How will you cover childcare long term?

[ritzbiscuits]

How are people are managing childcare for young primary school kids while schools are closed, and is anyone is worrying about managing this long term? It's making me generally quite anxious.

DH and I are both taking a day per week exceptional leave and juggling the rest, paid so I know we're very lucky. When this runs out do we just move to taking this time unpaid/using annual leave? I'm sure some are already in this position and again will be worried about annual leave running out.

Can't quite get my head around how this is logistically going to work for a long period, say until Sept or longer. It's make summer holiday planning look a breeze!

Thoughts most welcomed...thanks

Following! Considering asking a teenage neighbour to babysit but will check with her parents first.

Parental leave is an option but my manager is already working crazy hours so don't want to put more on him

This is something giving me sleepless nights at the moment, I have a 2yo and a 6yo with additional needs. Fortunately DH and I can both wfh but I've no idea how to juggle the kids too. Work have essentially told me i must continue to work my full hours or have to take unpaid leave - seems to contradict govt advice though (should be able to furlough if you can't work due to dependants). I'm currently on annual leave but no idea how I'll navigate this when back at work.

Our son goes to nursery, not school. We can't look after him and work properly. We are splitting the childcare and using annual leave (me) and unpaid leave (DH). I don't mind using annual leave as we've had to cancel the trips we'd booked, anyway. Plus I'll be going on maternity leave in a few months so luckily i can use up my annual leave without having to worry too much. DH is self employed so no paid holiday - we can take the hit for a bit of unpaid leave but not indefinitely.

Friends of ours have 2 under 5 and they both have demanding full time jobs - they have employed a nanny a few days a week so they can continue doing a decent amount of work. I would do the same in their position.

I guess it depends on the nature of your job and the age and personality of your kids, too, as to how easy it is to combine work and childcare.

Personally I am hoping they will reopen schools and childcare before September. I guess it depends on how the situation develops. But I am wondering if we could hope for 1st June (ie after May half term). If there's going to be another spike it would make more sense for it to be in June and not September.

We're both wfh. DH 7-3.30 and me 1.30-5 so only a 2 hour cross over.
Unless the government extend the advise of social distancing for 12 weeks (to mid June) for pregnant women and people with asthma etc to a later date then we'll have to go back into work I think.
We may be able to get a nursery place though as I'm a key worker and I think dh would count as one as well (IT contractor for a large public body).
I think the nurseries in Scotland will go back mid June though. Schools probably not til August as they finish around 24th June for the summer anyway.

Glad it's not just me worrying about this!

@ButterflyWitch I didn't not furlough had been extended to those with dependants, reading the details, it's certain dependants eg additional needs, disabled, very young children. In theory, with a 6 yo I can do some work, though no way with a 2 yo!!!

My work has been amazing and have doubled exceptional leave to help carers. My DH is NHS key worker, but not frontline in a hospital as yet. We could go down the route of school for part of the week, but I feel that should be a last resort.

I think we need to start budgeting now for us taking some unpaid leave and salaries reducing, as this problem is going to hit my DH in a few weeks time once paid leave runs out.

Husband and I tag team throughout day, one works, one is with kids (1 and 5). We then both work in the evenings once kids in bed. We both work full-time in stressful jobs. It is non-stop, we have no downtime now and get 6 hours sleep. It is doable though and we are lucky to both still have jobs.

Could you hire a nanny for some hours ? Once lockdown ends.

"I think the nurseries in Scotland will go back mid June though."

I bloody hope so! Desperate to get DS back there!!

I'm thinking the same....

Debating asking my 68yr old mum (fit, healthy) to come a few days a week just to get on top of emails.... but I think I'd feel awful asking her. She's been isolated for 3 weeks now as have we so figure we are all covid clear.

It's going to be a real issue if it goes on into September.

