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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

What happens to children over the summer?

384 replies

Randomfires · 08/07/2020 16:28

Have I missed something because I’m sure the government said that there were to be childcare schemes set up but I can’t find anything further on this since early June.

Husband and I are keyworkers and the local holiday summer schemes are all closed. Some of the schools are doing a play scheme but not ours. Really confused as to what we’re meant to do when schools shut in 3 weeks.

OP posts:
itisntfriday1223555 · 08/07/2020 17:05

Our school sent a newsletter out today with a link to our local authority. There is a form on it which basically you fill in and they source a childcare scheme for your child.

‘If you have a vulnerable child or you are a key worker you should talk to your usual school or childcare provider first. If after talking to them you are struggling to arrange childcare support we're here to help. Please tell us about your children and what help you would like from us

As we are sure you can understand this has been a very fast-moving situation. We have established a dedicated team to support parents and carers and they will contact you as soon as possible to help’

Your council will have the same I’d imagine

Original poster
Randomfires · 08/07/2020 17:05

Thank goodness the kind people have turned up! Thanks for your suggestions all.

OP posts:
Original poster
Randomfires · 08/07/2020 17:06

@itisntfriday1223555 I need to phone them as their website link to find a provider is broken but the office is only open Tuesday and Thursday

OP posts:
PuppyMonkey · 08/07/2020 17:07

This is about the third thread I’ve read today where people slag the OP off for worrying about summer childcare and tell him/her to just “do what they would normally do.”Confused

Even when the OP explains in the Actual OP that childcare scheme is closed/ relative cannot look after child.

People aren’t half dim sometimes.

FWIW OP, I think this is all going to kick off big time in the News in the next few weeks, so you won’t be the only one asking wtf is going to happen next once school’s out for summer.

ineedaholidaynow · 08/07/2020 17:07

Most of those summer holiday camps/schemes would normally have the uni students, that people don’t want near their children, helping there.

If you are WFH and you have a student at home helping even for a few hours would that help? Could they have a DBS check done, if over 18? I assume you would have to pay for it.

jessstan2 · 08/07/2020 17:08

Seriously, randomfires, it makes sense to hire someone to work at your home if there is nowhere to take your children. Just make sure you check references and that you and your children like them. It probably won't cost more than the children going to a day care centre.

SimonJT · 08/07/2020 17:09

@SeasonFinale

What do you normally "do" with your children in the holidays? That is what you will do this time too.
Mine is in reception, so last year he was in nursery as usual.

No summer schemes etc are running locally, a few primary schools are running them, my sons isn’t and the primary schools running them are only accepting children from the school.

ForgotAboutThis · 08/07/2020 17:10

I've had to take unpaid dependents leave. And I know I am incredibly fortunate that my employer agreed to the dates I needed and that we can afford for me to have no income for the holidays.
This is going to be making headlines very soon I think. Loads of the childcare schemes people rely on are closed, not everyone has family or friends to call on for 6 weeks. It's really really difficult.

Member345787 · 08/07/2020 17:12

I agree that the normal nightmare of summer holidays is more challenging this year as many holiday clubs are not running. I normally like to have my whole year planned by Easter so that I know that I am covered. Our holiday club were on FB saying "hopefully we will open" and I went with that for a while - everything has been up in the air this year!

However there comes a point when you need to make plans, and thankfully for me a local childminder advertised on FB that she had places. She only had places because some of her regular children had been withdrawn due to their parents being furloughed - so there is some movement in childminders (I telephoned her first to check that me being a frontline keyworker in full PPE and my children being in school wouldn't prevent me using her first!) Thank God I found her because our holiday club is not running.

Failing that there are going to be lots of parents with very small children struggling to cover the holidays, and lots of employers and managers who are only going to be sympathetic to a point. Can you form a childcare bubble with other parents?

Best of luck

ForgotAboutThis · 08/07/2020 17:12

17:07ineedaholidaynow

Most of those summer holiday camps/schemes would normally have the uni students, that people don’t want near their children, helping there.

If you are WFH and you have a student at home helping even for a few hours would that help? Could they have a DBS check done, if over 18? I assume you would have to pay for it.

