Some early childhood educators are worried about their safety as the number of children returning to centres increases despite the COVID-19 lockdown.
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They say school teachers have the luxury of working from home to keep safe while they are being put at risk as the number of people infected with the virus continues to spike upwards in NSW.
Despite the concerns that young people may face a greater risk from the Delta variant, others working in the field still feel comfortable going to work every day.
"Speaking for myself in terms of coming to work, I feel protected," said Wollongong early childhood educator Charise Orvad, who is director of the ECTARC Keiraview Education and Care Service.
"I'm not worried myself about coming to work every day," Mrs Orvad said.
"I follow procedures, I do hand sanitising, I wear my mask. We all socially distance. We are doing everything that we are told we need to do.
"Generally Wollongong is not a hot spot, so personally I'm not concerned about it at all."
She was also heartened by the efforts of the bosses of ECTARC, which operates 11 not-for-profit community owned centres in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven.
"I think it helps our team to know that the company is doing all that they can to protect us as workers, and we are following all of the directives given to us by the health department," Mrs Orvad said.
"This includes parents not being allowed into the centre. They have to drop off their kids and we take them in."
But one early childhood educator, who contacted the Mercury, didn't feel safe at all going to work.
The woman who works for a preschool funded by the Department of Education, wanted to remain anonymous.
She however wanted it known that the "forgotten workers and carers were being put at risk needlessly by complacent and selfish parents".
She said the preschool she worked at was refusing to enforce care to children only of essential workers or children at risk.
"Every day numbers of attendance increase as families say their children are 'too bored' at home," the woman said.
"Last year our lockdown attendance numbers were a modest 10 per cent a day. This lockdown we are consistently over 50 per cent attendance every day.
"With no ability to work from home as teachers can or reduce staff numbers on site.
"Every day staff are made to put the community's children first before their own as they have to choose between a job caring for children who could otherwise be cared for at home by stay at home parents and parents working from home.
"How can schools, funded by the same department, mandate that children cannot attend if there is an adult present in their home, when early education cannot or a sector's large leading provider is refusing to?"
She added the mental health of front line workers was just as important as those staying at home.
"As case numbers of Covid-19 increase, parents are not even expected to QR code in as they drop off their children as apparently they are not entering the interior of the building yet they are walking and queueing on site.
"We are a workforce at breaking point and are being taken for granted and advantage of.
"If we fall so will all the real genuine essential workers with children."
A Department of Education spokesperson said at the current time, early childhood education and care services (including out of school hours care) were considered an essential service and may remain open, where NSW Health has not directed a service to close.
"The Department has advised parents and carers to keep children at home unless they need to be at school.
"Services can make their own determination in line with their policies and procedures regarding attendance and are encouraged to address individual need with families.
"The Department continues to work closely with services and providers to provide information and support in response to the current COVID-19 pandemic, including through the establishment of a COVID support team".
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Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
