Is it legal ?

It’s all about viral load. Sitting together around a table for a few hours in an enclosed space with closed windows where one or more of your bubble could be asymptomatic carriers is, in my opinion, very risky. You could breathe in a lot of virus and become seriously ill.
Although you help out with child care as you’re in their bubble, this carries less risk if you limit close interaction as much as possible. Obviously, there’s still risk as Covid is an airborne virus which lingers in unventilated rooms.
You say that family members enter your home at least once a week to fetch your GC but do they really have to enter?
Just because bubbles are ‘allowed’ doesn’t mean they’re safe, especially when some members are going out to work and others at school ........ I’d save any close contact birthday celebrations till you’ve had both jabs so that you have more chance of celebrating next year’s! Even after the jabs, we still need to be careful though as we could still pass it on, even though we have some protection for ourselves .....

Yes it is legal if you live alone you can form a bubble with another household, and can even sleep over and hug each other.

People are better off forgetting Boris' confused set of rules, and follow common sense.
If you simply act as if you and/or others around you are infected. No matter what is legal.
Imagine the milkman is infected. What do you do? You wash the bottles and take care to wash your hands.
Things that come into the house imagine they have been touched by an infected person; wash your shopping.
When you are out keep your distance; where not possible wear a mask.
Do not touch surfaces unnecessarily; wash your hands when you have do.
If you want to have people round take as many precautions as practicle.
VENTILATION is nearly as good as being outside. So turn down the heating and wear more clothes, let the air move. This will carry viruses out of the house.

No, you’re not supposed to meet for a social gathering even if in a bubble and you do childcare as a meal isn’t essential . We had this dilemma at Christmas and in the end we all did the right thing and
had dinner in our own houses

I thought you are allowed only one person from you bubble inside your house at any time! Plus do you really want the police knocking on your door.

It's probably legal, but is it wise? It depends, I suppose, if those in your bubble are ever in contact with others not in your bubble (for work, perhaps), and who those they are in contact with have been in contact with, and so on, if you see what I mean.

Have a "Zoom" meal and enter into the spirit of the lockdown. It won't be long for the vaccination program to really take effect and restrictions will be less. You can celebrate then. It is a small price to pay to be safe.

If you are in a support bubble and you are not doing anything different from usual (other than the dinner being celebratory) I can't see the problem. Have you been invited to have the vaccine yet?

Personally I wouldn’t, like most people we have missed Birthday celebrations. If everyone waits to be vaccinated we can then hopefully celebrate!

As others have said, in terms of legality, you cannot use your childcare bubble for socialising.
If you live alone, and that family is your 'support bubble' then you can (and ' whether you should' is your decision)

We had the 'overnight' dilemma as we were needed for childcare until 10.30pm, then again at 7.30am. We decided that staying overnight was less risky than a 2 hour round trip. no-one lese in the bubble.

If you live alone, you can have a support bubble and act as if you are part of that household ie no distancing etc. So, yes, you can have a meal with them if you would like to.

I think childcare bubbles mean just that. Childcare. We did it for 2 days after Christmas & felt safe because the children hadn’t missed with anyone since 17 December. However when our teacher daughter came home we got our boots and coats on & left. As she said ‘I’m home now mum. It’s childcare only, not an extension into a cheese and wine party. We have to stick by the rules. As our neighbours are doing.’

A childcare bubble is not the same as a support bubble.

Just because you " could" does not mean you "should" !

Prolonged time with others indoors will increase the chances of becoming infected.

I agree that some guidance appears crazy and illogical but some guidance is based, not on risk of infection, but expediency.

If it was me I would be giving birthday parties a miss. This is how the Pandamic got worse...Christmas get togethers etc. This variant of Covid is alot stronger than before...just all be glad you have not got Covid up until now.
Hold out for celebrations when life is alot safer.

The rules are very clear that you cannot use a childcare bubble for socialising. When dropping off/collecting you should also be avoiding mixing inside. I miss my DDs dreadfully and have my grandson once a week bu we avoid indoor contact and the only socialising is one in one for a walk. I too had a birthday and they delivered presents ta and an afternoon tea on the doorstep. I have two teenagers still in school but it’s all about minimising the risk to yourself. There are so many ‘it’s onlys’ but the only way we’ll get rid of this is iris os to follow the rules/guidance until we’re all vaccinated ☹️

my bubble is my ds,dil and 4 gks.. in this last lockdown, seemed more serious to me, I stopped visiting them, and them coming here, as the 4 gks have various activities, legal, that they come into contact with a lot of people

so I have foregone using my bubble.. as someone said up above
is it worth the risk now? and Captain Tom, where did he get it from?

as I see it "bubbles" are not a safe haven, merely of , hopefully, saving some mental anguish

If you’re in their bubble then you can spend time together at your home.

It’s my birthday today and I’m spending the day as usual looking after the grandchildren who are in my bubble.
Unfortunately no birthday dinner for me though ? but I hope you can enjoy yours ?

I’m looking forward to organising a big party for friends and family once this is all over.

Thank you very much for all your replies, much appreciated.....

If you are on your own, plus being their childcare you are classed as being in their family or childcare bubble is my understanding. Enjoy your birthday and meal!

Capt. Tom couldn’t have got Covid directly from Barbados before Christmas - it’s too long an incubation. My OH’s dad got it from a carer we believe - he had carers coming in twice a day and she didn’t know she had it. He was otherwise isolating. Thankfully he has done amazingly - he’s 93 - and has whipped its arse! Had the paramedic out one night when they couldn’t control temperature and it made his dementia noticeably worse for a period but apart from that has been amazing!

I would go for it, as you are part of the family bubble. Go Buffet so you can all sit apart as well and have you had your vaccine yet?

I just think you need to consider what is safe rather than focus on what is allowed. Of course we should only do what is allowed - but all our safety may require more care - over and above what is allowed.

grandmajet
How did I miss that?

The guidance around childcare bubbles states that social interaction between the 2 households involved in care giving is not allowed whereas if you are in a support bubble as a single adult you can act as members of one household

If you don’t have a partner and are in a social bubble, it is legal. If you have a partner then you are in a childcare bubble and it is not allowed to socialise, as far as I know

I believe Major Tom and his family went to Barbados just before christmas, so may have been exposed during that trip. It’s probably best to keep contact to what is absolutely necessary.