One key worker, child should stay home

[Areyouactuallyseriousrightnow]

Not sure if there has already been a thread but AIBU to think that if only one parent is key worker and other is WFH, child should be staying home as school provision is for key workers who cannot complete their important role if they have to look after child at home, not so that the other parent can continue with work without interruption?

My partner is a key worker, but I don’t consider us eligible as I am home and therefore technically can be with the children.

YABU- if there’s one key worker take that opportunity to send the child in.
YANBU- if there’s another parent at home, child should stay home.

I'd guess in an affluent area people may have stretched to buy the house in catchment and are therefore more stressed about losing jobs.

Got a message from a relieved WFH business analyst today, she and her WFH lawyer husband have places for their children. This isn’t what schools are open for. It’s selfish exceptionalism.

We are both key workers. However I am currently on maternity leave and husband works from home.
If I was at work I still wouldn't send them to school as DH is home!
My children are in senior school and quite capable of working through lessons themselves, I might feel differently if they were a lot younger though.

I do know someone who is sending all 6 of her children to school as her DH is a key worker yet she is a SAHM! Don't really understand that but the schools (primary and secondary) have agreed they can go in 🤷‍♀️

Ours only takes 2 keyworker parents or where a single parent is a keyworker (and the other parent is not available/around). I'm wfh and partner is teacher (so keyworker) - DC is home with me. It's a ball ache at times as I'm in a professional role (legal) and on conference calls a lot but it's the same for loads of families atm

I have a friend who did that - I asked at last lockdown how she had been coping, and she said, "Oh they've been going in". Neither her or her husband are key workers.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision

Government page says one parent being a key worker means you can have a school place, it also says for vulnerable if the child hasn't got a quiet place to work:

"Children with at least one parent or carer who is a critical worker can go to school or college if required, but parents and carers should keep their children at home if they can."

"those who may have difficulty engaging with remote education at home (for example due to a lack of devices or quiet space to study)"

If you feel you need the place send the head teacher this link and argue your case. If you can manage them at home - I have to "mop up" at weekends, then keep them off considering the situation the world is.

red- we’ve had lots arguing for a place but unless they are a two kw family or single parent a kw, they don’t get a place as there aren’t enough staff available.

Just tell them and refer to safeguarding - e.g. if you have to work from home and take a call, you are working, such as the lady who gave the example she is a doctor and her husband a psychiatric nurse. Put it to them in the bluntest terms, quote the gov website. Write to the head of the academy trust, tell them your child will be disadvantaged. They can probably find the staff as thw staf would have been in on Tue (unless secondary) and they are teaching the work already planned and launched on the school websites.

I meant yo add, if you really feel you canbot do without this place, fight for it. Maybe even if it's a trust suggest a place could be found at another school. Often schools are accommodating of the persistent as persistent people are almost always genuinely in need.

I look at it this way: with the increased number of parents clearly taking the piss and sending their children in when they could be at home, the virus will continue to be brought into schools. Which means bubbles will start bursting. Which means then the children will have to be home for 10 days at a time, meaning not only will they be stuck homeschooling, but they also won't be able to leave the house. Well done.

@WeAreShiningStars yes unfortunately these choices will not be without consequences

@redpencil77 - that’s exactly the problem though. The world and it’s dog is pointing out the govt website to schools atm...complaining they are entitled to a place. As I’ve said before and will say it again...selfish & entitled. It would be laughable to point out safeguarding issues from having your school age child sit in their bedroom doing school work while you take a few calls..particularly when there’s a far greater issue in the country at hand.
As a case in point just to add by way of example...one parent I know has always talked about how grown up and self sufficient her two kids are..they get themselves up, get breakfast and go to school all by themselves. Aged 10 and 12...she works 20 hrs p/w at home; her DH wfh in IT, so they’ve claimed places for the kids. She just can’t see that what she is doing is so wrong. She’s just super happy her kids are getting taught while the homeschool kids are left to their own devices...and the house is peaceful & quiet...sharing pics of her & DH going for lunchtime walks. It’s all blissful in her little bubble...just like many other bubbles around her.