Both WFH full time with a 5 yr old. DH has to work 7-3, I do as much as I can during the day when DD is occupied with crafts, schoolwork or playing and then catch up on the rest between 6.30pm and 11ish.

It's knackering but doable and we'll keep doing it till school goes back.

Myself and my husband both work full time in very demanding jobs. Luckily, our companies are both very understanding that we have no choice but to work at home and look after our children. Everyone is very accommodating to the fact that there is little choice in the matter, we are all more flexible with each other and occasionally my boy pops up on the camera in some of our online meetings - and he is welcomed!
Are there are other people in a similar position to you in the company? Can they allow you to be more flexible - start very early before your kids are up / be available through the day as long as you are dealing with anything urgent / catch up with whatever has been missed in the evening?

We will both have to apply for temporary flexible working to reduce our hours to do work / childcare shifts round each other.

The furloughing to care for dependents is only if you can’t work away from the home - if you can work from home and still have childcare you can’t be furloughed. It’s for key workers who need to work out of the house.

Just been doing a bit more reading up on the new furlough extension

www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-you-could-be-covered-by-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme

"If you are unable to work, including from home, due to caring responsibilities arising from coronarivus (COVID-19), such as caring for children who are at home as a result of school and childcare facilities closing, or caring for a vulnerable individual in your household, then you should speak to your employer about whether they plan to place staff on furlough."

I'll be interested to see how this plays out at my work in particular. If things got desperate, I wonder if I could be furloughed so I could take over all childcare and my husband then works 100% in his NHS role.

We have a 3 and a 5 year old and are managing ok, so far.
Managing to juggle it between us by not booking meetings at the same time and working for an hour after the kids have gone to bed. We've got Disney + and a secure garden though, which has helped immensely!

Hi
I have a very demanding job and a 1 and a 3 years old. Husband works away from home very long hours.
I m supposed to catch up with work I the evening but that s also when I need to do some cooking, washing and tidy up.
Employer expects me to work or use my holiday instead.
Is this correct or can I suggest furlough...?
Feeling quite desperate and tired
Good luck everyone

Would it be legal to hire a childminder due to current restrictions?

Our kids are 10m and 4yrs, we’re both wfh.

We’ve fortunately got very supportive employers who accept that our work is severely disrupted as neither child can entertain themselves.

We will keep them at home until school and nursery reopen and will essentially get very little work done.

@cyclingMumKingston unless you are caring for children of a keyworker then cm's are not allowed to operate. You wouldn't hire one either, you would be using their service.

I'm struggling too. Both DH and I are classed as key workers although not frontline nhs types. I'm part time, DH full time. DH cant work from home at all. He's taken holiday so I can work this week but we both need to be in two days next week.
I've heard nothing back from the council about preschool age DS. He's not great with childcare as it is, never mind some random place he's never been to.
I'm really struggling to work out how we're going to manage it and I'm thinking of moving my healthy DMum in

Both myself and DH are key workers working FT. School would give the 12 and 5 year old a place but no nursery place for my 3 year old so we have hired a nanny to look after them at home instead. We will keep her on until schools and nurseries re-open. Even if there was a nursery place, as the school is just 9-3 we still couldn't make it work so the nanny is our best option even if it does mean I'm effectively working for very little now but work insist I am needed despite not actually having work that I can do because of covid Gotta love being a civil servant 😂

@FatimaLovesBread if your DS normally goes to a nursery, contact them and see if any of the staff would like to work for you in your home as they will have been furloughed. I know a few people doing this, means the children are safe at home with someone familiar

@CyclingMumKingston yes its fine, some remain in business for key workers anyway

@spuds it's not fine. The childminder would be breaking their registration and insurance would be invalid. The guidance is very clear only the children of keyworkers who have no other choice or children who the la identify as vulnerable are to be cared for in school or in early years settings including childminders.

@CyclingMumKingston having read your situation I would be asking to be furloughed due to childcare responsibilities. Working with two such young children would be impossible for me. It's just not practical.