Childcare crawls to reopen

Several private nurseries remained closed Monday despite being given the green light to reopen while others that welcomed children for the first time in almost three months reported a significant decline in their numbers.

Two weeks ago, Prime Minister Mia Mottley announced that nurseries would be allowed to reopen on June 22, granted certain protocols were put in place.

But that list of protocols was only released last Thursday, giving the daycare centres just a few days to properly outfit themselves for reopening.

It proved to be not enough time for some owners, who told Barbados TODAY they would open within the next two weeks.

At First Four Academy Daycare and Preschool in Maxwell, Christ Church, there was a lock on the gate and no activity within. An employee there told Barbados TODAY it might reopen by next week or the week after.

“We are waiting for the authorities, the Child Care Board to complete their inspection and give us the green light,” the employee said.

Precious Gems Daycare and Pre-School in Warrens, St Michael was also closed but is set to reopen next Monday, Barbados TODAY was told.

But at 4th Avenue, Belleville, Precious Angels Pre-School and Daycare opened to a 90 per cent reduction in their pre-COVID-19 numbers, owner Ira Walcott-Smith told Barbados TODAY. She was optimistic things would improve.

Walcott-Smith said: “Our first day is not as we would have expected. Our numbers are very low. The parents have been calling to find out how things are going. My opinion is that parents are just nervous right now so they’re waiting to see how the first week goes but I’m expecting the numbers to increase by next week.

“Before COVID-19 our numbers ranged from 45 to close to 50 on a good day, but as for right now we only have five children in here. But based on the calls and the conversations with the parents I think the parents were just being cautious.

“The ones that came today, they observed the protocols and their minds are at ease, so it’s just for the others who are just calling in to actually come in, so I’m trusting that next week will be better based on those phone calls.”

One owner’s whose first day was encouraging was Depearl Nurse-Worrell at De Pearl Day Care on Green Hill, St Michael, whose turnout numbers were “not too bad”.

When Barbados TODAY visited just after noon, six toddlers were seen maintaining physical distancing as they slept.

She explained that the daycare centre was ready for reopening as it had already begun initiating several of the required protocols.

Nurse-Worrell said: The first day wasn’t too bad at all. I think what happened though, is that several parents were misinformed. They felt that because the Government daycares were not reopening all of the private daycares would be shut as well.

“But I was well prepared to open because I already had certain things in place. The only real protocol which I had to prepare for was the distancing. I think that today was more like a soft opening so by later this week and definitely by next week I expect numbers to improve.” randybennett@barbadostoday.bb