Then the guidelines need to be mire tightly defined. If people are abusing it perhaps we should stop being afraid of calling them out. I know of no-one this time, and I didn't raise it with my friend last time. But the fact is, the governmemt say that one keyworker in the family means places can be claimed.

Yes, this is the bottom line.

Someone tell me which is worse as I can’t decide- parents who are taking the piss but genuinely believe they are entitled to place because WFH non KW’s job is hard etc, or parents who are taking the piss, tell you they feel guilty, but continue doing it anyway.

I actually think I might be more angry at thre second, like they actually see that they are being selfish and entitled, but they don’t give a shit. And I’ve heard it twice today!

The second, but the first is bad too. I am just about able to wfh as kw role and dh is disabled on higher rate of PIP and my dc are here with us. I'll do as I did last time, go over their work and make sure gaps are plugged where they have misunderstood things working on their own at a weekend like I did last time. I got little rest last time but they aren't in: someone who HAS to go out to their kw roles will be more in need than us.

I meant to add, if there is 1 kw they may still be in more need than us, like some people have said, there are knock on effects of possibly the higher wage earner. I am our only wage earner and my husband's carer (nothing claimed there not like it's much, but that's another story)

I really think people can't calibrate what an 'untenable position' is for them to take on the burden of this pandemic. I don't think any of us can sense what's fair and how much we should individually sacrifice or put up with. I don't think I can. I see people in a busy playground, and I still go in with the kids, because it's open!! so on some level it's allowed!! So on some level it's in my mind as safe. But it would be better not to go in, no? And the mental pressure to make that judgement is so strong because whenever you say "No, we won't go out today/ No, we won't have the cleaner round/ No, I won't have any childcare, we will try and do our jobs and homeschool too".... the personal consequences are so bloody awful that only only a saint could really follow through on it all.

What alternative do you know what that the parents have available?

None in some cases which is why its draconian of schools to maje it 2 kw parents not one because there ARE other circumstances. Maybe if schools are acting as "employment jurors" for these places, circumstances should be allowed to be sent to the head teacher (under GDPR confidentiality). Good on you for taking tbe place if you need it.

We’ve decided to keep DS home. It is really really hard.
What makes me steaming mad is seeing one particular of DS’s classmates walk past our window in the mornings on her way to school - accompanied by non KW mother who doesn’t work. There is no reason for her to be in school. Interestingly, it’s only been today and yesterday she’s gone in, so clearly two days of home schooling was too much for non-working parent. (Inset on Monday).
I’m still working, as spent much of today trying to coax DS (7) to complete his school work.
I’m knackered, and furious, and behind on my work and eating and drinking too much to cheer myself up.
Sorry - rant over.
This is bloody hard.

I dont think think it's as black and white as saying you need both parents to be key workers and working out of the home. I'm a key worker, WFH 4 days a week, DH is not a key worker but is working out of the house. My job involves supervising high risk sex offenders, I can't have the conversations i need to whilst home schooling primary age children. Luckily my school are on board with that.

For the people who are arguing that they are right to send their children to school when only 1 parent is a key worker, do you also think that it's ok for 50% of children to be in school?
Surely the vast majority of people can see that this is not going to be effective in stopping the spread of the virus.
Something has to change and as I see it a rule where by 2 key worker parents are required seems reasonable. Although I agree that there will be the odd case where this should be overruled.

@CakeQueen87

For the people who are arguing that they are right to send their children to school when only 1 parent is a key worker, do you also think that it's ok for 50% of children to be in school? Surely the vast majority of people can see that this is not going to be effective in stopping the spread of the virus. Something has to change and as I see it a rule where by 2 key worker parents are required seems reasonable. Although I agree that there will be the odd case where this should be overruled.

Lucky you’re not in charge then.

@Fembot123
Do you think 50% of children in school is acceptable then?

For the people who are arguing that they are right to send their children to school when only 1 parent is a key worker, do you also think that it's ok for 50% of children to be in school?
Surely the vast majority of people can see that this is not going to be effective in stopping the spread of the virus.

But this is a valid point that CakeQueen makes and not everyone is contributing where they can.