to think it's not fair only key workers can get a school place now have to go back into work?

[mywayhighway]

Work are wanting us back in the office. It's been hard enough home schooling whilst wfh, soon we will be in an impossible situation. We are valuable members of society too, paying taxes so why can only key workers send their dc to school?

This is going to go well.

I couldn’t agree more.

Oh dear!

Completely agree with you but most in here will say only key workers are important - all workers are important

I’m a checkout operator, I can’t work from home. My husband is a postman, ditto.
If our children can’t go to school, we can’t work.
Why should we have to fight for places with someone who can work from home.
Your energy should be directed at your place of work, not other people and their children.

I have no issue with key workers who genuinely need a school place, what I do have an issue with is the new guidance which means that if you are key worker, even with a partner who is furloughed or a sahp, you are still actively encouraged to send your child to school yet the children of parents who are working full time, desperate to keep a roof over their heads can’t get any support at all. Seems an odd decision from our government. Also, some of the parents I know who are now defining themselves as key workers are not what you would call front line staff. Case in point, my own child was offered a place back at school because of DH’s job. Although his work is related to the NHS, there is no way he would define himself as a key worker.

I think your anger should be directed at your employer, if you’ve been working at home for the last 3 months then why do they need you back in the office right now?

Schools are generally doing the best they can in shit circumstances with ever changing rules, guidelines and political game playing.

1. There isn’t room

1. Even those who have a key worker in their family have been denied access to schools if the other working parent was not a key worker.

Why are some employers forcing their staff back to the office when they can wfh? That’s where your anger should be directed OP, not the fact that key workers who can’t wfh are entitled to school places

You should be annoyed at your employers. Or find child care workers who aren’t able to go back to work and ask them how much they’d charge for babysitting.

I agree, but then I think schools should be open fully anyway. I'm a key worker but juggled at home for the first few months. Now that we're starting face to face patient consultations I will be gong into work. I Sent dc back after half term one day a week and they love it! Dh starts new job in two weeks and won't be able to wfh so dc will be going 2 days from then. Dc school emailed last week to say the remaining years 2-5 won't be back until September. Dc year 4.

I really feel for people who are not key workers but obviously still have to work and pay the bills. I'm not in a front line COVID related role but nhs.

At my school we haven’t got many key worker children in. Our spaces are largely taken up by vulnerable children, who absolutely need to be there.

I agree! I can't work from home and because I'm not a key worker my child can't return to preschool. They have limited number of places available and they are all occupied by key workers children.

My child needs to go back to preschool so that I can go to work. I'll be made redundant otherwise.

I don't understand why we are being discriminated against.

If you’re an essential worker than you being unable to do your job due to lack of childcare means everyone suffers, through lack of food or being unable to access health care etc.

If your job is not essential then you being unable to work only affects you or your company and while that isn’t fair it’s impossible to provide childcare to all the children safely so priorities have to be considered.

I would be questioning if you you can do your job from home why are the offices now opening? Boris was clear that those who CAN’T work from home should go to work. Those that can should be at home.

@MorganKitten other childcare workers have the same issues. They can't have too many children and the key workers children have priority

I'm a keyworker, NHS front line since the beginning.

My husband isn't, but is self employed and also worked out the home throughout.

Our schools can't even accommodate our children as we're not both keyworkers, so good luck with that one.

I empathise though, it's hard. I'm applying for unpaid leave as I can't leave them to go feral much longer.

The Government has told businesses that those who can work from home should remain working from home.

Get onto your employer.

Families with two key workers have priority.

It’s not discrimination though. If there are limited places for childcare we as a country need doctors, supermarket workers and all the other key workers to keep the basics of the country running. I know that’s absolutely rubbish for everyone else and puts people in a bad position. Hopefully things will change soon as cases continue to drop.

Not everyone who is a key worker is just able to work from home - where on earth has this idea come from. OP - I totally agree with you. There are not the same pressures on anyone anymore - not NHS, not supermarkets not anyone so I really don’t understand this continued preferential treatment. But then I think schools should now be fully open to all without social distancing so heh ho.

The furlough scheme should be eradicated @LesbianMummies then companies will not choose to save money by furloughing some of the staff and by putting extra pressure on the remaining staff.
It is unfair and all jobs are necessary in order for the economy to recover.

Why would some people be more important than others ?

I agree OP, but I also think schools should be fully open with limited social distancing.

Bluebell there are so many of my nhs colleagues doing the same. You are entitled to parental leave, though I’m sure you know that already.

Theres lots that's not fair at the moment. :(