Why has school places changed from both parents being key workers to just one being a key worker?

[EndlessUserName]

I don't understand why this has changed. yesterday they said if both parents (in a two parent family) were key workers then there would be a place at a school for their child. Now, even in couples only one needs to be a key worker. What's the reason? Surely it'll mean more kids in schools, more kids to organise and teach, more staff needed to teach them. I don't understand?

I thought we are still waiting for government guidance to be released to tell us who the key workers actually are and whether it has to be both parents?

Have they released the key worker list finally? Have been looking for it all day!

We've already been told it will be childcare not teaching, so no school uniform, bring a drink, packed lunch and pe kit. Everyone in the hall and whatever happens after that will be decided on the day.

Where has this info come from? I can’t find anything to say this and our school confirmed both have to be key workers today.

My school are doing it as anyone with parental responsibility or any other possible childcare, but just sending out forms to get data from everyone as yet. I didn't think anything was confirmed yet?

I’m guessing it’s because a lot of the key worker roles aren’t very highly paid. If their partner was the higher earner and had to take unpaid leave, many people would call in sick/self isolate.

amp.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/19/children-to-attend-school-if-one-parent-classed-as-key-worker

That is, they're checking for everyone with parental responsibility and only taking those with no one at all available that's not a key worker.

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/19/children-to-attend-school-if-one-parent-classed-as-key-worker

In England - nothing released yet. I am LA staff working with schools to plan for Monday - and still no official government announcement.

I suspect if you only have a small amount of children who qualify you still need a range of staff. Perhaps when you review your students it makes sense to take another 10 or 15. You still have to provide FSMs and also packed lunches or vouchers for genuine FSM whether in school or not. You need first sides with paediatric training, safe guarding, admin, pastoral support and appropriately skilled staff. There should be teaching regardless.

We've had an email sent from school with an application for which has to be in for 10am tomorrow. The list is quite long. I'm completely torn.

I have a 7 year old with massive anxiety issues. I've managed to talk him down with a schedule for home, planned activities and a clear plan going forward. I'm police and husband is NHS. We have a 2 year old and we assumed he'd be unlikely to be on nursery so both submitted emergency flexi plan last week as assumed it would come to this (other childcare isolating for 12 weeks). Now husbands work have said they can't authorise plan as may be seconded somewhere (currently a juvenile mental heath rapid response youth worker) and husband wants to send 7 year old into school. None of his friends would be there and we have to sort something for youngest. I just don't know what to do and after working 72 hours this week and having 4 hours sleep in the last 48 hours I feel at breaking point.

This is the list we've been sent.

My friend is a SAHM her husband is a police officer they get a ‘key worker’ place it’s ridiculous. There should be restrictions lots of family’s are having to make hard decisions about childcare it makes a mockery of the situation, it’s should be a last resort.

There’s just no easy answer to that @10storeylovesong

Thanks @superfurrydoggy. And to compound things, I took the boys onto our driveway with a bouncy ball earlier and twisted my knee.it's now swollen and I can't put any weight on it. I feel like crying, I'm in so much pain I can't sleep and I'm so tired. I'm guessing there's no facilities for scans etc so here's hoping it gets better over the next few days.

They dont want any key workers being delayed if their partner cant take care of the kids I imagine.

The lowest paid and most under appreciated are about to carry this country through this on their backs. They fucking know they're relying on it.

As others have said I suspect it’s because, for many of them, our key workers are paid appallingly badly. So if no childcare available many families would be choosing between the person who earns enough to pay the rent and buy food going to work and the key worker going to work. I know which I’d choose in that situation and it’s not the choice the country wants them to make.

If we paid the people who are actually crucial to our survival a semi decent wage perhaps it would be different