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?

[Xenia]

Interesting from Switzerland - they thin under 10s do not infect older people and can hug grandparents again -0 could be useful in the UK if some grandparents who do not work full time like some of us grandparents do, could do some childcare again

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/04/28/children-10-can-hug-grandparents-without-risk-swiss-health-officials/

[Cary2012]

I agree with a lot of what @Xenia says. I put a good career on hold to bring up our 4 kids in the 1990s. Not because I wanted to. I stayed at home with our young family until the youngest was school age because I was lower paid than my then DH. Childcare on my salary then would have left us worse off financially. We took the hit, made adjustments and got by. When the kids were school age I made a career change and became a teacher. This meant I could still have the holidays off with the kids and marking etc could be done in the evenings. I had to adapt. Some of you might balk at what I did, but you have to make adjustments.

Only high earners can afford wrap around childcare. For those who rely on schools to provide childcare, because they can't financially afford to pay the next few months will be hard hit. But this goes back to a previous poster's comments: schools are not there to provide childcare.

The next few months will challenge us all, and we will all have to adapt, make changes and see what help the government gives. That is all we can do.

To expect schools to re open soon is unwise, unsafe and economically unsound. If you think now is bad, a second peak will make this one seem like a walk (albeit a socially distanced one) in the park

[The80sweregreat]

The economy needs to get moving but it will be so hard on those with children.
Such a dilemma.

[LaurieMarlow]

schools are not there to provide childcare.

De facto they are though.

It’s not their sole purpose, but it’s how society has organised itself.

The vast majority of working parents DO rely on school with add ons (like after school) to enable them to work.

The system breaks down without it.

[Parker231]

@Xenia - you are becoming obsessed with the treatment the NHS provides in respect of
obesity and diabetes. These are illnesses and treated by the NHS. If you get either of these, you will get NHS treatment for them.

[Ronnie1234]

School is not childcare unless you can get a 10-2 job!!!!

[EasterIssland]

@Cary2012 I'm glad you chose that life and it worked for you. but the fact is that it doesn't work for everyone.
I studied for 6 years in university and got a job and been working for 10 years now in this market going higher in the responsibilities for now to decide to take a career break til my child is school age? which seems like it won't even work as kids will have to adjust to a new reality where won't be able to go to school? so does that mean I need to give my job up for 20 years? and then.. who will employ me? and how many families like me are in the same position? as all my friends both parents work. I know this is not everyone's life but it's for some of us, we're lucky that we can live with one of our salaries but again this is not everyone's life, so some families need both parents working to move forward (even in some families there are parents with more than 1 job)

also, mn is full of women financially abused because their husband won't provide them money ... is this the new reality? go back to one of us working and the other one staying at home and needing to claim a fiver here and a fiver there?

the economy of this country wouldn't survive if many families would need to give up their work because of this. there will be replacements but not for everyone, yes I know there will be many unemployed people that might be willing to do childcare but I dont won't my son to be with someone that has not worked with kids and it's good at it, that's why I've been sending him to nursery cuz I know he'll be protected there. I dont want him to be taken care of by someone that was an IT person and now because of this the only way forward is childcare.

since all this outbreak I keep thinking Covid is bad really bad but Covid is not the only thing killing people, unemployment and poverty does as well

[Waxonwaxoff0]

@Ronnie1234 no but a lot of people use breakfast clubs and after school clubs which are also closed!

The "school isn't childcare" argument is so boring, we know school isn't childcare but most people work while their children are at school.

[Cary2012]

@LaurieMarlow
You're right, society has organised itself to rely on schools to enable people to work.
And I'm right: schools are not childcare.
And that's the rub.
@EaserIssland. I agree, I understand. I really do. No one knows how this will pan out, and I hope it works out well for you.

[Ronnie1234]

Those of you who's schools have after school clubs are very lucky then
As our school does run daily clubs if your child is interested in the activity but it cannot be relied upon as childcare as can often get cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances also our catchment school is actually 9 miles from us despite there being two closer schools so our daughter goes on a bus & we are dictated by the bus times

[Newgirls]

To pick up on the comment about a higher/worse peak. That won’t happen. Because a. We know the symptoms now. B. We have reduced transmission (it was rampant in Feb/March when we had no idea), hospitals know what it is and how to help people.

We will have mini peaks as we go along this year but not like this.

[Parker231]

From Sky News - Gavin Williamson told a committee of MPs today that he could not give a date for schools to begin reopening, but that it would have to be "phased".

[MarginalGain]

Surely on the back of yesterday's urgent NHS Kawasaki warning we now know schools aren't going back until September.

[Newgirls]

Not at all - Kawasaki is known to hospitals and very low numbers are affected (thank god)

[Newgirls]

Children will be more at risk driving to school, crossing the roads. Just look at the usual stats.

[MarginalGain]

Not at all - Kawasaki is known to hospitals and very low numbers are affected (thank god)

True, but not relevant.

[BertNErnie]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-52469939

[BertNErnie]

We knew schools would have to reopen and all teachers I know know are desperate for it to happen but now we know it will be phased at least we can start thinking what this may look like in practical terms.

[Newgirls]

Of course it’s relevant - Kawasaki won’t be the reason to delay schools opening

It will be lack of safety provision and testing for teachers. We will be slow to get that distributed to ask schools by June due to our dire gov.

[Xenia]

We might even find some parents turning to private schools with wrap around care who are able to provide schooling over the summer holiday to make up for the recent gap (where a parent can afford £10k a year)

[Cary2012]

@Newgirls. The reason that we have reduced transmission is because of the lockdown. Germany has relaxed the lockdown, the R number has now risen, and they are now talking about tightening the lockdown again. We only have reduced transmission now because not enough people are out and about transmitting it.

I want to be in school, I haven't stopped working both in school and at home. But the threat of a second peak is real, unless you know something the scientists don't.

[Newgirls]

I’m basing it on what the scientists and doctors have been saying on the bbc and twitter. We’ve had covid here since jan but gov don’t say that as they were unprepared.

We will get mini peaks sadly but they say not like this as a. we won’t go back to ‘full normal’ this year b. Some will still isolate, change behaviour c. We will have very sadly lost lots of older people.

Some reports even think total losses will be less later in the year due to so much loss of life now. Not so sure about that one...

[Newgirls]

Cary - I know teachers are working early hard. I don’t think unions etc will support a return to classrooms until more provision is in place and its not happening yet is it?