Field of childcare. Risk of infection is stressful. New coronavirus.

Field of childcare The risk of infection is stressful New coronavirus June 12 15:42

With the cancellation of the emergency declaration, acceptance of children has resumed at many nurseries, but in the field of childcare, the so-called "three denseness" is unavoidable, and the fact that there is an infection risk is stressful. , I found out by a questionnaire survey targeted at groups of childcare workers.

At the end of last month, the National Council of Social Welfare conducted a questionnaire survey of about 300 people, including representatives of nursery teachers in each prefecture and groups of licensed nursery schools, in late last month in order to investigate the effects of the new coronavirus on the site of childcare. , 221 people answered.

According to it, when I heard three things that are a factor of stress in the field, 90% were the most "inevitable "three secrets" and children and caregivers at risk of infection", Next, 65% said they could not prevent infections due to lack of masks and disinfectants, and 43% did not know how to keep their children safe.

According to the council, many nursery schools, which had been closed due to the cancellation of the emergency declaration, have resumed accepting children, but it is difficult for infants to avoid closeness and crowding at the childcare site of the other child. According to the questionnaire survey, many nursery teachers are worried about this situation.

The council says, "We want to reduce the burden on the site by sharing information and training on infection control measures."

Trial and error

At childcare sites, trial and error efforts to prevent infection continue, such as ways to avoid the "three secrets".

At a childcare facility that offers temporary custody service in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, when taking care of a child, we measure the body temperature in advance and make sure that the family has no fever or coughing symptoms.

In addition to increasing the frequency of disinfection of toys and other items that children hold from once a day up to twice a day, they are also ventilating frequently.

In order to keep the distance between children as little as possible, keep toys away from each other so that they do not gather in one place, and when eating, one nursery teacher so far has two children eat at the same time. What I was saying is that I am doing it separately for each person.

Kyoko Hayasaka, the director of the facility, said, “We have taken thorough measures to prevent the infection caused by flying squirrels, but the caregiver's attention has been increased by that amount. , There are more things to watch out for than before."

Nursery teacher "I like children and I can't help being infected"

A 30-year-old childcare worker who works part-time at an authorized nursery school in Tokyo took a leave from the instruction of the garden during the emergency declaration and returned from this month.

The woman said, ``About 80% of the children have resumed schooling, but the garden side started in a hurry without explaining what to be careful about to prevent infection. I'm more stressed in the sense that I'm paying attention to various things."

At the nursery school where you work, you are taking measures such as dividing the children's class into two, indoor and outdoor, as "3 dense measures", but while the heat is getting severe, playing outdoors Are being limited, and women are worried that there is a limit to their measures.

Regarding his own risk of infection, he said, "I like my child, I like my job, I work and I can't help being infected. If I'm really scared, I will quit, but I'm prepared." I confided in my heart.

After that, he said, "If you are infected, you may die in our age group. I think it's terrible that there is no allowance for being so worn out. I want you to pay something like a gratuity."

Payment of a gratuity

The National Council of Social Welfare, which conducted a questionnaire survey, said that childcare workers will continue to provide childcare services while feeling anxiety about infection, and will work with the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in the fields of medical care and nursing care this month. I made an urgent request to pay the same as people.

In addition, three opposition parties, including the Constitutional Democratic Party, have also requested the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare to provide stipends this week.

On the other hand, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has so far been less likely to have a cluster of infected people in nursery schools, unlike medical institutions and nursing care facilities, and that children are less at risk of becoming more severe than elderly people. For this reason, it is difficult to target childcare workers.

On the other hand, some local governments provide their own support. In Nerima Ward, Tokyo, we plan to pay a maximum of 20,000 yen per person for childcare workers, and Obu City, Aichi Prefecture, is subsidizing the facilities as scholarships for employees working at childcare facilities. I will.

Improving treatment at childcare sites

Masami Ohinata, President of Keisen Jogakuen University, who is familiar with issues related to childcare and childrearing, said, ``I fully understand that a new lifestyle is necessary for infection prevention measures, but basically protecting social distance is not familiar with childcare. No. Because hugging and caring for children is the starting point for childcare, we are entering a new stage where we can think about what can be done to ensure childcare safely."

On top of that, we will establish an environment where childcare workers and children can feel secure by thoroughly conducting health management, including body temperature checks for both children and childcare workers, and thoroughly disinfecting and ventilating the facility. Is important.

In addition, President Ohinata is worried that the lack of supporters will become more serious if the treatment of childcare sites is not improved, including the payment of scholarship money. “Childcare work is as important as nursing care and medical care. I would like to see the government's recognition as a social infrastructure."

Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare support measures

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare provides full support for the cost of distributing masks and disinfectant solutions for children to childcare facilities by prefectures in support of infection prevention measures at childcare sites.

In addition, the second supplementary budget for this fiscal year, which was established on the 12th, will be fully subsidized for the cost of training infectious disease prevention measures for the staff of the facility, and there will be anxiety about the risk of infection. In order to reduce the burden, it also includes assistance to local governments that set up specialized consultation desks and provide expert support.