So how is all this ‘open only for key workers’ thing going to work then?

[FlamingoAndJohn]

Really is doesn’t seem to mean anything.

I can’t really teach a random selection of children.

AAAAAAAARGH!

alloutoffucks, the reason you're seeing teachers concerned about this on here (as opposed to supermarket workers) is that this is the STAFFROOM, in the EDUCATION sector of MN.

Would people really moan about the children of nhs workers being educationally privileged?

I’m leaving social media for a while, it’s too depressing. I’m
On my way to my job in the nhs, having no idea what I will face, what risk I will put myself or my family in. But we’re doing it to help, we are all being trained to work in critical care, it’s exhausting and stressful.
Some of the posters on here seem so lovely, but the ones who are making any excuse not to help - shame on you.

The best way to help is to ensure you have the correct equipment, information, and the least exposure. I am sorry to not be kind, or sensitive, but I have been shouting "You're running the wrong way" for quite a while now.

I'm appalled by the attitude of some of my fellow teachers here.
This is a national crisis. Normal rules don't apply.
I'm on maternity leave but will be emailing my head offering to come in particularly in the holidays to give my colleagues a rest.

Feeling pretty anxious right now Nellodee! If I tell my manager I’m not going to work unless I get a hazmat suit and hotel room, he will tell me I can take voluntary unpaid leave.

Those are my options.

If we don't sort out childcare then we won't be able to provide Healthcare or social care. It's essential.

Let me spell this out.

If we do not run this service, we will lose perhaps 20% of our workforce due to inability to find childcare.

If we do run this service, those people who are using it as childcare will become infected within a month. If 20% of the healthcare workers are infected, as in Lombardy (and remember, this figure is already over a week old), then there will be at least one contagious child in every class. And we are proposing mixing everyone else's children with them, with no PPE and no distancing measures.

What this will mean is that those HCW children will then infect the teachers, the children of the shopworkers. These people will increase load on the NHS. The shopworkers, the delivery staff, will all return to work, spreading the virus assymptomatically, INCREASING infection in these groups.

This is a BAD idea. It will not aid the country, it will actively encourage spread.

The government is making the WRONG decision, at the WRONG time, as it has all the way through thsi.

.

It’s the logistics of it that worry me too.
Knowing who you have got on site. Knowing who is picking them up.
Not knowing all the needs of the children. Things like allergies, toileting needs, emotional needs.

I know we can do it, and get through it. I can’t imagine we will have children sat in rows being taught lessons or filling in work sheets though!
Hopefully the weather will be nice enough that we can get outside in school grounds.

I would insist on at least a mask for everyone in the room, gloves and aprons for teachers. Teaching should be done in a large hall, with students spaced well out. No sharing of resources.

And if I have to do it, I will be demanding that I am allowed to wear any PPE of my own, and I am given a bed and food at the school at the very least.

And there is no way in hot hell I would put my child into this situation. Yes, there are few deaths. This virus is still dangerous and terrifying for many children. There are also many preliminary studies suggesting this virus causes long term lung damage, and even suggestions that it causes fertility issues in males. I will not risk my children on this.

Myself and DH are medics and our younger two will be in. We also have elderly parents not near by to worry about and the two are enough without factoring in children to monitor and keep amused
Grateful for teachers supporting this but it really is time for everyone to pull together, like us you are on public sector contracts and the govt has the right to change our working practices, ask us to work differently etc.
It’s not for ever

Surely a better alternative, handmedown queen, is that the two of you work shifts, thus only exposing your children to yourselves, rather than, via the other children, all the other medics and shopkeepers as well?

Not that easy our core roles are 9to 5 Mon to Friday with on call on top we are continually being asked to do more, change who and where we work and one of us may have to move to a hotel soon since the high risk nature of his role. We need schools to make us able to keep providing our bits of the NHS which between us covers critical care, dialysis, care of learning disability patients who are high vulnerable risky patients and care of healthcare staff who have poor mental health trying to support and keep them at work. That’s enough to be getting on witn I think?

That is a very difficult situation for you to be in. There are no easy solutions here. Work places are going to lose what they currently consider essential workers one way or another.

So actually the biggest need is going to be childcare. That means anyone with childcare experience or qualifications or who does babysitting, nannying etc is going to be in massive demand. We always used at home childcare so paid someone to come to our house so have a lot of experience of finding and hiring people for all different ages of children. If you earn more than the minimum wage and your husband does then it may be the best investment you can make - paying someone to look after your children in your house.

@nellodee it’s very likely the majority of us will get it, how are you going to minimise exposure to yourself and children long term? Or is it just the thought of keeping schools open that bothers you?

Key worker here... think more children's social care than teaching. I would love to self isolate but we have to think of the bigger picture. The most vulnerable. And no I don't want to send my DD to school next week and for her to feel different from her peers and at higher risk but this is something bigger than all of our individual needs.

Government needs to prioritise testing to all health and social care staff so that those who already have antibodies can crack on and keep services going. Otherwise who know who may be a carrier?

The teachers at my DCs school are doing an amazing job. I know it's going to be a strange few months ahead for them but like my DD2s teacher said to me yesterday people (including her DP) are getting made redundant all over at least she has some degree of job security.

I would love to be continuing to teach; I enjoy childcare also.

Unfortunately, I have a partner at home with end stage kidney disease, and my own specialist has told me it's risky to travel to work by bus (no car) and to be around children (lung disease).

Sadly, some people will think I'm selfish and hate health workers for taking unpaid leave in order to isolate. I have a nurse dd - I'm pretty concerned for health care workers - but there seems to be zero concept that some teachers are in at-risk categories themselves. Thankfully, my dd doesn't see it as a competition, and is happy for me to try and preserve our health, especially as we have minor children still at home.

@nellodee That is simply not practical for a lot of children. What about the 5 year olds with SEN who are in nappies? Or the autistic kid who can't cope even wearing a tie?

If you are not prepared to work, you should not expect to be paid

I'm prepare d to work - but it will have to be from home. Unless I'm supposed to just smother dh or something so we don't have the added complication of bringing home the illness to someone extremely vulnerable.

Don't worry though - for shirking my duties I'm getting nothing. Dh is getting nothing either. We won't be living it up.

janes why are you taking unpaid leave? Surely you come under the set work from home brigade. I have a vulnerable DH too.

Yes, I would have thought teachers could be teaching people on skype, marking work every day, telephoning pupils and that kind of thing - mind you there are no exams so all very difficult.

Yes, I would have thought teachers could be teaching people on skype, marking work every day, telephoning pupils and that kind of thing - mind you there are no exams so all very difficult.

No live video calls as it's safeguarding.