandemic to keep children safe and ease parents' fears. Adam Rowles' two-year-old daughter attends a nursery in south-east London that recently had four cases of measles. Although his daughter is fully vaccinated, his six-month-old son is due to start attending the nursery before his first birthday, when he would be eligible for his first measles jab. Rowles said: 'It's alarming, isn't it? Because it's something that you think has been eradicated, and we don't have to worry about any more, but then all of a sudden here we are. It's just baffling.' He has asked about postponing his son's nursery place until he is vaccinated but was told that would cost him his place. The nursery said it had implemented strict protocols, such as dividing up walking and nonwalking babies to reduce the spread of infection and had brought back 'Covid levels of cleaning'. 'We felt slightly more at ease, but still not fully at ease,' said Rowles. 'It made what seemed really bad and quite scary, still scary but less so. We're basically just going to have to hope for the best for five months. And we have grandparents on hand to help if we have to take him out of there, if it comes to that.' Melanie Pilcher of the Early Years Alliance, which represents providers, said nurseries were equipped to deal with outbreaks after the Covid pandemic and were starting to bring back similar infection control procedures. 'They're using all those good hygiene practices, staff have got PPE, they've got aprons, gloves, some settings still keep masks,' she said. 'They're doing everything they can, while obviously not scaring the children either. 'Thanks to Covid, we got very savvy at knowing what we needed to do in the case of a very serious illness occurring like this. It is a very real and present danger.' Pilcher said many nurseries were asking whether they could turn away unvaccinated children: 'They can't, and it wouldn't be right to turn children away because it is a parental choice at the end of the day, and we have to respect that.' Experts said measles vaccine uptake had decreased in part because of misinformation online, missed appointments in the pandemic and limited access to GP appointments Helen Bedford, a professor of children's health at UCL, said inequality driven by poverty was the key underlying issue. 'People talk about vaccine hesitancy and true, people do have questions, they have concerns. But the biggest problem really is about access. Under-immunisation goes hand in hand with poverty,' she said. Parents being unable to take time off work to get their child to a vaccination appointment, or unable to afford the transport to get there, were regularly cited as reasons why children had not had both doses of the measles, mumps and rubella jab. Prof Matt Ashton, the director of public health for Liverpool, where measles vaccine uptake is 73% compared with 84% across England, said: 'Measles is a disease people are used to not seeing. And people have complex, difficult lives, aligned to poverty and deprivation. 'They are time-poor, often working really hard just to put food on the table. So that means they don't prioritise a health intervention for a disease they don't think is an issue.' The best public interest journalism relies on first-hand accounts from people in the know. If you have something to share on this subject you can contact us confidentially using the following methods. Secure Messaging in the Guardian app The Guardian app has a tool to send tips about stories. Messages are end to end encrypted and concealed within the routine activity that every Guardian mobile app performs. This prevents an observer from knowing that you are communicating with us at all, let alone what is being said. If you don't already have the Guardian app, download it (iOS/Android) and go to the menu. Select 'Secure Messaging'. SecureDrop, instant messengers, email, telephone and post See our guide at for alternative methods and the pros and cons of each. Dr Chris Bird, a paediatric emergency medicine consultant at Birmingham children's hospital, has treated a number of measles patients, particularly during an outbreak of about 450 cases last year. 'That's a huge number, and a lot of my colleagues had never seen measles before. We had almost elimination status in the UK just before Covid,' he said. 'It's also quite difficult to spot because the symptoms are very non-specific until the rash appears at day four. 'Measles is 10 times more infectious than flu or Covid, so you only have to have a child sitting in a busy waiting room for 15 minutes and then you've got a potential spread.' He said he was increasingly speaking to families who had not had their children vaccinated, often for 'personal reasons'. Dr Qasim Malik, a paediatric registrar and member of the British Islamic Medical Association (Bima), said a more targeted approach toward different communities was needed to boost vaccine uptake. 'We're often talking about people who probably have been traditionally excluded from accessing healthcare,' he said. 'For instance, the marginalisation of asylum seekers and refugees means they're more reluctant to seek out healthcare for their children. 'At Bima, we use inclusive language sensitive to the Muslim community, such as considering if there is gelatine in the vaccine, for instance, whether that is affecting uptake and what alternatives are available. We need less demonisation and a kinder approach when looking at these issues by building relationships and looking at vaccine hesitancy alongside other issues such as lack of access to food and adequate housing.'
