Called back to work but no school for DS

[CanIDigIt]

Does anyone know anything about employment rights currently as I've been called back to work on Monday but my DS isn't yet back to school in the published year groups.

His own school won't take him. And as he hasn't been there since lockdown i think it would be unhealthy for him to be dumped back there with no normal routine or friends.

I can't take him to work - it's a school! I work in administration.

Feeling stuck. Had this pushed on me now for Monday.

Landor

Yes. Older child is just turned 13.

Leaving them leaves me with panic I'll get reported

I have been called back to work but are unwilling to send my PFB back to school as he is too smart for the setting and will only get bored

Sadly there is an element of this

You could ask for unpaid leave or resign if you are unwilling to send him to school as he will be eligible if you are a key worker.

You can leave the kids at home. The issue here is the lack of social distancing in your workplace. They need to stagger your colleagues working times/duties so you don't share workspace. Give them a new room, laptops?

They need to make adjustments and you should speak to them and assert this rather than hiding behind childcare issues that don't exist

Sadly there is an element of this

No there isn't.

Thank you soupdragon.

It absolutely isn't this.

And my boss is a shit having been too busy to deal with this, then emailing me on the weekend to be sorted for Monday. You should have been ready work work at any time. Guidance is 48 hours notice would be helpful but it isn't required. I'm sure your boss has more to think about than just you!

How old is DS? We're both teachers and have had to go in to school since lockdown. However not on the same day so we can have one of us home.
Could you take DS in with you to your school?
Could you wfh for part of the day?
Have you been able to wfh already?
In my school the head wants as few people on site as possible to avoid too many people. I'm surprised you have to go in. Unless you can't wfh in which case you do need to do some work if you want to be paid.
We're either in school or setting/marking work, communicating with students etc so still working.
I don't think you can refuse to go on the basis that DS won't enjoy it in school.

Thanks Converse

I've been working full time at home the whole time.

If your some school ie too full then the region will need to get him a spot at a hub

Yes, he will get the square root of not a lot done and have to catch up at home later but he will be safe and fed and you will be able to work

I couldn’t get my kids accepted to school for the first couple of weeks at all. Since then I’ve been told off for not facilitating them doing their school work as set on google classroom which is why I’m spending the entire weekend trying to facilitate getting the stuff done as it can’t be done in school time. I and there are so sodding stressed I asked my boss if o could temporarily decrease my hours. Went down like a brick as they’ve already agreed to me cutting to Monday to Friday 8:15-4:15 plus on call and doing everything I can’t squish into then remotely.

I’d dearly love not to send my children in to a substandard offer then catch up later or risk being told off by school but I’m being paid to work, so I work.

Ask the school to continue to work from home. Explain your situation and let them know that you can continue working from home. Your boss should really try to help you out

Two of DH’s colleagues couldn’t get their DC’s into their own school but have been attending another local school.

I think you need to think longer term here. Covid 19 is going to with us for at least another 12-18months. Normal life will simply have to resume albeit in a slight different form before then.
You'll just permanently damage your relationship with your boss if you refuse to go back ( in as safe as possible environment) when you do have child care. - even if it's not your or his preference.

Ahem

Oh come on

To comes through the posts loud and clear

Own it

DS is a smart boy and finds school boring at the best of times. He would hate the low bare minimum input of teaching

DS is the reason I don't want to go back. I am trying to put his emotional well being first

They will be stuck in one room all day albeit with some outdoor breaks. It's not going to be fun at all for him.

You are panicking.

You need to work out your priorities.

From what you’ve written, you are the only adult available for your children at the moment.

If you get sick, nobody available to look after your children.

If one of your children gets sick, nobody available to look after them.

However, if you lose this job, presumably you will have no income to support them.

Your and your children’s health is your priority, together with an income stream.

Ask your employer if you can wfh. If not, if you can work a few hours at work and the rest at home. Wear a mask at work. Send your children into school for the few hours you’re at work each day. If none of those are possible, you will need to look to other sources of childcare (school, relatives, friends - better than flouting the rules is not starving or becoming homeless), or another source of income. Talk to your boss in these bald terms. At all times keep in mind that everybody - including your boss - is juggling and struggling with something. Be creative, be collaborative.

Don’t place your DS on a pedestal. He will be fine. Worse than him being bored or struggling temperamentally is him having no roof over his head or food to eat. He’s special to you, but he’s no more or less special than any other child living through this.

Good luck.

I think that would be the best option Roxanne. I will def propose it.

I have no idea what I would do all day long if I can't sit at my desk anyway! Which I can't where it currently is. I know my head is ignoring 2 m. I had my appraisal and two staff sat next to each other to talk to me online.

DS being a clever clogs means he struggles anyway at school with boredom and has a limited circle of friends. Who are not attending. It is simply a fact of his personality. I know my own son. It would cause him anguish.

Your ds's school needs to take him. If they don't give you school both the letters and tell them they refuse and ask if they can help. Your ds being bored is, sadly, irrelevant.

20cm from a colleagues desk is not social distancing ask before you go in what will happen about this. Once you get to the office, if it is not suitable for social distancing, refuse to sit in the room and demand proper social distancing as per the governments advice. Even if this means your equipment needs to be moved to another room or you and your colleagues WFH alternative days. If they wont comply, as you are not in a union, contact the local authority for advice.

I don't think legally you have any recourse.

Excellent summation of my panic there Arose

Now that looks much simpler written down that way

Could you take your ds into work with you? He could sit at the desk with you?

Yeah that'll ease his boredom 😂

Thank you all for posting. Everything has been helpful.

For DS the word boredom isn't quite right. It would crush him, deflate his happiness. I know his eyes would lose their sparkle.

I'm decided to keep him with his sibling at home. It is still a responsible recourse due to Covid. Thanks for those who helped me with that part.

From what I can see you have four options:

1. You contact the local authority to find your son a place and you then send your son to school to be caused anguish by boredom and being unable to spend his afternoons on the computer (not Xbox). In this scenario you go to work and earn money.

1. You continue as you were on either unpaid leave or by route of being unemployed. In this scenario you do not go to work and you do not earn money.

1. You leave your son with your older child. Your son spends a significant amount of time on his computer so I'm guessing he is at least 10 or 11. In this scenario you go to work and earn money.

1. You find and pay for alternative childcare for your son. In this scenario you go to work but probably pay more for childcare than you earn.

Personally one or three sound good to me.

Talking about 'anguish' and him 'losing the sparkle from his eyes' are very, very OTT responses to a child having to go to school without his best friends!

"It would crush him, deflate his happiness. I know his eyes would lose their sparkle."

Are we still saying there isn't an element of PFB here? 🙈

OP what are you going to do about your employer failing to facilitate better safe systems for work? You sound completely passive with regards to challenging it.