Childcare being removed for key workers

[Mia1415]

My DS has been going to school and his childminder during lockdown.

I was informed yesterday that from 1st June you are only allowed to send children to 1 setting a week (so school or childminder).

Whilst I can understand the logic of not wanting children to mix bubbles I am really annoyed about this as:

• giving key workers 1 weeks notice that they will be loosing childcare isn't really acceptable
• are key workers no longer deemed important?
• It can take up to 14 days to display covid symptoms so allowing 1 week in school, following by a week with a childminder doesn't really prevent anything
• One of the key points of getting children back to schools is so that parents can get back to work. At my school the years that are going back in initially are only doing 2 days a week, so if wraparound care is banned how is that helping people get back to work?
• I can understand this rule a bit more for children that are just returning to school, but not for children that have been going to both throughout lockdown.

(I have emailed my MP and local council about this and I'm awaiting a response).

AIBU?

@SandieCheeks I know, it's so confusing with so many documents that get issued and then modified or completely removed. There was a document with a section on nannies that got completely removed.

Given most schools, teachers, unions etc are against re-opening - and I am not discussing the relative merits of whether they should or not, just the reality that they have been told to - I wonder if they are making it as chaotic as possible.

It's the government rules doing that. Don't blame the teachers and LAs trying to work with stupid almost impossible guidelines. Have a word with Johnson.

Astonishing. Covid-19 couldn't bring our NHS to its knees, but the governments strategy for returning to normal life can!

For some families not being able to use a childcare setting plus a school is not going to work. If a restriction is placed that only setting in addition to school is used then maybe that could work.

Same policy here too. It's one or the other. It's definitely in one of the documents.

Some of this probably arises from the fact that there have been 41 different bits of guidance sent out by the DfE about the reopening of primary schools!

the first set of guidance advised against wrap around care. This was then altered in the third set. None of the additional 40 bits of guidance have even bothered to highlight the changes on the documents.

Believe it or not, there still have been no specific guidance issued AT ALL for early years settings.

Although schools here are also providing full time provision for key worker children still including wrap around.

It's the government rules doing that. Don't blame the teachers and LAs trying to work with stupid almost impossible guidelines. Have a word with Johnson.

Nope, sorry, it isn't the government rules. Believe me, I am first in the queue to criticise when they do stupid things. And it could be argued that by not giving clear guidance they have allowed this to happen. But nowhere does it say that childcare for key workers to continue to work should be made impossible. And it also doesn't say that children cannot attend two childcare settings. It says to avoid multiple settings if possible. Clearly if we need key workers in work, that isn't possible.

The government have issued so many updates with documents amended and withdrawn repeatedly that it has been hard for places to come up with policies. What they haven’t done is provide clear guidance / instructions. They knew this was going to happen - they should she. Had a clear template for councils and early years/high schools. It is their shit show and their multiple cock iOS and contradictory messages have left individuals overly cautious of making errors that could cause deaths and of opening up liability to being sued by bereaved families.

That is full of typos but you get my gist!

Yes, Moondust is right so the issue for a child minder is going to be will they be banned for life by the council and their licence removed if they look after children before and after school. If so presumably some childminders might be able to become de facto before and after school nannies I suppose by doing the childcare in the home of the parent whilst bringing their own child to work. We had a day nanny when we had little children (did not live in) and after a few years she brought her new baby in and then her second new baby and toddler to work to our house ever day by which time we had 2 children in full time school and the 3rd at morning nursery school.

Once employers stop paying parents who are looking after children whilst also trying to work at home and hospitals never mind schools start to be empty of nurses and teachers because they have children in different classes and school is only 2 days a week then the huge extra universal credit applications might well prompt the state into having to be a bit firmer about meeting the needs of parents and employers.

I see Prince William's children have a similar issue - the girl could go back to school as year 1 or whatever she is. the older boy cannot as he is older so the parents might well keep both off school and only send them back when they can all go back 9which is fine if you have a full time nanny at home of course, not fine for normal parents where both work full time.

Which document actually says "to avoid multiple settings if possible." I can't even find that. It may have existed a few weeks ago but I can't find it now.

It sounds like a nightmare, no one has thought this through properly for all the keyworkers they need. A friend of mine was told on Friday that there would be no childcare for her child this week, when she and her partner are both NHS workers - not even enough notice for her to take time off! My childminder is really worried about her family finances with the idea of not mixing bubbles, I doubt she'll be able to claim any support for not being able to work when she technically can.

