trisher, in regard to your post @10:28 today, I could not agree more with your comments in regard the trade unions requirement to be offering full support to members with child care problems in the present crisis.
However, the various contracts of employment and absentee systems that employers use these days often make for a very variable and complex situation in many instances.
By example to the above, should an employer use what is known as the Bradford system for absenteeism then each period of absence incurs the employee with a set number of points regardless of the reason for the absence. Normally three of four periods of absence over a short period of time will result in the dismissal of the employee no matter what problems he/she may have.
Of course, the employee may stay off work indefinitely due to child care problems which would then only incur one fixed set of points. The problem then becomes that the situation allows the employer to undertake an employment compatibility review in regard to the employees indefinite non-attendance.
I have been advising a forum member in the "Other subjects" section of the forum, with the thread title of "uncertain times in job role". That problem is in regard to a health problem on returning from furlough, but the process could equally be used by an employer in regard to child care problems.
If you would take a look at that situation trigger, or any other forum member, I would be interested what you think in terms of its relationship to the child care problem now being faced by so many trying to return to work.
The above is only one scenario in what can be a very complex issue dependent on employer, contract, status and employee situation.