To say KW places are for the patients/clients/pupils...

[drspouse]

And vulnerable child places are for the child
And can the rest of you all give your heads a mega sized wobble re "we've all had it so hard" and "why should you get to send your child when I've had to walk up Snowdon on my bare feet with my child on my back".
My DS is in a PRU which is fully open (following all staff testing negative, all will be having weekly tests).
My DH is a KW and is WFH but his colleagues need him to keep the databases running to keep the government's money being paid into people's accounts. Your neighbour who is a nurse needs to be there for her patients.

The Mumsnetter you're telling to pull her socks up has 30 year 7s on the other end of Zoom and her DC's KW place is for those year 7s to get an education. Not so she can have a cup of tea in peace.

The family at the end of the road whose children are in, 3 of them have EHCPs that the school has fought for to get extra resources. The other two are teenage carers for their mum who has MH problems.

You don't know why a vulnerable child needs a place. You may find it hard to WFH and you may feel that your job is more essential than some but that's probably something to take up with the Government definition of KW. Our local bakery owner has sent her child during lockdown. The bakery is a foundation of the local community and was delivering to self-isolating/shielding families. Yet other HTs have poo-poohed the idea of bakers needing KW places.

And if your DC's school is refusing places to anyone with only one KW parent (but the other is working), anyone with a KW WFH (remember they are WFH with patients, including those with mental illness, or children, including those that may disclose something), then they need to get their act together. Hopefully the Governors or the LEA can help.

If you feel nervous sending your DC who has a KW place, or if you have a vulnerable child place but they actually learn better at home, that's an entirely other matter, and I'm very familiar with families in the latter position.

dons flameproof underwear
gets ready to go to her F2F physio appointment and hopes that her physio's DCs haven't been refused a KW place

@greenlynx

Is this a thread about school refusing a place to a child with only one KW parent?

No, it's about the moaning minnies on MN telling KW parents they "don't know they're born" and questioning why their neighbour's DCs are going to school.

Absolutely agree.

@keratinsmooth just because people can work from home doesn’t mean it’s safe to do it with children around. My force has people working from home answering 999 calls, do you really think they should have children around when doing that?

My kids school will have the children if only one parent is a keyworker but not if someone is at home .

Brilliant. Thankyou for speaking up for us. My DS goes tomorrow. He has some SEN and we were in a crisis last lockdown

Coldilox I said admin people not call handlers

Yes, buts some “admin” staff also do work that isn’t safe to do around children. Admin covers a whole host of things, some of which can be critical and extremely sensitive

The more tenuous key workers who are not critical/have other options (such as a non key worker parent wfh) the longer we will be stuck in lockdown.The government needs to act now to stop schools letting everyone in! There should be an absolutely handful of children at school.

It is not rocket science! Stay at home!! My kids and my mental health massively suffered and we have two busy jobs but I wouldn’t dream of asking school to have my kids! We stay at home and the virus levels may lower.

Well said @drspouse .

I didn't know your son was in a PRU now. I hope they are meeting his needs. It's none of anyone else's business why a child might be classed as vulnerable and I really can't see these children being systematically over-identified.

We have 2 children with SEN (not an EHCP though). The secondary school rang to offer a place although we haven't yet accepted it as she wants to try and study from home (full online lessons sticking to usual timetable) . Our primary child should get a place after we checked although we are waiting for confirmation from the school. He will be attending if possible as he just can't cope from home.

Thanks @Murmurur it wasn't our choice and it isn't a long term solution (though some of the DCs have been there longer than him and he's coming up to his first anniversary!). It's doing him some good and he's learning some things really well but also learning some things we'd rather he didn't learn.

YANBU

My dd is in school as her specialist school is open as they were through lockdown last time. The generic special schools around here have all closed to all pupils again even though each child will have an EHCP. I'm feeling for the many families who will be really struggling as a result. Last time KW parents were offered spaces in hubs in different schools which isn't helpful when they don't have familiar staff or even necessary equipment to allow the children to attend. Our LA decided that one phone call a week from redeployed peripatetic teachers met their duty to all children with EHCPs.

We would qualify for a kw space but have found alternative (paid for) childcare, mainly to reduce the risk to the childminder who would otherwise have to pick them up at 3 anyway. It’s expensive but at least we can both work and there’s more space for everyone else.

My DS is at school. His dad is a critical worker and I'm not. We are divorced and co parent. I cannot work from home and my ex works shifts so he needs to make sure he is well rested or he will be putting lives at risk in his job. We were offered a place for DS based on that. I felt guilty this morning for sending DS as I'm not a key worker but the alternative is me losing my job and being on benefits.

I've got no idea of the circumstances of the other parents I saw dropping their children off today and it's not my business.

My sons specialist school isnt fully open to all pupils.

@MillieEpple

My sons specialist school isnt fully open to all pupils.

It should be; I can understand that teachers may have safety concerns but specialist schools have smaller class sizes, usually more space, and can test all teachers (and some pupils if secondary) so they should be able to do it. DS specialist school is open as long as bubbles are safe i.e. if a staff member tests positive they will close but obviously that is what everyone wants to happen!

Got email today foster sons special secondary school decided they will only offer 3 KW and a few vulnerable children places as all children have EHS plans. All kids who attend must agree to LF test and wear a mask all day and have windows open. All staff wear full PPE and will do LF test. Despite this very few staff agreed to go in to work or work online for home learning. According to Head not enough staff to keep children safe.

Sorry, they are NOT offering EHC plan children places because too many have EHC plans??!
That's a fairly blatant breach of the law.
Not enough staff willing to go in if school unsafe = one thing.
Not willing to teach online = something else entirely.
Making a place conditional on mask wearing and LF test for SEN = breach of Equality Act.

@Jangle33

The more tenuous key workers who are not critical/have other options (such as a non key worker parent wfh) the longer we will be stuck in lockdown.The government needs to act now to stop schools letting everyone in! There should be an absolutely handful of children at school.

It is not rocket science! Stay at home!! My kids and my mental health massively suffered and we have two busy jobs but I wouldn’t dream of asking school to have my kids! We stay at home and the virus levels may lower.

@Jangle33

Why would you be willing to put your children’s mental health at risk if you can legitimately send them to school?

Well said.

Dd is at school. She's on the sn register but no echp and I didn't request it or expect it but they felt she would benefit from it akd I dont see why I should turn it down because some school 30 miles didn't include a KW.

How can you homeschool glued to the curtains and the local WhatsApp whinge group

I have 4 children. One of them has an EHCP and he benefits massively from the support he gets at school. I am currently not working so you could say all of my children should be at home.

DS is going to school. That place is for HIM and I’m not going to deny him that opportunity. Technically, if I kept him at home it would be all for me as I have to drag my other children out just to take one child to school and if I didn’t it would save me the journey twice a day. But sending him in is the right thing to do because it’s his place at school and he should have access to it!

I’m not sorry.

His school teachers are very pleased he is coming to school so anyone with a different opinion on the matter and who have nothing to do with DS can fuck off.

Mine is in as a vulnerable child and was march-june. Both my kids have additional needs with EHCPs. It was in her best interests to be in and I make no apologies for ot.

My DD is ADHD/AUTISTIC. she self harmed last lockdown and because scared to leave her room. She had therapy for weeks after. School know this. She gets low rate care DLA.
I am a single parent and key worker.
She needs school. She needs the routine and if she can't attend school it will undo all the work Cahms have been doing for the last 6 months.
Despite all this we have been refused a place.

one of mine is in and i have enjoyed at least two cups of coffee at home today while not working.

unfortunately, if they were home, they would not be working either. school have a record of their lack of work.