To many key workers

[OntheWaves40]

My DC school is closing because there’s too many key workers kids and not enough staff. I’m a key worker and no other option than to stay home, unpaid.

My children's school still have 50% of the children in. it's a joke. I'm classed as critical, but not sending my children in as I can keep them home. They should have put more restrictions in, such as both parents key workers maybe.

Yes they should have. I’m a single parent so have no other choice.

Our school will have about 50% in, it's very scary

What about the call centre people who work for capita on the pips contract for example? Are they classed as government?

Did you contact the Local Authority. They are supposed to be coordinating hubs in this situation. So your child might go to another school.
My school has taken on children of key workers from another where they had no staff left standing.

Also there is a requirement that it should be 20% max of your overall school population I think

My school was 60%. No offer of alternative but been told it’s for 2 weeks. Then hopefully staff will be back.

Both me and DH are frontline critical health care. We havent got places...

Going to speak with LEA on Monday..

We had about 40/400 yesterday, after the key worker list from the govt, we had 168/400!!!!
People not understanding that we are providing EMERGENCY care, not just a babysitter so spouses of key workers can work from home (watch Netflix) in peace.

Yes there should be more restrictions. Eg dads a nurse, mother a stay at home parent. The kids get to go to school. Fair enough single parents key workers. What’s the point in shutting the schools??

It’s completely unmanageable for schools to support the vast amount of key workers whilst still dealing with the low staffing levels from illness.
So many parents are choosing to send their child through ease rather than necessity.

I know people who are sending kids in so they can work in peace. Our workplace are issuing justifications to present to school as how you're a key worker.

A handful of us are. The rest are not.

We prioritised heavily to only 30 families out of about 500 children and some of these probably won't take it up. Schools taking 60% are not being stringent enough and have got it wrong. It's emergency child care offered to those mosr in need with front line nhs staff and the most vulnerable children who are at risk. Schools are shut - not open to all comers who fancy a bit of convenient child care.

Should have said 30 children at most - not 30 families

Well this clearly needs managing better. Where services can they will have to reduce to skeleton staff.

I'm paying my childminder instead of sending mine to school. DH and I are both key workers. It will cost but school were clear that they are only for last resort.

Schools need to take a much firmer line rather than just close. I understand it's hard when it feels like the central government have been so vague and unhelpful but it seems like we can't rely on the general public not to take the piss.

To be fair to some, the employers aren't helping.
My ds2 (not a parent himself) has been told he's a key worker by his Boss/ Company owner. He sells phones and laptops for a communications company, in a call centre.
Lots of his colleagues have kids, and for social distancing should not still be open imo, as not essential. He is also in high risk category, and I'm worried for him.

Agree. DH is key worker, so DC could go to school. We’ve not applied for a place as he can work from home and I can bring DC to my work.

Dh and I are both key workers but really dont want ours in school. We shall try our to best work shifts around each other.

The school are only offering a babysitting service, no structured activities or teaching. I don't want them stagnating there for the summer. Never mind the increased infection risk....

My ds2 (not a parent himself) has been told he's a key worker by his Boss/ Company owner. He sells phones and laptops for a communications company, in a call centre.

Companies like this are very shortsighted. There will be huge public outcry about this sort of behaviour. They are rising lives and, by securing free childcare for their staff, profiteering.

Just because an employer says someone is a key worker it doesn't mean a school will take their kids. Schools need to be very strict about this.

I have spaces for 1 child, but not the other as their school had had contact with a confirmed case, so closed. I'm.a single parent. I could do much (though not all) of my job from home. Yet am being told I can't work from home with children at home. Staff are dropping like flies (self isolation or vulnerable groups) yet still they'd rather not have me do the work, not pay me, and people lives be affected by the lack of (statutory) service.

In Scotland both parents have to be key workers to be eligible for a place. We start on Monday but currently don’t know how many to expect. Not mine though as my DH not a key worker so has to be at home with them.