I'm a childminder and haven't heard this either. I made the decision myself not to send my daughter back to school ( Yr 1) due to already mixing with other households as I've been open throughout for key workers. I also told my one family who's child I've had who's in reception that if she sent her child back that I wouldn't be able to collect her child as I also have to think about my mindees.
Our school sent out a letter with reduced hours max of 4.5 per day and that they won't open until the 8th as teachers need specific training. Honestly the whole thing is a complete shambles and those that are childcare providers as simply an after thought.

I can't find it in guidance now, but apparently we are waiting for more guidance to clarify

The DfE apparently sent an email to my local authority saying this though:
Parents should be encouraged to minimise as far as possible the number of education and childcare settings their child attends. Children should attend just one setting wherever possible unless it is essential that they attend different settings to accommodate parent or carer working patterns or because it is essential for their health and wellbeing. Childminding settings should consider how they work with parents to agree how best to manage any necessary journeys, for example pick-ups and drop-offs at schools to reduce the need for a provider to travel with groups of children.

@Moondust001 It makes no sense to have bubbles in school if these bubbles then go and mix elsewhere before coming back. So chosing between 1 bubble or another is the most viable option to limit contact.

Schools have a duty to protect staff and children and this is it.

Teachers have stated they do not think it is safe to go back and I agree with them. So I imagine schools will not be offering afterschool clubs. If you want your child to go to school then it will be a 8:45 - 3:30 option. If that does not work then you have to find other options.

The government have sold this as a careful return to school not as childcare provision which is what it would have to be if they wanted everyone going to work.

Lots of schools that were providing wraparound care for keyworkers are simultaneously stopping wraparound on 1st June so this will be a big problem.

Ours has also said if they reopen in June they won’t be open in the summer holidays for key workers. And so far no out of school clubs are planning on being open.

My LA has only provided the following:
Q: Some of our children also attend another provision. Can we direct them to the setting that they spend most of their time at?
A: Complete a risk assessment and discuss with parents that it may be advisable to choose one setting to reduce the risk of cross contamination and infection.
Q: As a childminder, I pick children up from school. Should I continue with this?
A: We are currently awaiting guidance from the DfE.

If they start making things too difficult for parents they will start to make up their own rules / or ignore rules completely.

Every rule seems to have a caveat off essential / necessary / where possible.
Define all of them.

New guidance issued only minutes ago
www.gov.uk/government/publications/preparing-for-the-wider-opening-of-early-years-and-childcare-settings-from-1-june/planning-guide-for-early-years-and-childcare-settings?fbclid=IwAR1CUKeteChWmCZIxp-buABqRXvdSf3sVVVI8nhWZzTvgtFTyCwtw899_yo

My DCs school are only providing wraparound care for key workers, the rest have to make alternative arrangements so the bubbles don't mix. There is no wraparound care for children where one parent is a SAHP even if the other is a key worker. Key workers children will be in the key worker bubble and not in their year group bubble unless they don't need wraparound care.

Our school is saying this. No other childcare setting. It is in the private sector and I know they have refunded one family a terms fees on the basis they can’t use the keyworker provision and the family have hired a nanny instead.

Found it, in number 7 of Planning For Wider Opening.
www.gov.uk/government/publications/preparing-for-the-wider-opening-of-early-years-and-childcare-settings-from-1-june/planning-guide-for-early-years-and-childcare-settings#identify-the-likely-numbers-of-children-returning-to-the-setting

To minimise contact between groups of children and staff, children should attend just one setting wherever possible and parents and carers should be encouraged to minimise as far as possible the number of education and childcare settings their child attends. Childminding settings should consider how they can work with parents and carers to agree how best to manage any necessary journeys, for example pick-ups and drop-offs at schools, to reduce the need for a provider to travel with groups of children.

So it's not saying children can't attend multiple settings, it is saying that the number of settings should be minimised. Which for some parents will mean two settings such as childminder and school.

I've not heard anything like this. But this will affect us a lot with one week to go if it is true!

I hope that if our school were closing the after school provision they would have said so on the information they sent out before it was half term.

Teachers have stated they do not think it is safe to go back and I agree with them. So I imagine schools will not be offering afterschool clubs. If you want your child to go to school then it will be a 8:45 - 3:30 option. If that does not work then you have to find other options.

What other options? School and private Breakfast clubs are shut. Can’t find a childminder that will take a new child. School and private after school clubs are shut. Can’t afford a nanny. Can hardly get an au pair in current circumstances.

Perhaps I could don a Dominic Cummings mask and take dc to grandparents?