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 was thinking if they do open, they might do part-time eg half-a class one day/half the next. Or maybe morning/afternoon. That way parents would be able to work at least part of the week? There are so many ifs and buts.

I'm hoping they give us proper notice of the arrangements this time. DH and I are both teachers. We have had our primary-aged DC at home at the moment as have been able to juggle rota shifts around each other but I'm assuming even if schools go back part-time, teachers will be needed in full-time, so my DC will have to go in to their school full time as key worker children.

I hope wraparound care will also be considered. At my DC's school, after-school and breakfast club are not currently operating for key worker children and I cannot be dropping off and picking up my own DC when I'm supposed to be in class with other people's kids. No family nearby and all other childcare options closed down when the on-site provision started.

The part-time idea has been mentioned but I can't see how it would work in practice.
To make it work, and stop transmission via surfaces it would need to be week about with a deep clean of the school at the weekend.

How are teachers supposed to manage their own childcare if their kids are off every other week?

The morning/ afternoon idea is hopeless from a SD point, kids passing each other at the school gate, and sitting at the same desk as other kids. Not to mention, for parents by the time you get to work it would be about time to leave to collect the kids.

I've been worrying about this all weekend. I'm full time front line NHS and if schools go back part time there's no way my line manager will allow me to work part time for months. I just don't see how the economy and workplaces can stall until schools go back full time.

Key worker children (including teacher's kids) would have to be in full-time.

The only other options to part-time are leave them closed as they are or open them full-time and accept that social distancing is over. We could do things like stagger playtimes, not hold assembly and eat lunch in the classroom (although children with hit dinners would need to go somewhere central to collect them) but there is no way you could have full-time school which was compatible with social distancing.

It’s a difficult situation! There is no perfect situation. I’m a teacher with a toddler that usually relies on grandparents for child care. My husband is also a key worker. Currently coping with my husband taking unpaid leave for the days I have to go in on but when I return full time that won’t work. Can look at nurseries but think everyone will be having the same problems so getting places is going to be an issue, plus not sure how well he would cope full time.

It’s completely my issue to solve but know I will be far from alone , the playground is usually full of grandparents at pick up and many of the staff at my school with struggle with childcare.

Want schools to go back as soon as it is safe but it’s just so complicated!

Then we have the massive summer holiday problem.

6 weeks long when a large chunk of parents rely on over 70s to look after their children so they can work because holiday childcare clubs are too expensive. This problem really needs to be tackled. If the government could pay for free childcare for the holidays...

Holiday childcare at the moment cost more per hour than I earn (plus the extra travelling to work time I am not paid for). My holiday childcare involves over 70 year old grandparents, including one who is now sheilding.

It’s completely my issue to solve but know I will be far from alone , the playground is usually full of grandparents at pick up and many of the staff at my school with struggle with childcare.

I imagine the "bubble" idea has come about so that family can be used as childcare. Not much use to me as all our family are 100+ miles away. Some people won't want to risk family members' health either by using them as childcare.

Key worker children (including teacher's kids) would have to be in full-time

But that doesn't solve the issue for other non keyworkers who also need to get to work

Schools aren't childcare facilities though .... What do you with them during the 12 weeks of holiday?

What do you with them during the 12 weeks of holiday?

We don’t have 12 weeks of holiday. But during the holidays we do have, they're at wraparound care (which is shut), holiday clubs (shut), with childminders (shut), with elderly grandparents... you see the issue here?

If the government could pay for free childcare for the holidays...

I can’t see that ever happening!

Maddy - drama clubs and we take them on holiday (our jobs have asked us not to take holiday this summer). Schools are ‘childcare’ in an economy that expects parents to work.

What do you with them during the 12 weeks of holiday?

Usually 5 out the 12 weeks we are off with them. The other 7 we use out of school care, the same as we use afterschool wrap around care.
Until schools / wrap around are interlinked.
As a child an Auntie did the afterschool and my Gran did the school holidays.

The economy needs schools and the schools aren't childcare argument just doesn't wash.

When the

But that doesn't solve the issue for other non keyworkers who also need to get to work

No, it doesn't but I was responding to OP who is an NHS worker. DH and I are both teachers so if parents want us in our schools to be able to teach their kids in whatever capacity schools are open, my DC will have to be allowed to attend their own school.

I think it is highly unlikely schools will open "normally" so it may be a case of having to accept that you will get some part-time hours a week where you can work without children around. Or the government are hoping that the bubble arrangement will allow more family childcare, although this isn't an option for many of us.

Holidayclubs, crèche, summer camps, grandparents, & Holiday leave, unpaid parental leave. But assumption is if schools not back the first 3 not open either! (& most won't want or be able to leave kids with GP)

If schools reopen it will be with social distancing like in France where classes are limited to 15. This means half of children will not go to school or will have to alternate. Similarly employees may have to alternate too.

That won't be social distancing, not as we know it anyway. Maybe french classrooms and corridors are designed differently to ours?

French and German schools just the same as ours with kids together, corridors etc

I think it tends to be assumed that teachers don't have their own kids.I rely on after school club and a cm to enable me to teach. If it's only core hours, I'm screwed.

So it is social distancing in name only. They might manage ok while in the classroom (I have 15 double desks in my room, with one child at each they could be 2m apart widthways but a child would be less than a meter in front and behind them)
But arriving in school, moving to another class, moving to break and lunch - that won't be at a distance. How would the teacher move through the room to assist or give resources?

There is something in the media today about a study in Australia saying that the amount of virus being transmitted by children is actually very very low indeed. Obviously that is Australia where they don’t have many cases anyway but it could be relevant and I could believe it. I don’t think there will be a start date and that will be it. It will be a phased reopening of some kind. Nightmare for parents, teachers and the government.

IMO everything will have to slowly reopen in phases so that they can keep track of the numbers and make sure that we can avoid a 2nd peak, if that’s possibly.

I run an extra curricular activity business and I’m truly screwed in all this. As are many other businesses too I know.

French and German schools just the same as ours with kids together, corridors etc

As far as I’ve read, France is going back capped at 15 to a class and Germany-12. I think many parents in France are pretty resistant to schools opening yet anyway.

People who can't work due to childcare will be made redundant and replaced with those who don't need childcare.

Ridiculous...Even if there are loads of unemployed, how can people can just walk into the jobs done by parents? Most won’t have jobs that can be done with a couple of hours training.