And those people will have received training, there will be safeguarding processes in place, and risk assessments. It would cost much more to hire one person yourself, if you're going to pay them minimum wage for 8 hours a day 5 days a week.

SimonJT · 08/07/2020 17:13

@ForgotAboutThis

I've had to take unpaid dependents leave. And I know I am incredibly fortunate that my employer agreed to the dates I needed and that we can afford for me to have no income for the holidays. This is going to be making headlines very soon I think. Loads of the childcare schemes people rely on are closed, not everyone has family or friends to call on for 6 weeks. It's really really difficult.
This is what I’m doing as well, at the moment I can work any hours so I’m working tues-thurs (when school is open), but from next Monday we have to go back to working our usual hours, my job can’t be done and look after a young child at the same time which is a bit shit.

Luckily I already had ten days booked as holiday so I will be paid for those.

Mintjulia · 08/07/2020 17:14

call your council. Some are running holiday clubs from the end of term through to September.

SunbathingDragon · 08/07/2020 17:14

Depending on where you live, there are potentially plenty of university students/furloughed staff/people recently been made redundant that you can pay to look after your child while you work.

I really hope people aren’t planning on doing this.

blue25 · 08/07/2020 17:14

Get a childminder or use annual leave like the rest of us do.

user1471462428 · 08/07/2020 17:14

Do you have a local FE college, I had a childcare emergency and rang mine and they suggested one of their first childcare students ( this was a one off). She was brilliant (only 17!). She wouldn’t accept payment so we got her voucher and wrote a reference for her. She’s a nanny now and I can’t afford her but wish I could.

ResumetonormalASAP · 08/07/2020 17:14

Our local childcare is taken smaller numbers and no children over 8! They usually take to 11.
The normal holiday activity clubs are not running and they provide care and activities from 8 until 6 pm for working parents.

For working parents it is a nightmare. Grandparents are available to some people but for the rest of us who use holiday clubs and activity schemes through the summer? It will be taking holiday and unpaid leave or leave children with friends!

00100001 · 08/07/2020 17:14

@SeasonFinale

What do you normally "do" with your children in the holidays? That is what you will do this time too.
Hmm

Most people send their kids to summer day camps, or play schemes, or summer camp with scouts/guides/sports/music etc
as well as tag-teaming annual leave leave/asking family friends etc for the 6+weeks.

00100001 · 08/07/2020 17:15

and the camp/cildcare options are all closed/reduced numbers....

mbosnz · 08/07/2020 17:16

Oh, and I worked for one family that I was the head babysitter of a roster of three. That worked really well.

ineedaholidaynow · 08/07/2020 17:17

Some of those people furloughed, made redundant etc may actually have childcare qualifications.

sageandroses · 08/07/2020 17:19

Jesus people can't just magic up money they don't normally have, or magic up childminder spaces!!

'Just do 'this' the rest of us' I honestly can't roll my eyes hard enough Confused

ResumetonormalASAP · 08/07/2020 17:19

@blue25
Childminders are taking small numbers of children and many holiday clubs/activities are not running as they usually do.

I don't have 7 weeks holiday so saying 'take annual leave like the rest of us do' is a bit 'oh dear'. Very few people get that much holiday...

Iwalkinmyclothing · 08/07/2020 17:19

Some people seem determined not to understand that the range of childcare options usually available to working parents is currently very, very limited and some parents cannot access any provision at all.

What do you normally "do" with your children in the holidays? That is what you will do this time too.

I imagine if what OP normally did in the holidays was available to her now, she wouldn't have made this bloody post.

teabaseddiet · 08/07/2020 17:21

I'm with you OP, I'm not sure why some people are being so unhelpful.

Most of the holiday clubs in my area aren't opening, we usually do a mixture of annual leave, grandparents and holiday clubs. Grandparents can't do it this year. Only clubs opening are over subscribed.

I'm wondering if it's possible to join up with another family to share childcare, but things may change in the meantime.

ResumetonormalASAP · 08/07/2020 17:21

@00100001

Indeed the ones making the stupid suggestions to do 'what we usually do' or use a childminder have really missed the point. Usually in 'normal' years there are plenty of activity clubs/activities and childminders so lots of choice. I have spent quite some time and yet cannot find one of the usual activity holiday clubs with 8 - 5 open in my area at all!