Schools closed, what next?

[Sparklypurpleunicornsaremyfav]

So they've just announced schools are closing which I have to admit has made me feel better but I work in retail, non essential and come in close and physical contact with customers. As of yet we aren't being given any precautions to take to minimise the spread of the virus. I'm scared that I don't know who I'm coming into contact with, before anyone says anything I don't for one second think anyone would deliberately come into store knowing they'd had contact with the virus. But it still worries me what I could bring home. So when do you think or will they close shops like mine?

It is, but sadly very true in some cicumstances.

@4321baby I agree with you. On another thread a poster has said that parents at their SN school are breathing a sigh of relief that the school will be open. How sad. My child is not leaving my care until the outbreak is over.

How is it sad. Do you think that parents of children with sn don't want what is best for their invidual child? Best not to comment on what you don't understand.

Some children with sn don't have health conditions and they are better off sticking to the routine of going to school for their mental health.

Although I can see your situation is different and it is not what you want for your child.

@Spikeyball It’s something I do understand. I’ve been in the SN world for 15 years now and unfortunately some parents see their SN kids as an inconvenience on their lifestyle. One mother I know palms her child off whenever she can, even posting on FB asking for weekend carers.
A lot of parents can’t cope with their NT children hence social services being overwhelmed, it’s no different in the SN world.

Oh doris do stop, it’s quite sickening to read.

My son is going in because it is best for him. When it becomes not the best thing for him he will stay home. Children are different. They have different needs.

@Spikeyball I’m sorry if I sounded harsh, I agree that some children need their routine as it will impact on their mental health and behaviour but some parents really do not care for their children as they should and it breaks my heart.
Mine has Down Syndrome, no autism and doesn’t give a fig about routine, he’s currently digging a hole in the flowerbeds in the garden. He’s going to keep me on my toes because he’s so active but my anxiety levels have dropped to almost zero concerning him now that I can officially keep him at home.

Agree with you doris, I see it day after day.

@Millymaud yes it is sickening but it’s true unfortunately and pretending it doesn’t happen is part of the problem. Not enough is done for the welfare of children with SN.

The best thing for him spikey, what being with kids who's parents are on the front line of this virus, think you've got your priorities wrong

Some children when taken out of their routine will have self injurious behaviour and in distress attack their parents. In some cases it may become so severe the child cannot for everyone's safety live at home. As I said they are all different.

He won't be with many kids of parents on the front line. Stop thinking you know about other people's lives.

Self righteous but clueless.

@Spikeyball you have to do what’s right for your child, nobody knows them better than you. If sticking to their routine keeps them ticking along then that’s what is best for them. I’m not talking about parents in your situation, I’m talking about parents who stay at home but will palm their SN kids off to school for convenience so their lifestyles are not disrupted despite their kids having health issues that make them sitting targets for the virus.

I have a very good idea spikey

Why do you think he will be mixing with children of parents on the front line? Given that there are only 25 children in the entire school and he doesn't mix with most of them.

@Spikeyball please don't feel you need to justify your reasons for sending your ds to school.

Autism has different ends of the spectrum. If you have an easier going autistic child / SN child / SN child with underlying health conditions then it makes the desicion for the parent much easier to keep them home but if your child is on the other end of the scale such as needing super strict routine, self injurious behaviour / requiring constant 1-1 supervision to keep them safe from serious harm / not sleeping well so the parent is actually doing 24/7 care often with no respite (for god only knows how many months on end this may continue for) then it's a much harder decision to make whether to keep them off or send them in.

Don't let anyone make you feel like your making the wrong choice, we don't know your child and we don't know your personal circumstances.

If he's sat in a room by himself well fine, but the main reason school is staying open is so nurses, doctors, cleaners, porters and many more hospital staff can do their job.

I don't feel I have to justify. I am pissed off with the usual haters of parents of disabled children using the situation to have a dig. I have already seen it on FB this morning. Not to mention the making pariahs of children of hospital workers.

My DS has SN and an EHCP and I have just had a phone call and been told they can provide provision but it will not be education, basically just childcare, which I don't need. I feel this decision needed to be taken but I cant help but feel sad that my son is going to lose his routine and I'm worried about the effect this will have on him going forward.

I heard a headteacher say it would not be fair to educate the children who came into school because the children staying at home would not receive the same education. I thought that was pretty awful. If parents are not working and can look after dc, they presumably could find some time to home educate. I appreciate some will be working from home but they will be with their children. The children in school will not have that benefit and why should experienced and qualified teachers not try and teach them in a meaningful way? Especially any SEND children that require it. It is not an ideal situation for any child but going into school for babysitting seems very mean when there are good teachers available. Although I appreciate in less numbers than normal.

You can’t, bubbles - we are talking maybe 10 children in a whole school, and that’s just secondary.

I think many teachers vastly over estimate how much children need them.
The government clearly think that they need the teachers as they are looking into telling schools they have to open in the Easter holidays to provide child care - the people who need child care should use their normal provision if possible. I have been told that I will have to work unpaid in the Easter holidays if that happens - which I am not prepared to do. If I have to work to look after the children of key NHS workers who are at higher risk of being exposed to the virus then I will be higher risk of passing it on to my vulnerable children. I will not agree to work unpaid for that reason and also because I will be out of pocket due to expenses going to work (petrol) which will cause financial hardship to add to that caused by having to pay for lunches for my DCs who are at home because their school is closed and because they are in a vulnerable group for this virus.