Holiday camps cancelled- what are key workers supposed to do?

[Dishwashersaurous]

My children’s holiday camp provider has just emailed to say that despite thinking that they were going to run, they have been told by department for education that they cannot run.
I booked these days in September.

I understand that if dfe say that they cannot run then they cannot.

But my aibu is what am I , and millions of other parents, supposed to ?

We’ve been just about coping but I was clinging on to the summer camps to enable us both to work normally.

Grandparents are not legally allowed in the house.
No where is open.
I can’t take anymore leave/ unpaid leave etc, nor can my husband as it’s been used up in the crisis so far.

Pertella, may be they still open to open if the rules change? I tihnk mostly outdoor summer camps for children (given children hardly ever get the virus) and where those running them are usually student type age (very unlikely to have it or suffer if they get it) are almost as safe as the golf courses which of course because they are for old white men are already open.

It seems only child minders, English grandparents, friends, hired teenagers, students and older people looking after children in your home are the options for the summer holidays.

@pertella they advertised knowing they were not going ahead, then kept the money as "credit for next year". I'm livid

I have written to my MP.

Some local councils/authorities have told clubs/providers that they can go ahead with summer holiday clubs/childcare. So these providers that are taking bookings and are acting in good faith and assuming that what their council is telling them is correct.

But it’s not correct, the decision to allow school holiday clubs to run is with the DfE and the government and not local authorities. Summer holiday clubs are not currently allowed to open. The closure of all holiday clubs includes Ofsted-registered settings, and includes clubs on school sites and off school sites. The DfE is supposed to be publishing guidelines 'soon' setting out how holiday clubs can operate, but until this is done, no holiday clubs can open. None.

Unfortunately a lot of providers don’t realise this, especially the ones that are based on school premises. They can’t open in the holidays. But fingers crossed the government changes the rules in time for school holidays.

Why do you only ask about key workers! The rest of us have been coping without even the respite of a school place for 3 months now! WE ALSO NEED CHILDCARE.

@Paddingtonthebear do you have a link to this?
Our DD school-based holiday care is assuming they are going ahead.
It seems bizarre to insist the school provides care at Easter (they outsourced it to the club) and then refuse to allow it over the summer, I assumed they just hadn't issued guidance yet.

www.outofschoolalliance.co.uk/holiday-clubs-covid19

I asked them directly about it as local clubs based in schools here are saying they’ve got the green light to offer holiday provision.

The scottish education minister wrote to everyone saying , we know that it wiĺl cause problems for people but unless you are a key worker then there is no childcare provisions or afterschool clubs available and these need to be booked now to guarantee a place . And everyone else basically tough

Unless they update the current guidelines, there will be no summer holiday provision for keyworker children in England nevermind non key worker children.

Are there rules about not using teens for babysitting at the moment? My two girls (17 and 18) are keen to earn some money now their summer plans are cancelled, and they are both good with kids but I don't want them to get into trouble. Apart from the increased risk of Covid-19, which I think would be pretty small in these circumstances.

I've received mixed messages from the local holiday clubs, so I am going to assume that they won't run.
The council have just emailed to say their holiday hubs have been cancelled.
Local boarding school is saying their holiday club will run, but I'm not booking or paying for that until the Govt says what's happening with summer childcare.

@ScorpionQueen

Are there rules about not using teens for babysitting at the moment? My two girls (17 and 18) are keen to earn some money now their summer plans are cancelled, and they are both good with kids but I don't want them to get into trouble. Apart from the increased risk of Covid-19, which I think would be pretty small in these circumstances.

The guidance allows paid nannies in the home so we have been paying our 18 year old neighbour to do schoolwork with our two kids for a few weeks now (Although we are in the house with them, not sole care)

@ceeveebee
Thank you. That's a useful loophole.

It's worth enquiring if there's a local student who is looking for work. Dd is getting £10 an hour for looking after 3 kids and is homeschooling them.

Short term nanny? People I know are booking up University graduates or students who cannot get any other work in the summer.

My local summer camp is taking bookings, but not money, as of today, and claiming they'll run distanced. I have reserved dates for my son as I have the biggest work project of my life launching at the end of next month and it would be a godsend if he could be out of the house that week. They say they're not taking money in case of a second wave, but then everything I've seen since suggests that camps aren't supposed ti be operating. As it happens, this setting could run at distance quite easily I think.

May be a moot point, as a friend who works in medical data has just been saying they think everything points to a second wave in the next month

@Echobelly

My local summer camp is taking bookings, but not money, as of today, and claiming they'll run distanced. I have reserved dates for my son as I have the biggest work project of my life launching at the end of next month and it would be a godsend if he could be out of the house that week. They say they're not taking money in case of a second wave, but then everything I've seen since suggests that camps aren't supposed ti be operating. As it happens, this setting could run at distance quite easily I think.

May be a moot point, as a friend who works in medical data has just been saying they think everything points to a second wave in the next month

They're taking bookings more in hope than expectation imo.

As it stands holiday clubs/camps should not be operating. Even for keyworker children and even those that can distance. We're just not allowed.

The flip side of the coin is from the holiday clubs pov if they're own businesses. With the rules, rules, rules regarding social distancing coming from the government, they won't be profitable, so not worth doing. I run a swim school in the holidays, 6 kids to a lane normally. The new rules are that I can only have one kid per lane; the pool are increasing their pool hire charge as they have to. So, unless customers want to pay 6x normal costs, I can't make a profit. £50 for a half hour swimming lesson anyone?!? So I won't be running any lessons. Any private company will be in the same position.

Thanks @Paddingtonthebear. I think our holiday club is just assuming they can work it out! At least they have the whole school to use. Staff is likely to be more of a problem.

Where grandparents are not in a vulnerable category, the government website said from 19 May that critical workers could use them for childcare. There is a list of critical workers on there and it covers a wide range of jobs, much greater than the key workers.

I'm a younger grandmother with no underlying health conditions and started looking after my granddaughter again from the beginning of June. She started back at nursery that week for her usual 3 days and I'm doing the other 2 days. I made a risk assessment and decided that I was prepared to do it. Like the nursery I have taken certain precautions. It is a lot safer now than when I was doing childcare in March before lockdown. None of my neighbours have commented, other people in my village are doing the same. I am sticking to the guidelines and have throughout.

For those unable to use grandparents, I think that more facilities will soon be opening up as the infection rates are falling quite quickly. The government won't want workers to give up jobs as they will lose their taxes.

Grandparents maybe shielding however the guidance may change by then, current guidance is those who are shelling are do to until mid/late July. (Depending on your NHS letter)

Childminders are an option and also households can have blend with any other household (so one of your colleagues can possibly help) also annual leave and unpaid parent leave.

There are options you just need to look into them.

And it’s not only grandparent who can help, cousins, aunts and uncles, friends, students etc...

My parents live hours away and my DS has SEN and my DM would last 5 seconds with him but if we can't use the holiday club I think we'll be paying an expensive babysitter, and possibly going to work at our bubble partner's house while the babysitter is at ours!

My mums doing my childcare 1 day a week as of next week now, me and DH have done opposite shifts the whole of lockdown but my managers are getting anxious to get me back to my normal hours now and I can't blame them. It's a nightmare, workplaces are expecting people back now but with next to no childcare provisions what are people supposed to do.