Grandparents exempt from local lockdown rules

[Deyes999]

I just read a story on Sky news that Grandparents or childcare providers both formal and informal can continue to do so in areas that are in lockdown. Surely that is putting some of the most vulnerable people at risk in already high risk areas? I know it's many people's lifelines for going to work etc and I totally understand that part but I just think after all the stories in the last few months saying about how we should be protecting vulnerable or older relatives it's odd to now put grandparents in this position.

Yes you think iabu
No you agree

[Dishwashersaurous]

I think that this is really sensible actually. Each individual arrangement and family can make their own risk assessment rather than a blanket rule

[WorraLiberty]

Yes but they do have a choice as adults, whether or not to look after children.

[MargotLovedTom1]

How did you think people were going to be able to work if they couldn't continue with their childcare arrangments, in cases when paid childcare was
a) unavailable, or b) unaffordable?

[Deyes999]

Some grandparents will still do it even though they would rather not because they want to help their children out.

[BlusteryShowers]

Grandparents range in age. My parents are in their 50s, still working and in good health. I would not be sending my child to my 80 year old grandparents though. It's best left up to families.

[Dishwashersaurous]

Grandparents, by definition, are adults and able to make their own decisions and judgement about what to do.

If someone is regularly looking after a child, which is what the exemption is to allow existing arrangements to continue, by definition they need to be sensible enough to make their decision.

[MinesAPintOfTea]

That will always be the case. Grandparents helping out is the first social contact level that should be legal (not compulsory). Vital for mental health and economic activity.

That said, I have found paid childcare for DS on the days my mum had him. But knowing we still have that safety net of it being legal (and therefore school being willing to release him to her) is important.

[Turfaccountant]

A lot if us childminders worked all through lockdown. The children of keyworkers had to go somewhere

[Juststopswimming]

Good! This is a good thing! It means that people can actually carry on going to work. I know there are a lot of people on this site who think covid is the only thing that matters, but thank god there are some measures in place like this to protect the economy as well.

[Thesearmsofmine]

I imagine most are carrying on anyway, I know PIL are continuing to look after DN.

[fliss444]

My husband and I run our wraparound childcare business together and have not returned to work since the March lockdown. I miss working with the lovely children we care for but consider it too unsafe. I am 62 and Hubby is 66 . Hubby had 3 bouts of pneumonia in 18 months between 2018 to present times. Aside from missing the children it has also affected our income and face a 'cutback' Christmas this year. Health comes first. We are faced with the dilemma of what to do in November as we have been asked to look after our youngest Grandson once a week whilst the parents return to work.

[Bergerdog]

My child’s grandparents are only 60 and still work. They are being offered no protection by the government anyway by being forced to work until retirement age so what’s the difference.

There’s no way I can afford childcare so without them we can t work.

[WiggleSquiggle]

My parents aren’t even 50 yet, they’re hardly vulnerable, and are perfectly capable of making their own choices too about if they wish to see their grandchildren.

[countrygirl99]

By the time the GPs are incapable of making that decision themselves they wouldn't be capable of looking after grandchildren anyway. As someone upthresd said, they are adults. Let them make adult decisions.

[Love51]

It would be unreasonable to make a blanket rule against childcare (childminders, siblings, friends, after-school clubs, and yes, grandparents) because a few grandparents don't feel able to say no to a situation they aren't comfortable with. The bare minimum requirement for someone having my kids is that it is legal, there are a host of other criteria to be satisfied before they actually have them!

[IamaBluebird]

You can only look after your grandchildren in certain circumstances in Wales. Adults not allowed in each others houses. Children are to be dropped off at the door. Not much use if you are looking after the children in their home after a school pick up.

[vanillandhoney]

Childcare needs to continue if the government want people to be able to go to work. Not all grandparents are in their eighties and vulnerable, either!

My FIL looks after our dog so we can both work - that'll certainly be continuing throughout any kind of local lockdown, regardless of what the government say.

[NothingIsWrong]

My friend was a granny at 43. Are you saying she shouldn't be able to look after her granddaughter?

[PablosHoney]

I’m going to let them decide, I’d never bully them into a situation they felt uncomfortable with and will let them decide.

[halcyondays]

Not all grandparents are elderly or in a vulnerable group.

[JamieLeeCurtains]

How old do you think grandparents are?!

The neighbours I know who do grandparent-care for DGC are in their 40s and 50s. That's really not old in my world

I think it's essential for women, whose careers and mental health are disproportionately suffering because they've had The Load dumped on them. They can do their own risk assessments, like a pp said.

[HugeAckmansWife]

Im a single parent, working FT and have two kids. The childcare I need is too sporadic and ad hoc to use a CM. My parents willingly fill in the gaps. Would I ratyher not increase their risk? of course - but I really don't have a choice.

[BessieSurtees]

The government realised (eventually) that the economy can not run without informal childcare.

[Devlesko]

I don't understand your voting, but I'm not surprised. The gov seem intent on killing the vulnerable off.
They need to keep the economy going and will have no argument from parents who want to work.
We already know that under 5's have between 10% and 100% more viral load than 5- 17 year olds, yet nurseries remain open for the proles who are happy because they have to work, work, work. lol

[Brighterthansunflowers]

Their concern is to keep people going to work to keep the economy going. And if parents can’t work they risk not being able to keep a roof over their kids head so it’s in everyone’s interest to keep people in work as far as possible.

I don’t think it’s unreasonable to allow parents and grandparents to make their own decision about whether to provide childcare. A fit and healthy fifty year old isn’t at the same risk as a frail eighty year old with health issues.

One of my friends is in her fifties and kept looking after her young grandson during lockdown despite the rules because otherwise his parents (both keyworkers) couldn’t have gone to work. They both worked shifts so the school opening for keyworker children wasn’t terribly helpful to them on its own.

I think many grandparents probably did the same as my friend and would do the same again now even if wasn’t allowed.