To not understand what they expect me to do?

[bloodypublicservice]

I was called up for jury service starting in less than two weeks from now. I work Saturdays only as I otherwise do all of the childcare whilst my partner works full time. Originally I stated I was available as my MIL was going to have our daughter, however MIL has experienced a significant and unexpected health issue resulting in being hospitalised for the foreseeable. I've contacted the relevant department to have received a response stating that my request to be excused from this call for service has been refused and that I must still attend at the stated day/time. It mentions appealing but that a hearing is likely to be called, and given the start date is so soon, it's realistically not going to be resolved before starting.

WIBU to show up on my start date with my child and ask what else they expected me to do? We have no other local family and no provision for external childcare.

You can not be expected to organise child minder/nursery pay for it, then find out once you go you are not needed and you are out of pocket.

"Very adequate"? Not where I live it isn't. If I could even find a place for just 2 weeks at short notice in the first place.

Exactly! I've put my child's name down for care to start this Sept 2024
I registered him in March 2022.
I might not get a place for him . That's 2½ years in advance. This is the only childcare setting in my town

If I phoned and said I needed childcare for Monday fortnight?! The owner doesn't even answer the phone/respond to messages within 2 weeks!!

The average rate for a childminder setting in London is £7p/h. Nationwide the range is £35-100 a day – so yes, it is adequate. No one ever claimed 100% of your financial losses can be covered – this is not the case for the employed either, which is also £64.95 a day.

That's all well and good, but it's conjecture since OP has not attempted to contact any.

Ok..
People with young children (and indeed people without) know what the childcare situation is like

I know without asking him that George Clooney doesn't want to take me to dinner!! I don't need to contact him for a "no"! Same as I know creches don't have extra spaces at short notice on the off chance someone has jury duty

The childcare crisis is well publicized. And it's also not responsible to leave your child with someone who is a stranger to them , even if they are a childcare professional, and go off for 10 hours with no settling in period

You said it was "very adequate". For me it would be almost adequate. For one of my 3 children. I don't think it's right that the employed are left out of pocket either, and I think that should change too. But at least their children would already have childcare in place (assuming no problems arose, which of course, like for OP, could happen at any time).
I don't think forcing jurors into debt, and forcing their babies onto unfamiliar carers, is a great way of ensuring a fair trial. Do you?

It's not ideal, but it is completely responsible to leave a child in a professional childcare setting. It would be irresponsible to leave them with a stranger who is also a non-professional.

Again – it's conjecture that there would not be spaces anywhere as we do not have any idea where OP lives. I moved areas last year and there are spaces spaces available in both areas in some settings.

She would be out of pocket for a temp-nanny, but, as I said, most employed people are severely out of pocket for jury duty also at only £64.95 a day when your employer is not obligated to pay you.

Absolutely – I'm not arguing that the rate anyone can claim back for loss of earnings is enough. I am simply saying that OP is not disproportionately affected compared to anyone else summoned for jury duty, which seems to be the main complaint.

Well yes she is because she doesn't have childcare.

For one child if you're already in contract with a childminder. You can't magic them out of thin air. It won't pay for emergency childcare not even close.

No, she isn't because that's why Juror's Childcare exists to be claimed for.

I find it really infuriating when posters start their reply with ‘this’. What is that all about? There is no need for it because if you are replying to a post, then the post is there for all to see. People are just a load of sheep!
It’s getting nearly as infuriating as when people start a reply with ’so’.

You can't claim for childcare that you don't have.

Yet again – we do not know where OP lives and what places are available. It's guesswork. Regarding cost of a last-minute temp nanny scenario, it's also not close to loss of earnings to most employed people either – again, she is not disproportionately affected.

It's not really guesswork at all. There is a national shortage of childcare.

No it might not be close to loss of earnings, but regardless of the huge financial issue (for everyone) if she doesn't have childcare she physically cannot go.

I am saying there are places available for childcare in my area, you are saying there aren't in yours – considering neither of us are lying, it differs, and we simply do not know.

She may not be physically able to go when all is said and done, but the avenues exist for her to make it possible, which is what the courts ask of anyone. It is, therefore, reasonable for them to refuse unless she provides all the necessary evidence that she has attempted it. Since most people are hugely out of pocket, it's also not unreasonable if they should insist she uses more expensive childcare since it it more likely to be available. This could also be mixed with her DH taking partial annual leave or unpaid parental leave.

Appeal it @bloodypublicservice . Is there a FIL or anyone else that can help? Is there a phone number on the rejection letter you received? I would call and speak to someone. I was let off jury duty in the same circumstances (unfortunately haven't been called since) and it was no problem, I think it very much depends on the individual you speak to.

She hadn't attempted to get paid childcare.

Do I want to have to pick the first person/establishment I'll find, who I'll never have had any chance to assess for myself, who may or may not be rated highly, who may or may not have a good reputation (heck, one nursery in my area recently amputated a toddler's finger), who my child will have had zero time to adjust to, and entrust them to meet all of my child's needs, many of which they won't have any idea about, for an unspecified period of time?

No, you're right, I'm more than happy to admit I'm not prepared to do that for the sake of something they could pick one of 40 million other people to do in my place.

FYI, if I don't go, there isn't one less jury member 🙄🤦

How do you know? Have you called and asked about available places for only 2 weeks at such short notice? I fail to believe that.

I don't think anyone having to use emergency costly childcare or taking unpaid leave is fair. Like others have said what kind of a jury is that going to produce? Focused and clear minded? I think not. Stressed. Upset. Distracted.

To update this thread, I'm waiting for a response having phoned them and been told to email someone specific due to how imminent the jury duty is due to be. I've mentioned deferring so we'll see what they say.

She shouldn't have to. Babies shouldn't have to be left with which every stranger happens to be available.

🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞

I know in my previous area last year because my child's nursery put up fees to an amount I couldn't afford and I called around the childminders in the area that I knew had cheaper hourly rates than nurseries.

I know in my current area because I am part of the parents organisation for the local schools trust and we are commonly approached for knowledge on childcare availability in the area.