Currently, as a result of the pandemic, there is a very high absenteeism among kindergarten workers. The municipality asks children with symptoms not to come to kindergarten.
Currently, absenteeism ranges from 30 to 40 percent in many kindergartens. It influences the day in kindergarten a lot. The shortage is so great that the municipality of Stavanger, as owner of the kindergartens, now needs to take further measures to ensure that it operates smoothly in a challenging situation.
As a result of the pandemic, there is a very high absenteeism among kindergarten workers
In the last week, several companies have had to shorten their opening hours. If absenteeism continues to increase, it will be difficult to ensure a solid pre-school offer. In the worst case scenario, the closure of some kindergartens can be essential, says preschool manager Monica Buvig Stenseth.
- Kindergartens must be efficiently run. This means, inter alia, care for safety, the basic needs of children and the health and safety conditions of employees - he continues.
It is emphasized that the stability and presence of the staff is important for the quality of the kindergarten, especially from the point of view of the safety of the youngest children.
- The intention to abolish national infection control measures was to protect children from the burden of the measures. When there is such a high absenteeism in kindergartens, children lack safe care, says the headmaster of the kindergarten.
In order to try to reduce absenteeism in kindergarten, Stavanger Municipality is asking for:
- children who test positive do not come to kindergarten if they have symptoms. Symptoms may be slight. Please leave the children at home to have the situation observed for at least one day after they pass the test. They can go back to kindergarten when their form is fine and they have no fever for 24 hours.
- Parents who test positive for the coronavirus should not be those who visit the preschool for four days after the onset of the disease. This is in line with national recommendations that adults should stay home for four days after the onset of illness.
- Parents are prepared that infected kindergartens may have to close or limit their opening hours for several days to ensure proper functioning. Kindergartens, which have to limit their opening hours, will consider, in dialogue with parents with socially critical tasks, the possibility of presenting an extended offer, if and if necessary.
Source: Stavanger Municipality
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