Children of critical (key ) workers and school.

Both my son and DIL are key workers working from home but my grandson goes to school. As he is ASD, it is completely impossible for them both to work if he is in the house as he has to be watched 24/7!
My granddaughter has issues too and the school has said they want her to attend even though my daughter doesn't work. My daughter really didn't want her to because of her own health issues and vulnerability to COVID but she has little choice because it is apparently a safeguarding issue. This, despite Social Services being involved and giving them a clear pass. In fact not only did they determine the children were safe, they told them that my granddaughter had a lovely family life, a beautiful home and were coping admirably given their circumstances. However, Social Services being involved was highly stressful so my daughter doesn't want to push it by saying her daughter can't go to school.
As I understand it, schools do have a choice as to whether to allow attendance and I do know people who have been denied a place.

It is hard.
Managing your own job, keeping two kids focussed on lessons. Worried about family you can't see.. what happens if your employer puts pressure on you..is your job under threat? ...

Schools are planning lessons differently so they are easier for kids / parents to do without professional teaching expert to hand, and managing in school lessons, juggling zoom lessons, marking work uploaded at odd times, contacting families who are at home but not joining in on line, trying to do parent evening by phone/ zoom.

Now lockdown & home learning has lost its novelty... more parents are seeking places. Schools have to do risk assessments to identify how many kids/ staff can safely be on the site. It will change from school to school depending on the building style/ size etc etc. Schools are trying hard to accommodate as many "vulnerable" children and ' children of 'keyworkers' . This time the list of which jobs fell into that keyworker group was bigger

I think parents can ask to be furloughed if they have children who need home schooling but the employer hasn't got to agree

My DD and SiL are both NHS key workers so DGD can go to school but only 4 days a week as DD only works 4 days a week. There are certainly more key workers this time than last. Someone I know works for the local council and her work is easily done from home and isn't 9 to 5 dependant. This time she is classed as a key worker so her children can go to school, though her husband could also work from home.

I’m a college tutor so classed as a key worker: college is closed and I’m doing remote learning with my students. My OH is classed as a critical worker as his work comes under construction and he is going into his workplace. So, we could send our daughter to school, but didn’t consider it. I have very few students thanks to the effects of Covid, so I work in one room and my daughter works in another. She’s Year 5 and capable of seeing to herself (although this week is proving to be trying!!) There aren’t too many from her class who are actually in school. I have seen a grid that some schools are using that prioritises which pupils can go in to school based on parents’ roles.

Do not think there is any (educational) advantage to those children going into school. Where my daughter it, she just oversees the youngsters doing their on-line work. At least at the school they all have access to their own screens (many may not do so at home). Same lesson is also shown on large screen at front of class, and she just moves around assisting those that require it. So no difference if they were at home doing this work.

She does try to get them out of door at least once most days. Either for a walk around the school grounds, or some form of PE out of doors. 11 and 12 year olds, - not very keen in the current weather. Windows are kept open, and masks are worn indoors. She does her own Lateral flow test twice a week. Her husband is EV and Shielding.

My daughter has just started a key worker locum job, away from home and her husband is a frontline worker. I offered to do child care to enable her to earn some money as I'm stuck at home doing very little and her job is highly qualified and needed, so it seemed a shame for her not to do it for a while. It would be nice for the children to be in school, but we feel their health and safety from the virus is better catered for at home, so I'm learning all about home schooling!!
But I'm wondering how much the in school kids are getting in comparison to the home schoolers?? They are no doubt an advantage
which is probably unfair, but their safety is paramount!! I do know that in my granddaughter's wee school there are kids that shouldn't or don't need to be there but parents are sending them, but don't know if the school is at liberty to say anything!!!!

The children in school are only having lessons part of the time, and playing the rest of the time, perhaps the schools are worried they might 'get ahead' of those at home, but many of those at home will be working far harder than even if they were at school. Shop workers are key workers, the police, armed forces, NHS, teachers, bus drivers, taxi drivers, delivery drivers and many many others, if you think about it, a job needs to be essential or it wouldn't be a viable job. I haven't seen any figures that make teachers working with children more at risk than shop workers working with the public. People forget about all the lower paid people that have to go to work, and are putting themselves at risk at the same time, cleaners for instance, care staff, shop workers, all are vital, all come into contact with the public, and cant organise bubbles like teachers can. children need to go to school, so their parents can work, and so that when they grow up they will be equipped to work. Education has not been shown to be a hotbed of infection like hospitals have and in my opinion should not be 'closed' though parents that want to keep their children home should be allowed.

It does seem now that everyone who is working is classed as a “key worker “!

I’m afraid some parents don’t want to take responsibility for their children- I’m talking about those where one parent is normally not working , be it the mother or the ‘house husband’ as we used to call stay at home fathers. My daughter is working every evening so that she can keep the children at home , and doesn’t know how long she can keep,this up.

