How can businesses slowly re-open if schools don't go back?

[trumpisaflump]

I've been thinking about this all day. A few of my friends are taking great delight I think in forecasting that schools won't go back until August (Scotland). And even at that it will be part time classes to allow social distancing. So an I wrong in thinking if this is correct them business will not be able to return as families/parents will have children at home?
It's been going through my mind all day and I don't know how we can have one without the other. Any ideas?

I wasnt referring to nannies as not having back ground checks. I was assuming that many nannies would be on furlough from their current family so unable to work.

Trying to find one may prove impossible especially if like me you are part time and shifts can change surely a nanny would want a full time position rather than three or 4 hours here and there a few times a week at irregular intervals ?

I'd have to use my parents who are both in the risk categories but I dont know any local teens

The whole thing will fall apart without schools as companies can't expect people to work and do childcare without one or both falling apart at the seams. I know they are doing it now , but weeks of it? I doubt it !
I can also see why schools can't open up yet either.
Lots of people depend on grand parents for holiday time as well. Without that being made available makes it even worse.
Would a nanny be able to work and live with people as an employee for a short contract? Only if someone has the space and money to accommodate them.
So many different problems. I'm sure the govt are aware but the majority in the cabinet are men and might not be seeing this as a big priority (at the moment anyway. ) not being sexist here at all but they are working and earn a good wage so may not see any of this as problem.

Strangers more referred to the suggestujns of local teens and universities students

Yes I'm not sure @SarahTancredi
I do totally sympathise. It is such a tricky situation all round. I hope things work out ok for you. I would hate to be the one coming up with these decisions.

I guess it depends how long this all goes on for. I'm looking for a new job from the summer anyway. I have a few days confirmed but need to fill my other days. So there may be people who are in between jobs anyway. It is worrying for all.

I think the not knowing is the hardest. If parents knew how long this was going on for then at least they could make a plan.

The whole thing will fall apart without schools as companies can't expect people to work and do childcare without one or both falling apart at the seams.

I suspect that most companies will just shrug and say it is up to the employee to sort out childcare or quit their job. Which is really shit, and will hit women hardest.

Trying to open on a rota basis to different year groups would be an absolute nightmare logistically and wouldn't help parents with kids in different years or schools. I think the only way I can see schools 'opening' that doesn't involve all kids going back is to open up the current system of keyworker/vulnerable students attending to non-keyworker parents who really need it. Would mean having more kids in but without trying to timetable lessons etc - they can do the online learning that our key worker kids are already doing in school, as teachers wouldn't be able to teach 10 kids in a class and also 20 at home at the same time.
Difficult situation all round!

Would mean having more kids in but without trying to timetable lessons etc - they can do the online learning that our key worker kids are already doing in school

Hmmmm! We have have 15 laptops in our school-if you had 10/15 pupils in each class (20 classes)-you’re not going to get much laptop time!

appu true - my school is lucky in that all students have a tablet. It's an impossible conundrum!

I think everyone is going to have to get creative, businesses including. It’s all very well saying you have to get child care, but due to social distancing rules not sure that enough childcare will exist. If schools are opening with staggered times, that will have a huge impact.

Rightly or Wrongly the government will base their decision on what percentage of the work force need childcare and base their decesion on that.

Decision!

Then how can they justify staying open for key workers to enable them to work and then say school isnt needed for anyone else

Ocean, yes. Companies won't give a fig about childcare arrangements and just hire women without children or older kids that can be left at home. It's shit and I can see it happening too. They will use covid as an excuse : ' we need to keep going ' etc which is true, but will throw the workers with babies and little ones under the bus.

I can totally see the stress and the points being made about schools. But what do you suggest as an alternative? Assuming schools can't open due to social distancing. Do you think the economy should suffer even more?

Then how can they justify staying open for key workers to enable them to work and then say school isnt needed for anyone else

I suppose.In the same way hospitals are open to work in its life or death.

Well families not being able to work is also life and death isnt it?

Poverty kills

The economy is stuffed which ever way you look at it. Schools are a tricky one to sort out. I m not envious of people trying to think how to work round that one. It's a nightmare.

Because many many people don't have childcare problems even when schools are closed: some don't have children, some have secondary aged children who are fine alone, some have one parent who always wfh.

Of course it's unfair on parents who have no childcare but nothing about this situation is fair. Some find themselves in more of an impossible situation than others, and if schools reopen then working parents of young kids will be unfairly disadvantaged. That's just the way it is. No magic wand exists to make it better.

What would be peoples suggestions for schools/ childcare opening? How should it look?

I know schools/nurseries aren't there for childcare but how many families relay on it to be able to both parents work? now imagine if 50% of these people went jobless cuz the companies would shrug their shoulders, do you think it would be good for the country's economy?
I work in IT(1.5k people in my company) and they're already struggling to find people that do my job, do you think they'd just shrug their shoulders and say it's your fault for not sorting out (the currently non existing) childcare? or would they try to accommodate many of us that are affected by this. I'm not a key worker however, few days ago what I'm working on was highlighted in one of the governments briefings, so I'm not a key worker, however I'm helping others beating Covid as well as keeping the economy afloat, hence doubt very much they'd be happy if 50% resigned because we can't sort childcare out.

it's easy to say use grand parents, thought we were doing this to protect a part of the grandparents that will be vulnerable.

companies/goverment will need to change a bit their minds pre-covid as otherwise none will succeed in this country

But if childcare isn't open then what?

Childcare is always open, kids come with free childcare. Unless of course you have kids to outsource to others.
Many can't afford childcare, they look after their own kids.
You have to go with what's available at the time, not what you want.
Live according to the times, and these are the times. You have to make do with what you have or haven't.
Can't work well tighten belts, split shifts with a partner, benefits.

There is no easy way to get out of the lockdown. There are too many issues in play. Not just the school itself and staffing, but also the school buses - you'll need twice as many if kids have to sit on separate seats etc.

I think the only way is for schools to go back on a limited basis after half term, maybe years 10 and 12 (so they don't lose any more teaching time ahead of next years' exams), and maybe years 3 and 6 at primary, all of course, plus the essential workers & vulnerable children. Just as a "suck it and see" approach to highlight the issues. I'm pretty sure schools could cope with, say, half the usual number, and so would buses etc (all usual school buses and service buses covering school routes would have to run as normal). Have the 6 weeks or so of that before Summer for head teachers and governors to ease the schools back into operation and use the experience ready for a full return for all kids at the start of September.

@EasterIssland childcare isn't non existent at the moment? Only the childcare you may prefer. But it isn't non existent.

of course @Hugglespuffed im currently wfh in different hours to the ones of my contract and so is my husband but if any of the companies say back to the office then one of us would need to resign and that would be the same for many of our peers as most of us have got kids

But there is childcare available (nannies) so why would you have to resign? It might be more expensive in the short term but surely better than resigning?