Son on super shielder list - home school until vaccine?

[vivariumvivariumsvivaria]

Just as the title, really.

Should be doing his GCSEs next year - he's always had chunks of 2-3 weeks of absences from school so has been struggling with maths. He's bright and capable, just got gaps in his knowledge. Bit lazy, but, what 15 year old boy isn't?

If he gets Covid now he's going to have a problem - we're in our 5th week of isolation and it's going ok. There are 2 teenage siblings, both in good health, and both happy to stay home just now.

We've learned that I am no teacher! However, I CANNOT see that DS is safe to go back to school until there is a vaccination. Covid is now permanently in the community, he is immune compromised and has shocking asthma - under control, but, if he gets a virus he gets admitted.

Pulling him from school will affect his exams, but, I can't see any way of sending him to mix with thousands of other people until we have herd immunity.

Genuinely feeling out of my depth. I can manage his illness, I've had years of practice. Home schooling is not what I ever thought I'd do - I'm a very boring conformist!

I have a job, but, I am self employed and I could make it work. DH's job pays the household bills, mine pays savings, holidays, clubs and fripperies. DH's job is fairly secure just now, if the company doesn't go bust he'll be ok.

Is anyone else seriously considering home schooling til there is a vaccine? Even if you have no discernible teaching skills, or the faintest clue?

We are in a similar position so no one has left the house in over 3 weeks and relying on home deliveries, paying people to run errands etc. I am not worrying too far ahead re exams etc although trying to plan for the long term in case we need to be isolated for much longer than the 12 weeks whilst waiting for something to reassure me that the risk is reduced whether vaccine or antibody testing or cure.

Not expecting return to school in September for any of my kids to protect the family. Plenty of online GCSE courses and if my daughter in year 10 has to take GCSEs a year late it wont be the end of the world if we all survive healthy. The others are all younger so no issue with exams for them except 11 plus which we may have to forgo if it does actually goes ahead in September.

However as soon as one family member is leaving the house for school, shopping or work I cant see how the vulnerable person can be protected unless perhaps you have a totally separate annex in the house. If 2 siblings went back to school I wouldn't keep one home waiting a vaccine as they would bring any infection home and people are infectious before they have symptoms so in my opinion it would be a waste of time unless all those leaving the house have had a test to show they have the antibodies.

Unless you all stay indoors until the vaccine comes, it will be hard to protect him.

I have a similar situation with my little boy who is asthmatic and has an autoimmune condition. It’s not easy to know how to avoid this until then

I am wondering about this as well. I have type 1 diabetes plus other conditions. Currently working from home, DH temporarily working from home, home Ed like many. I am worried about when they lift the lockdown and the expectation is return to working in offices and return to school but there is no vaccine. My risk level will be the same unless the magical herd immunity has been achieved. Worrying times.

There is a home education board on MN that might have ideas
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/home_ed

You could look at a virtual school like Interhigh

The LEA might provide some support too.

@Zog14 I'm also type 1 diabetic and dont see myself as needing to be in the shielded group. Am I wrong?

I dont know exactly when and how they are going to allow children back to school. And i dont know what the prospects of a vaccine are.

However lets assume a vaccine is coming, and dc go back before its released. If your child is at major risk you keep him home until its safe for him to go back. If you cant home school him he may need to be a year behind at school, but thats okay.

At the end of the day if he doesnt do as well in his GCSEs as he would like at least he has been able to sit them, theres no point sending him back for him to catch covid and end up on a ventilator.

Im also concerned as i have asthma (mild) and 2 under 10.
We may have had/have it but if we dont then i have no idea.

Plus my mum is in the shielded group (own house) so we wont be able to see her for what a year or more?

This time there maybe 1m who have had it? This may take a long time.

It would probably have made sense at the start for everyone with conditions to separate from the family or the other way around.

Plus even if they go back to school it would need such a good clean etc as all the key worker kids will have still been going in so likely virus everywhere.

We home educate already. If you want any advice I’m happy to chat. There are lots of options for home Ed with regards to qualifications. Also the not being cut out to be a teacher - the current situation doesn’t really count. This is crisis education not a true reflection of how things could be. Honestly right now I am leaving mine alone and just following their interests as much as possible.

When the schools go back, won't the teachers be able to help with the home schooling situation? Obviously you're trying to do it unsupported at the moment, maybe with their help and maybe a tutor once a week you could get through?

I think the important thing is to just get through this time and find something for them to focus on. If they don't want to do traditional learning try to find some interest ie online computer programming course or do cooking, diy, sewing or gardening or learn an instrument - anything to give them an interest and focus. I wouldn't worry if it isn't traditional GCSE curriculum - they can repeat a year. It may be that everyone repeats a year if it goes on beyond September anyway as some will have done nothing at home.

Eventually enough people should contract CV-19 that it works the same way as vaccination- herd immunity means the virus can no longer spread.

Once that happens hospitals will go back to normal and if your son does contract it there will be medical resources available to treat him.

I don’t think you need to keep him isolated until a vaccination, until there are no new cases is enough, whether that’s via natural immunity or if a safe vaccination is developed first ( imo unlikely).

Same situation here due to steroid therapy for muscular dystrophy. Our son is in primary though. I see no end in sight yet, but will play it by ear as to when to go back to school. Herd immunity would also be acceptable for going back. In secondary I think I would end up spending what I could afford on online courses and text books, I wouldn't have the subject knowledge for the STEM subjects.

Main secondary subjects are all available online for free just more challenging if doing an obscure subject or for practical subjects.

Thanks for the responses - I'm relieved to find that I'm not alone with this niggling concern!

I agree, if we pull him for the year I have to pull the 13 year old too. The eldest will leave school this summer, well, she's already left, I guess.

Didn't realise that subjects were available online. And, agree, yes, what we are doing just now is not home schooling! It must be hard if you have systems and links and places you visit and now be doing it from home.

Subjects he's doing which are manageable - English, Biology, Geography. Maths and physics will be a challenge for me, I'm no good at those, but, I'm not daft and can learn. He's doing woodworking, not impossible, but, quite tricky!

He's bright and has a good enquiring mind - but, he's LAZY! So, that'll be a challenge. He's quite introvert too, he'll be happy enough not schooling. The younger kid is very sociable, it would be a real sacrifice to remove him from his class and social circle.

I think I'll plan for the worst scene scenario - not seeing family or friends for 18 months, and hope that it's never needed.

Thanks for the link to the home ed pages, I'll have a look.

What is the super shielder group?
Is it new, I've not heard of it.

I've probably used the wrong term, Brillo.

The ones who get the letter/text about their condition which says "do not pass go, do not collect 200 pounds".

Transplant, cancer, some heavy duty medications and respiratory complications. He falls into the last group, he's had multiple life threatening admissions but has been really well for the last 18 months.

Yes, that's shielding.