My son is under the list of vulnerable children as a young carer, but I haven't sent him. I can understand those who need to work and aren't able to keep them at home. But if you can keep them home safely without too much problem then you should. I haven't sent mine primarily because if he was to get Covid and bring it home I am high risk, so we have focused on staying at home away from as many people as possible and limiting any contact. If there's another parent at home who can care for them and is able to they should. These places are supposed to be for key workers and those kids who couldn't cope without school.

growstuff

Jane10

We overlook a school and there seem to be many more children attending than there were at the first lockdown.

I'm not sure how it is in Scotland, but the definition of "key worker" was widened in England.

I was listening to a podcast, and the presenter said they were back in the studio because they were now classed as key workers. Last lockdown, they broadcast from their homes, so I wonder what’s different now?

As a retired teacher, I was quite angry when I read the criteria on .gov.uk, they seemed to be deliberately vague. Then apparently some businesses were demanding spouses of key workers to come in, because their children had a place in school!
Schools should have no more children in them than Lockdown 1. Some teachers are now teaching half classes all day, and then teaching those at home via internet, so doing double the work. Ridiculous.

NannyDaft

My Granddaughter is going to school because her both her parents Are Key Workers ! But she is only allowed to go on the days her Mummy( nurse) works.

Goodness, that sounds very sexist, doesn't it? Or doesn't the dad have ANY time off? (Sorry, just curious!)

My daughter works in a primary school, one on one with challenging children predominately, helping out elsewhere when necessary. During lockdown 1 she was on a rota with other staff, all staff are now in working their normal hours..

We had to apply here if we required a school place and I presume they made a judgement as to whether you required a place or not but schools are certainly very much open. Special schools here were open in the first lockdown too.

Some parents are interpreting the rules to suit themselves. If one parent is at home, not working, then the child should be home-schooled.

My two sons and their wives are juggling working from home and childcare. One also has to go into work a few times (engineer) to check work conditions. They all have schedules where one works and other supervises children. Long days often ending about 10 pm and sometimes they have to both work at the same time so children left to watch tv. It's not only essential workers who have childcare problems. At times I feel there are more vulnerable children than others these days with the increase in numbers I have seen going into school this lockdown

I am quite surprised as what comes under 'key worker' heading. My daughter is in school five days a week (Year 7's), many of the children there are those that would be described as 'challenging'. Parent(s) cannot deal with them at home, so they go to school. My daughters own children stay at home doing their lessons (Years 11 & 13) on line.

It is strange to me when I hear that 'schools are closed'

My son works in a school and has been told he has to attend work as a key worker. It does however mean that he has to abandon the grandchildren to my DIL to keep half an eye on whilst working from home - while he educates others children and his own go untaught he also risks bringing Covid home. I don’t think that’s right, My DIL has also been told if she can’t work from home properly she has to leave, quite reasonably her employer doesn’t pay her to care for her children. No children should be in school or all should and teachers vaccinated. Although I understand they could still bring it home to their families even if they have had the jab....schools are not safe spaces - teachers and their families are not safe full stop , so please keep your children at home if you can.

The rules for categories of families who are eligible to send the children to school have widened, but I suspect that the interpretation of what that means has also widened. I'm involved in a governor/Director capacity with 3 primary schools and the number in school has doubled since the last time.
As the children are kept in 'bubbles' to lessen the risks the number of staff needed to be with them is little different from when the schools are at capacity. At the same time teachers are expected to deliver online learning with feedback and keep in touch with each child in their class with an eye out for any concerns. They may also have children of their own .

Children are still at school here, -some teachers are on strike today-, but there is a six o’ clock curfew all over France at the moment with stricter rules envisage in the near future.

My granddaughter works three days a week as a special needs teacher so her three children go to school on those days.
A neighbour has been taking her child throughout saying that she cared for her mother in law when she only did some housework. Mother in law has since died but child still going to school. Father at home out of work.
Through out all this crisis people have been breaking the law.
My niece who lives in Barbados says that tourists were supposed to isolate in hotels on arrival but they went out and as a consequence there are more cases than previously.

On the first morning of lockdown my GS who is only 4 & a half couldn’t understand why there were 17 out of a class of 30 of his little friends at school whilst the remainder were at home doing zoom lessons. On the 2 nd week someone in that bubble tested positive so they all had to isolate. The parents had to find childcare for this period so why can’t they find childcare for the rest of the time. Just a thought.

My daughter is an administrator. Not even close to being a key worker. Her employer (very large reputable institution) has told them if they get child care issues they can no longer ask to be furloughed but they have to apply to be key workers!! Fortunately her children are in nursery so it doesn’t affect her but it’s appalling they are telling staff to do this.