The Guardian
a day ago
- Health
- The Guardian
Nurseries in England bring in Covid-style protocols as measles cases rise
Parents and experts have voiced alarm over rising measles cases, with nurseries bringing in Covid-style isolation protocols to clamp down on outbreaks. There have been more than 500 confirmed cases in England in 2025, the majority in young children. A child died at Alder Hey hospital in Liverpool on Sunday after contracting the infectious disease. With cases increasing and vaccine uptake in some parts of the country worryingly low, nurseries are bringing back infection control measures last used during the pandemic to keep children safe and ease parents' fears. Adam Rowles' two-year-old daughter attends a nursery in south-east London that recently had four cases of measles. Although his daughter is fully vaccinated, his six-month-old son is due to start attending the nursery before his first birthday, when he would be eligible for his first measles jab. Rowles said: 'It's alarming, isn't it? Because it's something that you think has been eradicated, and we don't have to worry about any more, but then all of a sudden here we are. It's just baffling.' He has asked about postponing his son's nursery place until he is vaccinated but was told that would cost him his place. The nursery said it had implemented strict protocols, such as dividing up walking and nonwalking babies to reduce the spread of infection and had brought back 'Covid levels of cleaning'. 'We felt slightly more at ease, but still not fully at ease,' said Rowles. 'It made what seemed really bad and quite scary, still scary but less so. We're basically just going to have to hope for the best for five months. And we have grandparents on hand to help if we have to take him out of there, if it comes to that.' Melanie Pilcher of the Early Years Alliance, which represents providers, said nurseries were equipped to deal with outbreaks after the Covid pandemic and were starting to bring back similar infection control procedures. 'They're using all those good hygiene practices, staff have got PPE, they've got aprons, gloves, some settings still keep masks,' she said. 'They're doing everything they can, while obviously not scaring the children either. 'Thanks to Covid, we got very savvy at knowing what we needed to do in the case of a very serious illness occurring like this. It is a very real and present danger.' Pilcher said many nurseries were asking whether they could turn away unvaccinated children: 'They can't, and it wouldn't be right to turn children away because it is a parental choice at the end of the day, and we have to respect that.' Experts said measles vaccine uptake had decreased in part because of misinformation online, missed appointments in the pandemic and limited access to GP appointments Helen Bedford, a professor of children's health at UCL, said inequality driven by poverty was the key underlying issue. 'People talk about vaccine hesitancy and true, people do have questions, they have concerns. But the biggest problem really is about access. Under-immunisation goes hand in hand with poverty,' she said. Parents being unable to take time off work to get their child to a vaccination appointment, or unable to afford the transport to get there, were regularly cited as reasons why children had not had both doses of the measles, mumps and rubella jab. Prof Matt Ashton, the director of public health for Liverpool, where measles vaccine uptake is 73% compared with 84% across England, said: 'Measles is a disease people are used to not seeing. And people have complex, difficult lives, aligned to poverty and deprivation. 'They are time-poor, often working really hard just to put food on the table. So that means they don't prioritise a health intervention for a disease they don't think is an issue.' Dr Chris Bird, a paediatric emergency medicine consultant at Birmingham children's hospital, has treated a number of measles patients, particularly during an outbreak of about 450 cases last year. 'That's a huge number, and a lot of my colleagues had never seen measles before. We had almost eradication status in the UK just before Covid,' he said. 'It's also quite difficult to spot because the symptoms are very non-specific until the rash appears at day four. 'Measles is 10 times more infectious than flu or Covid, so you only have to have a child sitting in a busy waiting room for 15 minutes and then you've got a potential spread.' He said he was increasingly speaking to families who had not had their children vaccinated, often for 'personal reasons'. Dr Qasim Malik, a paediatric registrar and member of the British Islamic Medical Association (Bima), said a more targeted approach toward different communities was needed to boost vaccine uptake. 'We're often talking about people who probably have been traditionally excluded from accessing healthcare,' he said. 'For instance, the marginalisation of asylum seekers and refugees means they're more reluctant to seek out healthcare for their children. 'At Bima, we use inclusive language sensitive to the Muslim community, such as considering if there is gelatine in the vaccine, for instance, whether that is affecting uptake and what alternatives are available. We need less demonisation and a kinder approach when looking at these issues.'
Times
09-07-2025
- Health
- Times
Doctors operate on teddy bears to ease children's fear of hospital
If you should go down to the Darmstadt clinic today, you're sure of a big surprise. At first glance the hospital ward looks much like any other, with an operating theatre, an x-ray machine and a pharmaceutical dispensary. The only anomaly is the patients: a plush toy whale with a tear in its underbelly, a stuffed dinosaur with a broken leg, and a teddy bear called Fridolin who complains of stomach pains after swallowing too much cotton wool. For a few days each summer the western German city's teaching hospital, which trains medical students from the distinguished universities in Frankfurt and Heidelberg, is converted into a triage centre for cuddly toy animals. This year more than 600 children from Darmstadt's nurseries, the largest cohort yet, were invited to visit the facility in an effort to educate them about the basic mechanics of the human body and ease any fear they might have of doctors or medical procedures. The kindergarteners, between the ages of three and six, are advised to bring their own soft toys for treatment and dress up in scrubs and masks to carry it out themselves. The 'teddy bear hospital' is staffed by 20 medical students approaching the end of their practical year. The highlight is a demonstration of live surgery on Fridolin, whose chest is opened up to reveal his heart. Across eight rooms, the children watch the students applying bandages, taking x-rays and measuring their toys' temperatures. Those deemed to require drugs can obtain imitation pills from a trainee pharmacist. There is also a dedicated ambulance from the German Red Cross, manned by volunteers and another teddy bear named Tom. Bettina Brandt, the student co-ordinator who organises the teddy bear hospital, said: 'It's always great fun for both the children and the students. [The students] also learn a lot from interacting with the children and conducting the medical examinations.' The programme is sponsored by a Darmstadt citizens' initiative, an organic supermarket, a car dealership and a pharmacy. 'Promoting health starts with the very youngest,' said Clemens Maurer, a spokesman for the hospital. 'We want them to lose their angst around medical professionals or a stay in hospital, since the whole thing no longer seems so alien to them afterwards.'
