To ask for the guidance

[catgirl1976]

My work are saying that schools HAVE to offer places to children of any of our employees as we are all key workers (technically but not really) and it is the LAW.

Different schools are saying different things and some employees are being refused places. Work are saying "no, can't happen they have to give your child a place therefore no one an possibly have any childcare issues"

I keep seeing on here that it is GUIDANCE that has been issued to schools around provision for the children of key workers not law and they can set their own criteria (both parents / front line workers only etc) according to their own resources .

Does anyone have a link to the guidance that's been issued so I can show work that the schools are not legally obliged to provide a place to everyone who requests it just because they are a key worker and therefore some of our employees may have childcare issues and we need to be more flexible?

Thank you!

I would show them the correspondence from the school and ask them to show you where it says it's the law. If your school won't give you a place, then they have to be flexible. God it's awful that employers are making this horrendous position even worse for you.

Thank you

It doesn't affect me as both me and DH are WFH and DS is 9 so can crack on without us in the main but I work in HR and am being told to tell people who are coming to me saying they need help as the school has rejected them for a place that they are wrong and the school have to. Which I know isn't the case and I really feel for people and we are just stuck in a loop of "xx cannot get a place for their child" "yes they can it's the law"

I'm frustrated on their behalf and just want to be able to go - there you go - it's not the law and people need some flex here.

Ah I see. www-manchestereveningnews-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/schools-struggle-provide-enough-spaces-19569327.amp?amp_js_v=a6&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQHKAFQArABIA%3D%3D#aoh=16098764362721&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.manchestereveningnews.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fgreater-manchester-news%2Fschools-struggle-provide-enough-spaces-19569327

This article suggests that guidance is awaited from DfE but in the meantime, if schools can't accommodate the numbers they have no choice but to turn people down. Desperate situation. Your employers sound like arseholes!

Schools are waiting for more guidance from the DfE, such as can a class now exceed 15 (the previous bubble size) and more clarity on a critical worker. The list of critical workers (not key workers) is here

Children with at least one parent or carer who is a critical worker can go to school or college if required.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision?utm_source=4%20January%202021%20C19&utm_medium=Daily%20Email%20C19&utm_campaign=DfE%20C19

Thank you both! It is crazy we are all considered key workers. I work min a College and everyone from the catering staff, to the social media person, all of us in HR, the graphic designer are “key workers”. We are hardly critical to the Covid response and can all work entirely from home (or even in some cases be furloughed). Yet they are insisting people take their “key worker” place which is morally wrong imo and obviously the schools are turning some people down with fair reasons and they just will not accept it

Obviously employers shouldn’t be putting people in that position if there are other options but it does seem that schools are being much more awkward this time around. A colleague and her partner who are both essential workers, just not NHS, had no issues last time but have had provide endless pieces of evidence to allow the kids to be in school this lockdown. Fortunately our employer is being more reasonable and has said that she can have time off or furlough, but she is fighting her corner as she knows that we will be stretched without her. Our employer isn’t making her life difficult, the school absolutely is.