Covid in Scotland: Teachers asked to work in Glasgow care homes as staff hit by Omicron

MissAdventure

That's strange, my dbs specifically covers working with children as well as adults.
Perhaps my company request that as part of it, because some staff do work with children in schools and colleges, as well as at home.
So, there is another crossover skill.
They would probably be the best ones to help in a school.

I don't know whether the system for DBS is the same in Scotland as in England, but mine most certainly wouldn't cover working with adults in a care home. I've had a number over the years and they state quite clearly that they are for a specific role for a specified employer. These days, they're "portable", but an employer can still request a new one and they're still for a specific role.

I'm pretty good at defusing a situation and dodging chairs being thrown at a colleague!

I have a lot of training in challenging behaviour.
I particularly like to work with those people.

What a bizarre system

Children already have a very short straw here, let’s burn out their teachers even more.

That makes sense, Marydoll. I could do those tasks.

I'm no good in a bloody situation at school either. Emotional meltdowns and I'm your woman. Just as well I work with teenagers. They're prone to the occasional freak-out.

That's strange, my dbs specifically covers working with children as well as adults.
Perhaps my company request that as part of it, because some staff do work with children in schools and colleges, as well as at home.
So, there is another crossover skill.
They would probably be the best ones to help in a school.

In my role as a teacher, I have been known to clean a few bums and clean vomit, when no-one else was available. I could never have left a child in that situation.

I read somewhere else, that staff would be used as back up, for example collecting medication and shopping for housebound, that would free up regular, trained staff for other duties.

Oh I'd rather have a bum to wash than someone else's child to try and teach.
I could be handy for manual handling if needed, food hygiene, first aid.
Just an extra body about the place for backup.

MissAdventure

It makes sense, in that there is a crossover in training areas, I would think.
Mainly, safeguarding and data protection.
My dbs and training mean I could work with children, theoretically (not that I ever would!!!)

Yeah, not sure anyone would want me looking after their elderly relatives. I could clean. But personal care? I'd be adding vomit to other effluent. And as for cooking...

There’s more of a crossover than dragging Joe Bloggs in off the street growstuff, that’s the material point. People who are already Local Authority employees are part of the system, known and checked. The care home sector are obviously in extremis or they wouldn’t be suggesting this.

MissAdventure

It makes sense, in that there is a crossover in training areas, I would think.
Mainly, safeguarding and data protection.
My dbs and training mean I could work with children, theoretically (not that I ever would!!!)

I'm not sure what crossover you mean. I wouldn't have a clue where to start in a care home - and I actually worked in one many years ago during the holidays from university. A DBS covers a specific role. I'm fairly sure mine wouldn't cover working in a care home.

Kalu

Stringent measures of testing, PPE in place for those who can help out in this environment?

LFTs aren't intended to give people a "green light" and even those wearing PPE have been known to transmit infection. Teachers have been working in an environment where almost no mitigations have been in place and many are infected now, even some who don't know they are. They would need to be asked to self-isolate for a few days to minimise risk, so they would have to commit far more than the time spent in the care home. It seems like a daft idea.

It makes sense, in that there is a crossover in training areas, I would think.
Mainly, safeguarding and data protection.
My dbs and training mean I could work with children, theoretically (not that I ever would!!!)

Stringent measures of testing, PPE in place for those who can help out in this environment?

It doesn't seem a wonderful idea to transfer staff who have been working in an environment where Covid is rife to one where it's critical to be Covid-free.

GagaJo

Kalu

It’s a call for all hands on deck to which people, with the necessary experience are invited to do their bit to assist during a pandemic. It isn’t mandatory, it’s an invitation for certain individuals to help if they can.
I really don’t have a problem with this.

I think a general, urgent, call for help is fine. But why are teachers always singled out?

Just this week there were calls for retired teachers to go back into schools because too many teachers were out with covid/leaving the profession.

You have summed up the situation whereby, anyone, not just teachers but those who are qualified are being asked to help if they can as, with the arrival of Omicron, numbers are rising rapidly at this particular point.
As you have rightly pointed out, a general, urgent call for help to tackle a situation which affects all of us would be appreciated. I am aware this will upset plans for those who want to spend this period with family or enjoy a deserved break but we are not living in normal times and every little helps as we strive to reduce numbers rising further.

GagaJo, sorry for the typo!

GaJo teachers are not being singled out.
The headline in the Times, is to grab attention.
As far as I know, all employees have been asked.

Casdon

It is a sign of how desperate the situation must be in care home though, isn’t it?

Yes, it is Casdon and no one is being forced to do anything if they don’t, for whatever reason, want to.
If there are qualified people willing to help out this year, why not ask them? Makes perfect sense to me.

Kalu

It’s a call for all hands on deck to which people, with the necessary experience are invited to do their bit to assist during a pandemic. It isn’t mandatory, it’s an invitation for certain individuals to help if they can.
I really don’t have a problem with this.

I think a general, urgent, call for help is fine. But why are teachers always singled out?

Just this week there were calls for retired teachers to go back into schools because too many teachers were out with covid/leaving the profession.

It shows how desperate the situation has become here.

It is not mandatory, it is an invitation.
There may be those who respond for financial reasons and would welcome the extra cash.
Unless it becomes mandatory the unions have no need to be involved.

My DH with his local authority, HR hat on, and playing Devils advocate, can understand exactly where the employers are coming from.

I hope the "invited" have the guts to say "No, thank you"

Why should teachers give up their so-called holiday? (So-called because they are usually busy either marking work, or planning nex term.)

Why should they be capable or good at looking after the elderly and infirm? They trained to teach healthy CHILDREN.

I hope their union jumps on Glasgow County Council and anyone else stupid enough to pull a stunt like this.

It dawned on me, that as they are already employees of Glasgow City Council, teachers and nursery staff will have up to date PVGs, from Disclosure Scotland, which are required for undertaking regulated work with children and vulnerable adults.

It’s a call for all hands on deck to which people, with the necessary experience are invited to do their bit to assist during a pandemic. It isn’t mandatory, it’s an invitation for certain individuals to help if they can.
I really don’t have a problem with this.

MSP's are helping out at vaccination hubs ...at least SNP ones are I cant speak for the unionist parties who would like to see the SNP fail over this