Key workers and childcare - what to do?

I know someone, who moved in with the family so they were all in the same house and she could care for the children. This was last week so not sure if that would be advisable now or even practical for you nurse.

It wasn't possible before and I don't know whether it is even allowed now. We don't want to send the children to stay with her as it would be hard for everyone involved but also our work means we have a higher chance of bringing things home and we don't want to put family at risk. It's an impossible situation

As I understand it the schools will be "open " during the Easter holidays too if that helps. I know my DD is expected to go in.

It is dreadful that NHS staff are put in this position. There needs to be more help. My daughter is a nurse on maternity leave but thinks she may be called back and the nurseries are closed. I am in the high risk group and can't help even if I was allowed to now.
I hope you get some help Nurse

I fit the description of your mother-in-law, ie in my 60s and no underlying health problems.

I'm still childminding as our local authority has asked us to stay open to help the keyworkers.

Three children are staying home now as although their mums are NHS, their dads have been off work since Monday.
Before that I'd had them here rather than take them to school, to reduce the number of people they mixed with. Our council and schools locally have said that even keyworkers' children should only go to school if they "absolutely need" to.

One two year old is still coming. We're staying at home and in the garden. We're doing a "doorstep" drop off and pick up, ie parents aren't coming into my house.

I would say your mother-in-law could reasonably do the same.
If she had the children at her house, you could go straight home from work, shower and change before you collected them.

We've also been asked to complete a survey saying if we can offer a place to any other keyworkers' children, so if you know any parents who are looking for childcare ask your local authority education/childcare department.

Grannie here. One of my daughters is a nurse and also teaches trainee nurses but is not using the school or nursery with 3 and 5 years olds as husband is not a key worker. We have had them since 10 months old 2 days a week and do school pickups, but my daughter said we can't do it now and she and her husband will cope alone. Her sister who was made redundant was coming over from another town to look after them one day a week, but not allowed to now, and hubby was working from home 2 days a week and she was trying to work longer hours and one day at home. Working at home is proving very difficult with 2 small ones and husband's firm may close down or he may be laid off, so money worries too. Mother-in-law has health problems so is staying away. Working from home must be difficult for anyone with very small children.

really I am just responding to the heading of your thread here

what is getting to me is that we are all full of praise and thanks etc.. and mostly the Government, but when this is all over, will the Government pay them a decent salary, and treat them as they should be treated?
and the shop check out operators,, they are special also..

I've checked the new government rules but not sure how to post the link here. Anyway, it's specific that keyworkers can take their children to their normal childcare provision which for my grandchildren is us. We're under 70 and in good health so although I am a bit worried, I'd be more worried about them going into school and mixing with a different pool of kids each time. We have strict household rules about handover and they then stay overnight so it's a block of days rather than back and forth. Not ideal but with four key workers in the immediate family, we have to find a way to make life work whilst also protecting ourselves.

As your MIl is under 70 and in good health, could she not move in with you for the duration?

My family (who are able to work from any home with internet) moved to live with me last weekend. I’m now on permanent childcare duties. I’m under 60 and in good health but I’d forgotten how tiring looking after a two year old full time is ?

We’ve all got to change the way we live at the moment, and YOUR children are YOUR responsibility no matter how inconvenient it may be.

Was due to looked after DGC next week - they live 70 miles away. Reckoned I couldn't go (DD and SIL are frontline) as DH is high risk and we are not meant to be moving around. Having said all that I am part-time NHS (currently screening not wards) and the thought of being on wards and putting DH as great risk is not good........

It's so worrying to hear these stories of the terrible situations faced by key workers. Does anyone know if there is any financial help for workers who can't get to work because they have no childcare? I look after two children (one under five) so there mother who is a single mum can work. She works in banking. I am over 60 and not in any group considered to be at greater risk but obviously can't now look after them because of restrictions in moving about.

I am in this situation. I am 69 with health issues. I used to look after my grandson who is 3 twice a week. Both parents are key workers. They both wanted me to carry on looking after him it I had to say no. I have an adult son living with me who has has a series of small strokes and an embolism who is my main consideration.. I felt very guilty ?

You mustn’t feel guilty. Hard decision not to see let alone care for GC, but you really had no choice in the circumstances.

We have been looking after my grandsons two days a weeks as mum and dad both are key workers. They can do some work from home but not easy as the youngest one is only one and a half years old. They are self isolating as the young one had a little of a runny noise. They told us not to come as my husband is just over 70 and I am 68 with underlying medical conditions. I am fine, just feel sorry we can’t help.

I live alone so I have volunteered to house keyworkers if they get infected. This allows them to be in isolation for 7 days away from family members. It does mean I cannot go out shopping or have any other contact. A small price to pay as a key worker can save many lives something I am not myself in a position to do. Neighbours have agreed to shop and leave it on the doorstep.

CMB53 I am not sure about this. I think the government advice is for registered childcare settings and doesn't include relatives. If you have read anything else I would be keen to hear. My grandsons are usually with me most of the time, only returning home to go to bed. This is for a number of reasons, including that my daughter is on placement with the NHS, does long shifts, and trying to complete her degree. I really don't know what is going to happen if I can't continue to care for them.

Nurse so difficult for you, but could you /DH do any work from home or split shifts. I usually have GD 3 days a week as both parents NHS front line but we have agreed as a family to have no contact. It’s very hard for parents as GD only 18 months old, but they have managed a week now. I hope you find a solution soon and thank you for doing a brilliant job under extra difficult circumstances. Xx

I work in a school down here in Exeter, Devon. We have stayed open throughout the closure for all front line staff and all vulnerable SEN children and will be open throughout the Easter holidays. Our breakfast club and after school have also remained open so there is provision for childcare for front line staff from 7.30am through to 6.00pm.

It isn't just keyworkers who are struggling with childcare. My DGS normally goes to nursery four days a week, they've closed, and he's with me one day. DD is working from home, with great difficulty as much of her day is spent on lengthy international phone or video calls, impossible with a demanding three year old in the background. Her ex (DGS father) lives nearby but is silly, resentful and obstructive about DD's career, and is not stepping up now. I am under 70 and well, but I work in a supermarket so am regularly exposed to the germ-ridden public. My interpretation of the govt rules is that neither DD nor I should travel to each other's homes but I can't see how she can get through this without me taking DGS off her hands for a few days each week. I am worried for her mental health, she puts on a powerful facade but a week into this and I really think she is close to cracking.

I’m worried sick about my son and his family, three young children at home. They live just three miles from me. My DiL is at the very end of a terminal illness. Her recent telephone oncologist consultation said there is no more treatment and they estimated she had just weeks left. She’s recently lost her sight and is her mobility isn’t good. She needs help with all her personal care, is often up four or five times a night. She can have episodes when she has major seizures that need the rapid response team to blue light to the house. The children find these episodes terrifying and need us there to reassure them while she is being stabilised. The more I think about them and what the next few weeks may hold for them makes me feel physically sick. if things get really bad I’m not sure I will be able to comply with the government directive.

Ps sorry nursenurse I hope you find a solution because it’s you and your colleagues who have and may yet be needed to look after my lovely sons family. I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank you for all you do.

I'm so sorry to hear that morethan2. Would it be possible for you to go and live with your son's family? Of course, there's a possibility that you might be already infected (as could your son and the children), but it could be the least bad option in the circumstances.