The Independent
07-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Phillipson: Family hubs will give parents freedom to focus on loving children
Family hubs offering support and youth services will give parents 'the freedom to focus on loving their children', Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said. The Government announced there will be a Best Start family hub in every local authority in England by April 2026, with £500 million targeted at disadvantaged communities. This comes alongside plans to offer £4,500 to specialist teachers, in a bid to attract staff to nurseries. Officials have also said that Ofsted will inspect all new early years providers within 18 months of them opening from next April, under the Best Start In Life strategy announced on Monday. The Education Secretary has said she wants to 'make sure every child has the chance to succeed', as ministers look to drive up quality and access in early education. In a statement to the Commons on Monday, Ms Phillipson said: 'We'll introduce a new Best Start Family Service delivered through Best Start family hubs, the first step to a national families service that ensures they can get the right support for their children from conception to age five, giving parents the freedom to focus on loving their children.' She added: 'Best Start family hubs will be open to all, rooted in disadvantaged communities. 'They will work with nurseries, childminders, schools, health services, libraries and local voluntary groups – a whole community coming together around one goal: to give children the best possible start in life. 'And Our Best Start digital service means we're ready for the future, linking families to their local Best Start Family Hub, and exploring how the power of AI (artificial intelligence) can help parents find the right information.' According to the Department for Education, some one in 10 nurseries have an early years teacher. The new incentive scheme of a government-funded and tax-free £4,500 payment will look to keep 3,000 more teachers in nurseries. These will be targeted in the 20 most disadvantaged communities, the department said. There will also be a shift towards Ofsted inspections every four years for early years providers, rather than the current six-year cycle. Officials have also said there will be more money to fund partnerships between nurseries and schools to make transition periods easier. The announcements have been welcomed by the sector, but one figure has said the 'devil will be in the detail'. Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Early Years Alliance, said: 'We're clear that this strategy will only work if it is backed up with the tangible support – financial or otherwise – that early years providers and other bodies and professionals need to build an early years system that works for all families. 'But after years of calling for a long-term vision for the early years, there's no doubt that this is a positive development, and we look forward to working with Government to turn vision into reality.' Sarah Ronan, director of the Early Education and Childcare Coalition, has described Monday's strategy as 'a turning point in how we value early education'. 'Change won't happen overnight but it starts today with a shared mission to give every child the best start in life,' she said. Shadow education secretary Laura Trott said 'the rhetoric does not match the reality' because early-years providers were suffering from the impact of increased national insurance contributions (Nics). She told Ms Phillipson: 'Nurseries across the country are on the brink because of decisions her Government have made. 'While it is welcome that the Government has continued the roll out of our early years offer, the lack of compensation for the Nics increase is forcing providers to either hike fees or shut their doors. 'There is no use giving out incentive payments for jobs at nurseries if providers are closing because they've been clobbered with Nics.'
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Nursery teachers to get £4,500 to work in disadvantaged areas
Early years teachers in England will be offered tax-free payments of £4,500 to work in nurseries in disadvantaged areas as part of government efforts to boost standards. The incentives are designed to attract and retain fully qualified staff in 20 areas, the education department said on Monday without confirming exactly which places would benefit. The scheme is part of a wider strategy designed to narrow the attainment gap among pre-school children due to be unveiled on Monday. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the plans would "help give our youngest children the very best start in life" - but the Conservatives said Labour's tax changes had hit nurseries hard. The government said it would spend £1.5 billion on its so-called Best Start in Life strategy, which builds on Labour's campaign pledge to reform services for the youngest children in order to drive up education and health standards. The education department said only one in 10 nurseries currently have a specialist early years teacher. The direct payments to trained teachers are intended to incentivise staff to work in areas with the most acute needs. Payments will begin next year, though no details about the eligibility criteria have been published. Also included in the package of reforms is a proposal to increase the number of Ofsted inspection nurseries undergo, including ensuring all new providers are assessed within 18 months. Announcing the plans, Phillipson said "the best way of reducing inequalities is by tackling them early". On Sunday, the government also said it would fund new local hubs to offer youth services and support for parents, which are modelled on the Sure Start centres set up under the New Labour government and largely closed after 2010. Neil Leith of the Early Years Alliance said the early years announcement was a "positive development" but warned the strategy would only work "if it is backed up with the tangible support - financial or otherwise". Shadow education minister Neil O'Brien said that an increase in employers' National Insurance contributions had left nurseries across the country "on the brink". Some have had to "hike fees or shut their doors", he said, adding: "Families are being left to face higher childcare costs and fewer places."
