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Covid

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Original poster

Easing lockdown-Schools still off but expected to go into work?

29 replies

Sleepdeprived42long · 29/04/2020 04:23

Just wondered if anyone else is concerned if lockdown restrictions ease and offices start opening again but schools remain closed? Our kids are normally looked after by grandparents after school which we won’t be able to rely on unless we are allowed to mix families. My husband is a keyworker and can’t do any chiidcare. I’m not a keyworker but do work for the public sector so don’t qualify for furlough. It’s a struggle at the moment working from home and home schooling a 5 and 7 year old but I’m worried that it’s going to get worse! I suppose only time will tell but wondered if anyone else was in the same boat!

OP posts:

HollyBollyBooBoo · 29/04/2020 04:37

But practically how would business expect parents to go to work if schools aren't open?

By all means I'll continue to WFH, but getting into an office will be impossible for me until school and wrap around care is open as normal.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 29/04/2020 06:25

Yes. My job isn't possible to do from home and I have no one to do childcare on a long term basis. I'm divorced but my ex is a keyworker and he can't WFH so he can only help on his days off. My only hope is that if school stays closed until September then the furlough scheme will be extended for those of us in this position.

UnmentionedElephantDildo · 29/04/2020 06:32

Perhaps this will all be part of a step by step approach?

Businesses will be urged to reopen on a phased basis if they can, and to bring in staff first who have no (caring or household vulnerability) barriers to returning whenever possible.

At the same time, schools continue as childcare settings but admit any DC where both parents are WOH (any sector). Then see what that does to infection rates.

CaptainMerica · 29/04/2020 06:38

I think people who work in offices and can WFH will be the last to go back.

YinuCeatleAyru · 29/04/2020 06:40

I think @UnmentionedElephantDildo (fantastic username) is correct. the barriers that families like yours would have in returning to work would be a deliberate part of the plan, making sure there wasn't a quick return to normal levels of contact by restricting return to work to just those who don't have such barriers.

Dozer · 29/04/2020 06:43

An option is to pay for childcare. You’d need to do this in other circumstances, eg illness of GPs. As one of you is a keyworker childcare providers might give your DC priority.

Millicent10 · 29/04/2020 06:43

Not quite in the same boat but I have been working all along (LA). My OH is a key worker (food factory!) so has also been working. Both of our employers have extended the amount of time that the place of work is open and people are working in shifts so it is easier to share childcare (this is also to help with social distancing, so having less bodies in at once).

user1487194234 · 29/04/2020 06:47

Hopefully work will allow people with childcare issues to continue to work from home at least for a bit
But I expect some companies will expect people to arrange childcare ASAP and get back to work

Darcydashwood · 29/04/2020 06:53

Can your children not go to school given your OH is a key worker, should you have to return to work?

Mummyoflittledragon · 29/04/2020 06:54

From what I have read, a lot of people in your situation have been doing the same. This doesn’t affect us but I suppose businesses will have to adapt and accept in the short term their employees cannot necessarily work as effectively as before and will have to wfh... or remain furloughed if the option remains.

There is the slow reopening of recycling sites and getting some hospital services up and running. It does look as if it possible that schools could go back in June. If this happens, obviously work during school hours will be easier. After care and holiday care, a different issue.

DullPortraits · 29/04/2020 07:01

If your husband is a key worker your children are eligible to go to school now so would definitely be able to if you go back to work.

missfliss · 29/04/2020 07:06

God I hope schools can go back in June.

Kids need their friends - it's a critical part of social development.

Let's be honest - schools do far more than educate our kids - they support whole communities in all sorts of ways

Original poster

Sleepdeprived42long · 29/04/2020 07:25

At the moment the school hubs in my area are only accepting kids where both parents are key workers. That doesn’t apply to us just now.

I wish I could be sure that the government plan included flexibility/understanding for families in this situation but I’m not! It has not so far-I can’t be furloughed and I can’t access childcare!

The issue with my work is that while I can WFH we have limited access to systems and no work email access. It’s fine for short term but not on an ongoing basis. That makes me think we might be expected to go in.

