stop with the grandparents.

[Devlesko]

Why do people keep saying if schools close grandparents will HAVE to provide childcare?
Are people really that entitled that they believe their job is more important than a family members life?

To rely on gp's is ridiculous, the ones I know are stopping care for gc now and self isolating because this gov has done nothing to protect them.

The nurses out of retirement won't happen, as they too are in a higher risk group.

All these promises or blanket statements are ridiculous. We will need to learn how to live differently, according to WHO, whether that's voluntarily or otherwise.

I agree. Kids don't seem to be badly affected by the virus but can still spread it very easily and over 60s are the most at risk.

And if that results in a huge loss of qualified and experienced medical staff who'll have to look after their children, we'll just need to suck it up.

We’re actively avoiding my parents. They both have diabetes and quite frankly, if my dad catches this, he’ll die.
There’s no way I’d consider exposing them to this if we can help it.

Sorrell

I'm working on the assumption that not all NHS medical staff are single parents, and they have a partner who should be at home with the kids when there is a crisis.
We can't have an NHS where in cases of emergency they have to go off for their kids.

Devlesko lots of NHS staff are married to...NHS staff. Because they met at work.

Well, we'll lose them both when they have to mind their kids.
I repeat we can't have an NHS that in a crisis goes home to look after their kids.

What exactly do you plan to do about it? As it is, it is a fact that many NHS staff are married to other NHS staff and they will rely on grandparents for childcare.

So you think that everybody should just stop going to work and survive, potentially for a month on SSP?
More people will die from poverty in the long term than the virus if they cannot work. People may lose their homes. Yes you can claim at least they will be alive, but many of those will wish they were dead.

Maybe a temporary childcare system could be put into place within the NHS for those who don’t have anyone to look after their children? Probably impossible but surely worth exploring. I think it’s ridiculous expecting grandparents to look after children who are likely carriers of the virus when they are in the most high risk group!

Sorell

No, they won't as the gp's are a high risk group. You'd have to be well entitled to ask them to put themselves at risk.
No doubt, many will though.
I think this is what the WHO were on about, we will have to learn to live differently.

hiding
Many are going to die, pardon me if I don't think others childcare problems figure into the crisis at all.

We are in Austria and the schools are closing now.

They will stay open if parents sign a form saying they cannot work from home or take time off work.the smaller groups of kids in schools will be able to be more spread out through the building to reduce contact.

We have been told that if our only childcare option is GPs then the children should come into the school.

I can work from home and will share childcare with a couple of friends.

Exposure to 2 or 3 kids is far better than 200.

I would also say that it doesn't all have to come from the top.

If you know someone who needs help with childcare because they work in essential services and you can, why not offer to take care of their kids so they can work?

Especially if they work in the NHS

Nurses, care assistants, cleaners and pretty much everyone who's not a doctor in the NHS, is on a relatively low wage. Most families will priorities the higher earning parent working, because they have bills to pay. So lots of NHS staff will most likely be home with children.

My mum's offered to have the kids if needed - but I don't want to take her up on that as she's the sort who would get ill and soldier on regardless and make herself worse without letting me know. If we need to DH can work from home and I'm praying my university shut down early but doubting they will.