Do key workers have to keep sending kids to school?

[TheMostHappy]

I have just been advised (by work) that apparently count as a key worker. I am very grateful that the provision of school is available to Ds, however both my DH and I will be working at home in order to practice more stringent social distancing due to a couple of quite significant health vulnerabilities that I have. We were therefore planning on managing childcare between us. It will be difficult but manageable imho, but I am nervous that there will be an expectation to send Ds to school, which I feel poses more risk than keeping him with us. Any advice or people in the same boat?

Not where I am in sw. We can send them in but if we don't need to then we are asked not to. The whole point of schools running skeleton services is to have fewer kids in. We were expressly asked only to send then in if no other option, by both the schools.

Absolutely not.

I am a critical worker or have a vulnerable child but I don’t want to send my child in to school or childcare, do I have to?

Many parents working in these critical sectors may be able to ensure their child is kept at home. Every child who can be safely cared for at home should be.

This is an offer to parents and carers and there is no requirement for parents and carers to send their children to school if they do not need or wish to do so.

How have your school worded it to you? In everything I have read it is a measure to help, and not a requirement unless the child is known to a social services.
You make the decisions based on your family.

I think if you can manage it you should. We are in isolation at the moment but when I go back I think DH will WFH, I’ll work but I’ll see if they’ll let me do more weekends so he’s not trying to work and supervise her at the same time. Places at her school are very limited and families with two keys workers or one who is a single parent have been prioritised.

Our school have said the priority is to keep children at home. If too many people send their children in, the school won't have the staff and will have to close anyway. Think self employed might be trying to use it.

Yes that's the message I interpreted from school, however line manager was under the impression that I'd be very keen to do so (read my emails on non work day today so haven't responded to her). To clarify, I have an admin function in a large government department, not managing corona effort.

Sorry, no Ds is not vulnerable and we aren't known to ss either. I think I'm going to push back on it on account of my requirement to exercise more stringent social distancing measures due to my health. I'm very surprised to hear I count as a key worker.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision

"...the government has asked parents to keep their children at home, wherever possible, and asked schools to remain open only for those children who absolutely need to attend....

Parents whose work is critical to the COVID-19 response include those who work in health and social care and in other key sectors outlined below. Many parents working in these sectors may be able to ensure their child is kept at home. And every child who can be safely cared for at home should be.

Please, therefore, follow these key principles:

If it is at all possible for children to be at home, then they should be.
If a child needs specialist support, is vulnerable or has a parent who is a critical worker, then educational provision will be available for them.
Parents should not rely for childcare upon those who are advised to be in the stringent social distancing category such as grandparents, friends, or family members with underlying conditions.
Parents should also do everything they can to ensure children are not mixing socially in a way which can continue to spread the virus. They should observe the same social distancing principles as adults.
Residential special schools, boarding schools and special settings continue to care for children wherever possible.
If your work is critical to the COVID-19 response, or you work in one of the critical sectors listed below, and you cannot keep your child safe at home then your children will be prioritised for education provision"

I'm classed as a keyworker. I feel as though my job has very little to do with the outbreak. My company would question why I was looking after my children rather than being in work and I would not have an acceptable reason.
I'd rather be off with a 20% paycut.

If you don’t have to utilise the childcare, of course you don’t!

Does your boss not want you to work from home or something?

I'm not sure to be really honest, as we are all working from home anyway and meetings are via video and phone. There was a briefing at work today apparently and the wording was along the lines of "it was confirmed today that we all count as key workers so you'll no doubt be pleased to know that [DS] will be able to go to school"

Please keep home if you can.

I work in a school. I've been amazed today at number of parents saying they'll send child in because 1 parent is a keyworker when the other is a sahp.

Just because they can.

If people send children in when they don't have to then teachers are at risk. This could end all ability to even open for those in need.

Yes I agree, I don't want to send him in, due to reasons outlined above, I just needed to know where I stand. Thanks to this advice I have a bit of clarity. Thank you all, and I hope you and your families all stay safe. Someone somewhere needs to press ctrl + alt + delete on 2020!

Both me and my husband are classes as key workers as we both work in food manufacturing. I'm sending both my children to school so that we can support still producing but also it would be incredibly difficult to do our jobs at home. Still feel pangs of guilt about it but it totally feels like the right thing to do for all of us

Mine are in the days I work and no more, school has 18 out of 300 in so there are either a local fo keyworkers or they have been very strict about the criteria

You dont have too and shouldn't do if you have provision for them at home. The idea is for as few people to mix as possible. Our dc are entitled to a place as we're both key workers but we shall do our best to keep them at home between shifts. Partly because I don't want them rotting at school bored, there is no education or structure just a babysitting service really and they will be at an increased risk of infection as well.

If your manager has told you you are a keyworker how can you work from home? Is your manager aware of your health issues and do they come under the list?

I'm a key worker, but my children are stopping at home because they don't need a babysitter. There's no obligation, quite the opposite - if they can stop at home they should.

No they don’t. Our school are being super flexible and saying we can use them whenever needed but we don’t have to at all if we choose not to.

No you don't have to send your child in if you do not want too.

My ds is a vulnerable child with SN and has an education health care plan.

We are not sending him (have been told today by school at any point should I need to send him then he can go in) we are not being fined or anything it has been made clear that it is totally optional.

The rule is there to enable key workers to keep working. If you can keep your child off school and keep working then you should.

The schools are closed. The idea is everyone keeps their DC off. If you are a key worker and dont have anyway to keep your DC off without stopping work then you send then there is provision there. You can keep the DC off so you do.

It's not like a favour to key workers, like a free cup of coffee. It's just so they can continue to work.

No you don’t have to. It won’t be ‘school’ anyway, it’ll be childcare so there’s no real benefit to your child. If there’s anyway you can get them to agree to WFH, go for it. I work for the council and have forums the council/ government to be the worst for looking after their staff.

No you don't have to, I was panicking on here this morning because I'd just found out i was a keyworker and didn't know what was best. I've decided not to use the school as we can manage.

My boss was fine that I wasn't going to use it.

It's been a really confusing day.

If there is anyway you can keep you child at home, then I would for the following reason:

The school can only accept a limited number of pupils whilst staff numbers are down, and if you child isn’t going in, that’s 1 more ‘space’ that can be allocated to another child who is potentially unsafe staying at home.