What are single parents NHS workers who do shift work doing for childcare?

[Splitsunrise]

Obviously I know if it’s during the daytime then schools will look after children of key workers, but what about when your shifts often aren’t during these school hours?

And what about if you have nursery age children & nurseries are closing? Presumably you can’t just put them in another nursery as that goes against current rules with the virus? Same with getting a nanny or similar...

Thank you!

Anyone?

....anyone had this issue?

I know NHS workers who are sharing childcare amongst themselves as they have no choice. Perhaps see if there is a group in your hospital?

OP- what did you do with your kids before when you were rostered to work outside school hours?

My DD is thankfully old enough to be left homes alone.

Young children can go to different childcare if their usual one is shut. Local authorities are organising this, so you would need to contact them.

I’m one of those. I usually use my parents and out of school care. My parents aren’t able to continue now and the OSC is closed too. I did not get an emergency childcare place!

It’s not my own situation thankfully, asking on behalf of a friend... so even though you cant leave house beyond those 3/4 exceptions (work, essential shopping etc) generally, you can still find alternative childcare if you have to? Sorry!

And thank you so much for replying

I'm still using my mum for help, unfortunately. I couldn't find alternative childcare.

You probably won't get so many responses as you sound like a journalist, to be honest.

Most trusts have a dedicated coordinator. Suggest that they speak to that person.

My ex is police so I work on his days off, I’m in Monday Tuesday then hopefully off on annual leave unless they cancel it. Am really quite tired but feel for those whose childcare has been eliminated as so much pressure to be at work just now - am frontline ward nurse and my colleagues are quite stressed.
And alternate child care isn’t something you can just find, kids need to get used to a new place and you need to trust whoever it is who is looking after them, they also don’t work a full 12 hour shift/nights etc so makes it stressful. Hope people’s managers are as good as mine

I'm a childminder and care for the children of two single parent nurses.

Medical students are offering to help in different areas, volunteering childcare, running errands etc. Google national health supporters

My son is going to my dad while I work. Not ideal - but me and his dad are both frontline healthcare so not exactly many options. We try and coordinate our shifts to a point but there’s only 7 days in a week and if ones going nights etc it gets so complicated...not sure what else to do 🤷🏻‍♀️ Applied for an emergency childcare place and didn’t get one!

Oh and my little boy is 6 and has autism and GDD. Very difficult to leave him with anyone tbh, it takes months for him to settle with anyone new so my dad is really the only option.

I’m not NHS, I work in a nursing home but mine are still going to my mums. I work Monday and Tuesday nights and although they could have still gone to school Tuesday and Wednesday I thought it would be better for them to only go between our house and my mums house to reduce the number of people we are in contact with.

Thank you everyone, really helpful & have passed on

And @PrincessMargaret fair enough, though I’d really be playing the long game making up stories about myself for years on here!