OP posts:

okiedokieme · 29/04/2020 07:41

Not all people who work have kids, the sensible solution is for the under 60's with no childcare or caring responsibilities to go back to work first as most offices will need some to work from home to maintain social distancing

Hadenoughfornow · 29/04/2020 07:57

Don't you know the economy can run without working parents?

That's constantly mentioned on here when arguing that schools should not open again any time soon.

Suspect it would mainly be the mother who has to stay at home.

If she were furloughed for longer than her colleagues I am sure that would be popular. They have to risk their lives whilst she gets to stay at home and get paid (well a fair bit) to look after her kids. (Working parents are always supposedely get special treatment).

Although would there be a job for her to go back too? Probably not. How many kids would that impact? How many families would struggle long term?

But we know that that is not a concern for many in here and others in society. So why even consider the long term suffering of kids?

Littlebelina · 29/04/2020 08:01

What Hadenoughnow said. For a parenting site there are a lot of people on here who do not understand that some parents need to work

hopeishere · 29/04/2020 08:02

I know they don't want to jump the gun on anything but I think it would be better if the said "look the schools won't open until September" so people could plan round that.

DH and I are working from home. But if my office reopened at the end of June for example there would probably not be summer schemes or anything for the summer weeks so I'd still be stuck.

rookiemere · 29/04/2020 08:06

I think those of us who can wfh will be the last to be back at our place of work and the focus will be very much on getting schools back asap.

I do not want DS 14 not to go back until August ( we're in Scotland) if it's viable for him to go back sooner. Also as they are doing this gradually so they can monitor infection rates, it makes much more sense for DCs to go back earlier because they get it mildly- they'll need to be really good about social distancing for teachers - rather than large groups of adults who are better equipped to mentally cope with not being around their peers and have a higher rate of potential infection and severity.

AhGoGo · 29/04/2020 08:14

I work in hospitality, in management so there’s a good chance of having a job to go back to. If it opens up before nursery does I’m not sure what I’m going to do. Before furlough I was on the higher wage but going forward my husband probably has great job security (keyworker) but our life really is built around 2 wages. I also love my job and the company I work for, just giving it all up?

Get another job that works around my husbands, again such a massive cut in earnings and the job market by the time I’m going to be looking for one is going to be tough with a lot of people going for the few available child friendly jobs.

Been thinking about this a while, it’s just another uncertainty alongside the how/when my workplace will open up again and I’m really struggling with the unknown. Any sort of blue print from the government would be wonderful...

dottiedodah · 29/04/2020 08:23

My understanding was that Schools were needing to open( at least P/T places for children )as how is anyone going to return to work otherwise?This is a major stumbling block for easing the restrictions surely.WFH is good for some people ,but not everyone has that option esp long term!

imsooverthisdrama · 29/04/2020 08:27

I'm a similar situation, I'm furloughed though.
I simply can't go back to work full time until dc does. I also rely on grandparents after school so won't be able to do that for a while either .

Hotpinkangel19 · 29/04/2020 08:42

If they opened workplaces they'd open childcare settings too, so you'd be able to use those.

catsandlavender · 29/04/2020 08:48

I imagine they might extend the list of children eligible to be in school at the moment, like if both parents are unable to wfh they might take on your kid. Not sure. I don’t think they are going to be rushing schools back as normal because some people won’t be able to get childcare, as a lot of the workforce do not have young children.

Asuitablecat · 29/04/2020 09:03

And if childcare settings don't open, then lots of teachers won't be able to go to work. Which means fewer kids will be able to go to school.

Original poster

Sleepdeprived42long · 29/04/2020 13:34

Good to know I’m not alone in having concerns about this! It’s like a giant jigsaw juggling work and life as it is and if we can’t fit the pieces together coming out of this, it’s just going to be impossible for those of us who work and depend on wraparound childcare. I just hope the government realises that this will remain a problem during the summer holidays if families aren’t allowed to mix and childcare isn’t available to those who are being expected to go into work so can no longer look after their kids from home!

OP posts:

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