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?

I wasn't thinking nursery age, I was thinking kids who are in primary.

CuppaZa

You are probably right.

But 2 hours a week isn't going to cut it. If these children need childcare for parents to work, they're going to need 8-6 childcare (I know shifts etc but just simplifying for this example).

So 2 hours each would be 5 adults per day (10 so no adult is alone) per 15 children assuming current guidelines. A different 10 adults every day. So a full time child would come across 50 adults per week. In that case you might as well open schools fully again 1 teacher to 30 children.

No i think if its safe to do it for free, then its safe for childcare workers to do it. It would mainly bd women who would volunteer and they have probably taken the big financial hit of staying at home or working part time. It just feeds to the idea that chilcare is so easy people do it for nothing so why pay nursery workers properly.

I'm a volunteer Youth leader, so in theory yes. For a couple of hours. Any longer... You need to pay people. And in reality, you want less people doing more hours, not more people doing a couple of hours. It's better for the children, and less 'contacts' for infection.

Reciprocal childcare could be a way forward, but you will have more takers than givers.

@hayfeverhellish

Good point and I totally agree.
People can’t afford to miss work or reduce hours, coping in lockdown has caused many financial hardship. The notion that one parent will continue to work in such a way that also allows them to home school children is a total non starter and will never happen.

People will just ‘find a way’ around it which will no doubt involve pooling kids together and shunting them around, grandparent care and play dates.
I imagine SAHP’s are Suddenly looking like VERY attractive friends to have! Every year you get the same thing when summer rolls around and working parents are desperate to arrange play dates with SAHP which essentially involve dropping their child off at the house before work and picking them up after (free child care).

I would, yes. I would resent it being all women though. As usual.

In general, when it comes to childcare issues, the people keenest to make collective arrangements are the ones who will benefit most from it. How often on these threads do people talk about playdates, collecting other people's kids from school, working out of home parents wanting favours from sah parents? It could work, but only if most people are engaged with it. So 10 out of 12 families using it totally committed. Unfortunately you will always get the ones who think it's a great idea when it helps them out with childcare, but not such a great idea when they have to give up their own spare time to it.

I'd happily look after a small group of children during my non working hours but imagine this will happen organically through friends and relatives helping each other out.

I'm already looking after a friend's children (outdoors only) while she and her husband work - I'm furloughed so have the time.

So all the people who are fucked financially as their job has gone, have to provide free childcare for those who are still getting 100% of their pay?

I would a day a week I've no school children and if it helped out then why not.

I'd much rather send the kids to the skilled, qualified childminder I carefully chose, who my kids have an amazing relationship with.
Failing that the professional after school club in the area.
Or to their grandparents.
Or a friend who I know and trust, on a reciprocal basis.
Mums' army? Not so much.

I am working full time but I reckon my boss would rather give me 2 hours off a week than have me try and manage work and home schooling.

I'd be in OP.

Nup

No thanks. I’ll help friends if they need it but frankly I’d rather put pins in my eyes than look after people’s children.

I don’t work in childcare/teaching for a reason

Interesting idea. Here's what we'd need:

• Get DBS checked

• Arrange a timetable so that everyone has childcare which allows them to return to work

• Arrange access to community spaces to put the children and volunteers in it

• Make sure we have enough volunteers, first aiders etc on site.

• Purchase relevant liability insurance.

• Purchase PPE

• Write up safeguarding procedures

• Cost up the above and raise funds

Is there somebody and has the skills and resources to compete the above tasks? Maybe the government?

Somebody else's problem? Yeah the prime minister's problem and rightly fucking so.

•the whole point is to reduce the number of contacts and potential transmissions, if you have numerous people doing 2 hours a week each then that’s going to create more contacts within the community than just having classes of 30 kids again.*

This is pretty obviously not a good idea op

I would do three long days and I know of a lot of retired people who would, some are retired Nurses, SWs and Teachers etc. I've had discussions about this.

But in reality, it wouldn't work. It would be a nightmare to organise. With people self isolating etc thrown in, over winter, the provision wouldn't run.

Oh plus if I come in so do my three children so that’s 3 out of your say, I’d imagine a lot of other volunteers would have their old children too.

So 2 hours each would be 5 adults per day (10 so no adult is alone) per 15 children assuming current guidelines. A different 10 adults every day. So a full time child would come across 50 adults per week. In that case you might as well open schools fully again 1 teacher to 30 children.

This. Plus how stressful it would be for the kids, plus I hate the smug tone of the OP. Also bet no dads would sign up, or be shamed for not signing up. Childcare is hard and people should be compensated for it, it's in the best interests of our children and our society.

Good God no! 😂

I would volunteer to do this, yes.
Are there a lot of adults I wouldn’t leave my DC with though? DBS check or not? Absolutely. (And lots of lovely ones who I think my DC would benefit from being with). So whilst I would happily volunteer I wouldn’t send my children.
(Appreciate other parents may feel the same about me 😊)

Absolutely not. If it’s ok for children to spend time in this fictional setting with random strangers then it’s definitely ok for them to go back to school or nursery.

I wouldn’t be leaving my child with strangers

I think it would work better with a rota amongst parents using the service of one day worked in return for four days cover. If you can’t do your share then you pay instead. I’m sure there are a list of objections as long as your arm as to why that wouldn’t work for particular circumstances, but it’s closer to being workable.