To worry about schools opening after Easter

[ECBC]

I am due back to work from maternity leave after Easter. My job can be done from home. DH is a teacher with a high risk condition currently working from home and my childcare is closed until further notice. AIBU to worry about childcare arrangements if schools reopen after Easter?

The schools are not going to reopen after Easter. People wouldn't be able to socially distance themselves (children in classes, lunchtimes, pick ups etc, public transport on roads would have to increase). We are not even at the peak yet. FWIW I am a Childminder and get weekly, if not daily updates from my LA. The emails are all about "what a long road ahead of us" we have and feature details of how to provide support to parents with their children at home while we are closed. There is not a whiff of reopening.

On a practical level, IF they did reopen and your husband went back to work, then nurseries and Childminders would likely also reopen, in which case you would have childcare. If they didn't reopen, or if your husband was needed in school then you would need to keep your child at home with you. This is what the Govt are suggesting. It's not ideal but it's an option. You could also start contacting possible childcare now to line up visits for as and when they reopen. It won't be after Easter though so try not to worry.

YABU in that it won't happen.

no chance theres a cobra meeting tomorrow abut lockdown i reckon it will be tighter for a couple of weeks

When the schools open, so will your child’s nursery, so surely your problem will be solved?

I think it’s unlikely. However, there was an article on BBC News yesterday about how some of the scientists are saying that school closures have a relatively small effect on the death rate overall. And of course school closures are incredibly disruptive both economically and socially. The country simply can’t go back to work until they’re open again, so I’m a bit confused by people saying ‘it’ll be the last thing to be relaxed’ - surely it can’t be?

But if schools open, nurseries will open so won’t that solve your problem?

However, there was an article on BBC News yesterday about how some of the scientists are saying that school closures have a relatively small effect on the death rate overall.

If you read the original Lancet article, you will see that isn’t what it actually said.

school closures have a relatively small effect on the death rate overall

That’s not actually what the article said

The BBC really needs t do a big retraction of that story.

Personally I would love them too but I think after Whitsun is more a likely that Easter.

They really do Piggy. V unhelpful.

Schools will definitely not reopen after Easter holidays.
From what info I’ve been given and found myself ,it’ll be end of June at the earliest

Honestly op as much as I could do with a break I believe or think it will be September before everythink is up and running.

I’m a secondary teacher... in our school alone we had to send home 2 year groups before official closures because of staffing.... absolutely loads are in the shielded category. The very earliest we could consider opening would be mid June. And we’d need at least a couple of weeks’ warning so the site can be cleaned and prepared.

I badly want to go back in June, but my senior colleagues seem to think that’s unlikely.

Cross that bridge when you get to it

As frankly spent week worrying about shit that one week later in unnecessary

For example
Worried about holidays
Cancelled
Worried about easter childcare
Cancelled

Etc etc

Off topic but does anyone think it’s likely that other restrictions will be lifted before schools are allowed to go back? More specifically would workforces start operating again, in say beginning of June, and then people with children are faced with the prospect of simply losing their jobs because their children aren’t yet allowed back into school? This is something that is really worrying me.

Nobody can say but if schools don’t re open essentially due to logistics, I’d expect holiday club companies etc to be offering care as they can sometimes react faster than schools.

At the school I work in we are prepared right up until June for schools to remain close; we’ve been told it will not be before June.

@VideographybyLouBloom that is why I think Primary may well be in June time. I think teh Chancellor is well aware
It certainly wont be before then though

I don’t think any schools will go back until social distancing is over. I also don’t believe the government will say that it’s fine for primaries to go back but not secondaries. I think it will be all or nothing-like when they decided to close.

I think the government will make a judgement call nearer the time over whether to open in June or in September. In no world will they be opening straight after Easter.

They won't. We will be lucky if we get back for the final half term.

What worries me about waiting until September is all the germ swapping happening just in time for flu season. Not sure I'd feel comfortable sending mine back in 10 days though.

No chance.

You'll be lucky if they're open in August.

From another thread...

DfE statement: “ The Times reported this morning on the suggestion the Government may reopen schools in an attempt to kick-start the economy. The same story has since been picked up by multiple other outlets.

Our position on closures is clear: schools will remain closed until the scientific advice indicates it is safe to open them.”

dfemedia.blog.gov.uk/2020/04/08/coronavirus-and-school-closures/

Portugal has just decided that primary schools won’t go back this year. Secondary still might. France, where I am, wants the schools to reopen in early May, though I think it’s unlikely.
Children are theoretically at lower risk, which is why governments want to send them back, to build up so-called herd immunity. I can see the logic, but somehow don’t fancy applying it to my children.