Nursery refuse to take my DC!

[DreamInLavender]

I spoke to management today and just wanted some confirmation that I could still send DS in (they sent an email out saying they're happy to try and sort things for essential workers at this time).

They asked me what I do and then said no, they couldn't take DC as I'm not an essential worker

I am, and if we go into lockdown our services are classed as essential and will continue to run. Is it really up to the nursery if they take DC or not, or are they discriminating? Yes of course they can set their own rules but not ones that discriminate surely.

I'm fuming and honestly don't know what I'll do

@itwasalovelydreamwhileitlasted Are you sure it’s BOTH parents?

OP with the greatest respect, I don’t think with what is going on, that the consultants are going to be running clinics much longer. Sorry.

I am a PA, working for 4 consultants and managing the workload distribution of the clinic 2.5 days a week

Ehhhh what does Dad do?

I'm annoyed that this wasn't specifically mentioned during the announcement.

Surely in order to qualify, you need to prove that both parents are keyworkers?

OP. You are not a key worker. End of.

@InASense

You do.

GameSetMatch yes that’s the advice we have been given. If either parent isn’t a key worker, then they will be expected to stay at home with the children.
Just like families where both parents work but neither is a ‘key worker’... one parent will have to stay at home with the children.

If you're a PA for the nhs I'd agree you're a vital service. High up nhs exec types need their PAs to do all sorts of stuff like filtering out unimportant emails, etc so they can concentrate on the important stuff. I'm no PA but I think they do more than typing. They're more of an assistant role and enable the exec to be more efficient?

@Pentium85 oh that's good! Sorry I hadn't heard that was announced.

Ah ok, a PA for consultants doing day clinics not so much. All outpatient appts cancelled, surely. Mine all are.

I'm a single mother and right now I'm not classed as a key worker but the delivery drivers can't deliver of I don't do my job as do the orders first so I'm praying that they will ass my job to the list today because my child will need to go to school

Didn't realise it would be both parents as essential workers (although that totally. makes sense). Avoiding watching the news in full as the kids are around so trying to keep it off for their sakes really although they know the basics. I think we're going to just struggle through and hope that both our employers are reasonable.

I know a nurse who was on FB last night saying her kids are going to school stuff as she's an essential worker. Their dad who has then 50/50 runs his own business nothing to do with essential services and spends most of his time playing golf.

He could easily have them and imho should be. But, hey ho free child care right?

Maybe because they're divorced she will just say he won't have them. Or maybe some schools aren't enforcing the 2 parent rule....which they should be because the less kids mixing to spread tthe virus the better.

@HoffiCoffi13 thank you! Makes sense really, surely there’s not many family’s where both parents are key workers.

Watching this thread to see if OP comes back...

Sorry, am isolated and bored

Closing schools is about reducing social contact, everyone and her aunt could be considered a key worker if you really thought about it. I hope the list is not too extensive.

Our neighbour's wife is not a key worker and is taking time off. He on the other hand is a consultant in acute care and she's barely seen him for days

If you are a part-time PA you can do most of your work from home. I could in the 1990s.

OP you're right, you will need to be at work to give devastating news to people.

A PA should be able to work from home. All of ours are.

You can probably still do 2.5 days a week despite the kids being at home by spreading it out and working some evenings etc.

I expect the list of key workers will get longer. We'd be really stuck if the banking systems shut down

If both parents have to be keyworkers then I will have to quit my nhs job so I can look after our child as there is no way I can support our family on my band 2 wage.

It is confusing that there isn't an official list of who is a key worker. I think schools are having to make their own decisions on that which is problematic. Also, I saw that the government said both parents have to key workers, but my DCs' school is letting them go next week and only I am officially a key worker (DH thinks his job is essential and he will lose his job if he can't work because he is looking after DC, but it isn't going to be on any list of key jobs). In my defence, the school asked parents who are key workers to email with details of their job and I did that last night before I found anything that said whether or not we both needed to be and then I went to work and wasn't able to keep looking into it. They emailed me back this morning to say DC could go next week without asking about DH looking after them.

Not sure how long the list will take but we've been told at work it's supposed to be all NHS staff. As there will then be redeployments. They also expect some staff still be off either ill or with underlying health conditions /kids /caring responsibilities etc
So want staff who are able to work in to cover them.

See.. as I suspected people will abuse the service kindly being put in place for first line workers! I overheard a conversation this morning at the school gates.. I work for the police 2 days a week.. as an admin clerk! Hardly first line!!!

Op. You are not a key worker. What on earth makes you think you are?