Cambridge Rd Play & Learn Centre pushed to brink by Covid-19 rules

The director of a Hobart early learning centre says her staff are being forced to act as de facto healthcare workers and isolate with sick kids who can’t be picked up by parents. LATEST >>

Tasmanian early childhood educators are being forced into impossible decisions by the “unprecedented pressures” they face as a result of Covid’s continued infiltration into the community, the director of a Hobart centre says.

It comes as the Opposition slammed the State Government for allegedly prioritising primary and secondary school Covid-19 safety plans over those for early childhood education and care centres (ECECs), which Labor Education spokesman Josh Willie pointed out were currently on the front line, with school not due back until February 9.

Cambridge Road Play & Learn Centre Warrane director Jackie Hughes said the lack of clear messaging for ECECs had forced herself and her educators into acting as de facto medical officers, having to make judgments on whether children were symptomatic such that parents should be called.

“It’s a huge responsibility for educators to have to make that call,” she said.

“We’re not healthcare workers.”

Further, if parents were then unable to collect their children due to work or other commitments, educators were being forced to isolate with children who may have the virus, Ms Hughes said.

She said so inconsistent had been State Government information for ECECs, at times changing in periods of less than 12 hours, that she felt she and her staff were giving “incorrect” information to parents.

Ms Hughes said she believed this mixed messaging was putting her children and staff at unnecessary risk.

Cambridge Road Play & Learn Centre director Jackie Huges director of the centre with children Jackson Zanlorenzi, 3, Sophie Pretty, 4, and Henry Tyrrell, 3. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

She said she was “not necessarily enjoying” her job as she was before borders opened on December 15 last year.

Opposition Leader Rebecca White said Labor was “concerned” by the lack of clear advice for early learning centres, which she claimed was “constantly changing”.

Mr Willie alleged the State Government was running a two-tiered system between schools and ECECs which was leaving the latter behind.

He said nowhere is this evidenced more than in the lack of availability of RATs for the ECEC sector.

Mr Willie claimed that the murky definition for close contacts in ECECs meant parents were at times being forced to choose between their children’s health or their livelihood, as they needed a close contact declaration in order to access State and Federal Government financial support.

Labor leader Rebecca White at Cambridge Road Play & Learn Centre in Hobart with Noah Rice, 4. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

According to the State Government’s Covid-19 Safety in Schools Plan, schools and ECECs will be provided with enough RATs to enable each student to test twice weekly, but this will not be in effect until February 9.

Class outbreaks for schools and ECECs will be defined as when five or more cases in children, students or teachers occur within seven days of each other.

Children and students will not automatically be deemed close contacts unless the school/ECEC is advised directly by Public Health officials.

Speaking on Tuesday morning, Public Health Director Mark Veitch said if a child in a childcare centre became Covid-19 positive, parents with children in that facility would be alerted to the fact and advised to watch out for symptoms in their offspring.

But Dr Veitch said the other children in the centre would not be classified as close contacts of the infected youngster and would not have to be removed from care.

"If there is evidence of an outbreak, there will be more testing,” Dr Veitch said.

However, if a child is deemed a close contact of a household where there are Covid-19 positive cases they would be expected to isolate.

A State Government representative said they acknowledged "the incredible job that Tasmanian Early Childhood Education and Care providers are currently doing."

"The Department of Education has been actively engaging with the Early Childhood Education and Care sector in Tasmania.

"The current advice from Public Health is if a case is detected in an early childhood setting, parents will be informed by the service provider and asked to monitor their child for symptoms and to test if symptoms develop.

"Importantly, the Department’s Education and Care Unit (ECU) established a dedicated contact number last week for service providers to telephone directly to obtain the latest, sector-specific COVID advice.

"We encourage any providers with questions  to contact the ECU.The Department of Education will be providing Rapid Antigen Tests and masks for Education and Care employees from next week, and more information will be provided in coming days on how to access these."

How to talk to your kids about Covid

TASMANIAN parents of school students are being urged to have calm, measured and reassuring conversations with their children ahead of the start of a school year like no other.

Government schools return to class on February 9, but unlike previous years students, staff and parents will have Covid-19 constantly on their minds.

Secondary school students will have to wear masks, while all students will be required to stay home if they are sick and isolate if they test positive to the virus.

Mental Health and Wellbeing Minister and Acting Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff said it was understandable there was a level of anxiety in the community about the return to school.

“We can be reassuring to our young people, to normalise as much as possible going back to school,’’ he said.

“Having a conversation with a young person is very important at this time, to settle the young person and prepare them for the school’s return.

“What’s important is being upfront and honest with young people ... to answer questions truthfully when they are asked by young people, but also encouraging the discussion as well.”

Director of Child and Student Wellbeing Ruth Davidson and Acting Minister for Education Jeremy Rockliff at Napoleon Street Playground. Picture: Chris Kidd

Ruth Davidson, the Director of Child and Student Wellbeing, said keeping up routines as was one of the keys to a successful school year.

Ms Davidson said healthy eating, good sleep patterns, being outside and remaining active were helpful to maintain a sense of normality.

“Let’s continue what we can do to keep their wellbeing and their learning on track in the way we would without a Covid disruption,’’ she said.

Ms Davidson said it was important for students to have trusted adults, including parents and teachers, to pose questions of as the Covid situation evolved.

She said the importance of school friendships and socialising with peers could also not be underestimated.

Mr Rockliff said an information sheet had been developed by the education department to provide tips for parents to talk to their child about Covid-19.

Earlier this week, Premier Peter Gutwein unveiled the state’s return to schools plan, confirming government schools would return on February 9 as planned.

The strategy includes having enough supply for two rapid antigen tests per student each week for use if required, along with providing masks for those required to wear them.

Children who do test positive jwill have to stay at home for at least seven days and quarantine alongside their families.

Thousands of registered relief teachers and recently retired staff are also being canvassed in an effort to build up the number of educators available.

But Labor education spokesman Josh Willie cast doubt on whether many relief teachers would in fact come on board.

“I am deeply concerned that we will see schools closed because this government isn’t prepared,’’ he said.

“They are saying they are recruiting teachers, I’ve talked to retired teachers yesterday who are not interested in working in schools this year.

“If they are going to try and recruit teachers that might have let their qualifications lapse ... that all takes time, so we’ve got a lot of concerns when it comes to the relief teaching pool.”

“Quite confident”: Hobart family prepares for school year

HOBART’S Frankcombe family say they are as ready as can be for the return of the school year, amid the uncertainty of Covid-19.

The impact on schools after last month’s border reopening is somewhat inevitable after Tasmania spent much of the pandemic with next to no community transmission of the virus.

But Ross Frankcombe says he feels comfortable about sending his children back to class.

Ross Frankcombe with his children Gertie 14, Fergus 13, Felix 16, Freddie 10 and Betsy 9 at Sandy Bay. Picture: Chris Kidd

Felix (16), Gertie (14), Fergus (13), Freddie (10) and Betsy (9) will soon be back to their respective schools of Rosny College, St Mary’s, St Virgil’s and Montagu Bay primary.

“All are vaccinated, the elder three have got double vaccinated and the younger two have got a single dose,’’ Mr Frankcombe said.

“I’m quite confident that makes them resilient enough to get through Covid should they get it.”

Mr Frankcombe said his children were also keen to get back to the classroom environment and were not perturbed by the uncertainty of Covid-19.

“They are all fine to go back, they haven’t got a problem with it at all,’’ he said.

“They are eager to get back.”

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