Is it time we all helped to provide voluntary child care

[Maryjane3227]

So I've read all the frustrated threads from parents wishing their children could return to school, and working in a school I know that September could mean "blended learning"(part-time hours in school, continuation of home learning).
How many mumsnetters would be happy to give 2 hours a week voluntarily to their communities to help with the child care provision that will be required if/when children are not in school come Sep?
If for example church halls or empty office spaces could be used, and all the necessary legal bumpf was completed, how many of us would help out for the good of everyone?
Or is this mess someone else's problem to sort out?

Hahahaha.

No. I dont have children so I'm sure as hell not going to look after someone else's.

How many dads are you asking?

I would and its something I'm considering actually.

I am a sports coach (all fully checked, no I'm not a "weirdo" [hmmm]) and volunteer for regular sessions. I'm contemplating offering free sessions for a couple of hours a few evenings a week.

I'd help friends out but no way I'd sign up for this. I don't want to look after other people's kids thanks.

If you choose to have kids, why on earth would you expect someone else to volunteer to look after them? For free? Look after your own damn kids.

how many of us would help out for the good of everyone?

Probably just the women.

Bingo.

Another one asking: why do you think other people should work for free to enable you to work for money?

I don't believe in working for free.

Volunteering for the cosy feels is all well and good, but it will be taking potentially paid employment away from poor women. Just like running libraries with volunteers takes employment away from librarians and any number of other jobs where somebody could and should be earning a living wage, only to have it disappear because middle class women are prepared to do it for free.

I have a DBS. I volunteer at school. I have the ability to do it.

I am however not first aid trained. I have not had full safeguarding training. And I know the shit that scouts and teachers have to deal with from ungrateful and difficult parents, which you need a full and comprehensive training in diplomacy for.

Its the parents of 'delightful little Johnny' you have to watch out for. Little Johnny likes to beat the shit out of your child and his parents are convinced the sun shines out of his arse and 'he'd never do anything like that'. Little Johnny's mum and dad don't think you are entertaining him enough and are not looking after him well enough (yet continue to drop him off with you and just give you shit about it). And little Johnny's parent don't like it when you suddenly refuse to look after little Johnny, threatening to report to for god knows what to God knows who.

No. Wouldn't do it for love nor money outside a formal organisation which has my back and can support me.

Thanks firstmentat that makes perfect sense. I think we can work with that, given the nature if the people offering help.

Come on, honest answer from people. How many of you, if you were to ask your (male) dp/dhs if they would be willing to volunteer for this (either if unemployed/furloughed/around any existing shifts), would get a positive response?

Angelina my dh would have to be the person to do something like this in my house. He would begrudgingly do some sort of reciprocal arrangement with a small circle of friends where we know the children. They wouldn't do any home school activities though. And he certainly wouldn't be prepared to do anything with any kids our dd isn't close friends with!!! No way!!! He would be outraged that anyone would even think it would be reasonable to ask people to do this.

@CallmeAngelina mine would for school aged kids

Come on, honest answer from people. How many of you, if you were to ask your (male) dp/dhs if they would be willing to volunteer for this (either if unemployed/furloughed/around any existing shifts), would get a positive response?

I haven’t got a partner but my ex would give a positive response. Volunteering is important to both of us.

No.
I hold 4 DBSs for various youth volunteering. Former teacher. Do casual childcare for a friend
No.

I'm not bailing out the government for free if it's not "safe" for my children to have the full time education and opportunities they deserve (I think it is "safe" enough now compared to the usual repetoire of infections that sweep around schools each year)

I'm not going to undermine the expertise of childcare professionals and specialists. Let them get back to their jobs properly. If one arrangement is safe enough, so is the other.

I give enough the rest of the time. I gave up my career largely because DS1 struggled with childcare (then undiagnosed ASD). We don't need childcare, and while society is not meeting my children's needs, I'm not going to bail out society and will conserve my energy until my usual volunteering can resume.

Yeah right! I’ve done my time looking after my own child I would never look after anyone else’s for free. Don’t have kids if you can’t be responsible for them.

I don't have children and I certainly wouldn't volunteer to look after other people's children. I have been volunteering in other ways throughout this crisis however, having been furloughed.

Too much liability to do this en masse. However, I've helped out a friend with her kids many times (we are not in the UK). I am sure that informal childcare bubbles will grow over the next few months if childcare does not open up.

I would if I was not working full time Monday to Friday, but I am working ft so could not help

@EmbarrassedUser - no one is saying they aren’t responsible for their own DC’s but everyone is use to school hours, breakfast and after school club for their DC’s whilst they are at work. Employers are starting to want employees back in their workplaces especially with the furlough scheme being wound down. Boris & Co want to restart the economy but for this to happen schools need to first return to full time hours for all.

but for this to happen schools need to first return to full time hours for all

But this can’t happen until it’s safe. The ‘science’ clearly doesn’t consider it safe at the moment.

This is something I would seriously consider doing. I think a lot of parents will form groups to provide childcare it makes it pointless not opening schools up fully. If all the children were back in school with wrap around care then parents could work as usual. The number of people the child was in contact with would be less than if the parents dropped them off at part time school then childminders / friends / family looked after them.

If the after school clubs can’t open why would you be allowed to look after kids for free?

zcu.io/FreU?fbclid=IwAR26UbloArWY8BdbfRmD5xLpm9VRtRiZ3Ebx6vGB0iSP97IH7tdFNdSH-g4 just a bit of info recently posted