What will happen in the summer holidays?

[womanvsfood]

I'm starting to stress about what's going to happen in the summer holidays re childcare.

I'm NHS and although can technically work from home, it's impossible to do it while the children are around. Also wfh is not really encouraged and there's definitely an expectation that our team are in the office.

Normally in the summer holidays we use a combination of A/L, holiday clubs and grandparents. I'm not aware of any holiday club provision that's going to be available and all grandparents are in the shielded or vulnerable categories so even if restrictions ease to allow this we would not be able to take advantage of it. We don't have enough annual leave between us to cover the seven weeks, even if we take none at the same time (the thought of which depresses me deeply), plus my work will take a dim view of me being off for large blocks of time anyway.

Does anyone know anything I don't re holiday club provision, or have any bright ideas about what they're going to do? It really feels like this is a nightmare waiting to happen for key worker organisations and although I've been trying to warn the powers that be at work, nobody seems to be listening.

I would think schools or your NHS Trust will have some provision for the children of keyworker parents.

Otherwise do you know any 6th formers/Year 11s/University Students? They will be at more of a loose end this summer - with fewer other jobs and activities to fill their time. If they have some babysitting experience, perhaps you could look to have them 'nanny' in your own home. DBS check needed of course, and if your children aren't babies/preschoolers.

Also I forgot to say, we have a local 'nursery' but it caters for children up to age 12.

They go to the beach, park & soft play (when open)

My DD age 7, goes there in the school holidays, its £25 for 08.00-18.00 including lunch & dessert.

Obviously my DD is used to going there (& the other two sites, I let DD pick which day she wants where)

They are open to all keyworkers, it might be worth ringing round & if you had to use them, you could do a few hours of settling in sessions now.

Do you have any siblings/close friends with children you can share child care with? Take different weeks off and each have each others dc whilst the other works? Me and my dsil do this

Baraccudas camps are taking bookings for the summer.

Our primary schools are open with all staff working their normal hours in school now so we won’t be offering childcare over the summer.

At the moment we have no plans to stay open over the summer holidays. The LEA has no plans for this either and as a maintained school we follow their advice.

We did stay open over Easter and bank holiday, but closed for May half term to give the support and admin staff their holidays, following the LEA advice.

Some childcare options will be open over the summer I assume - nurseries and childminders often offer school holiday cover. I know some holiday clubs are looking at their plans for this coming summer and are hoping they might be able to start offering places too.

I guess that ought to be one of the next things the Government should be doing - looking at summer holiday clubs which normally run when schools are closed.

FYI the unpaid parental leave - it’s a great suggestion to help working patents (noted why this doesn’t suit OP) but also, you have to be employed for at least a year by your current employer to be entitled. I was hoping to use this option over summer (not KW) but I only changed jobs at start of this year so can’t take it up 😨

I’m worried about this too. Primary child and I’m a single mum keyworker. I relied on grandparents. The school closed for the last holidays.

As a teacher who volunteered Easter and half-term, that’s it for me. No intention of volunteering over the summer. I’ve worked 3 weeks unpaid with no hope of getting that time back, so I feel I’ve done my bit. Many of us will be feeling the same.

My brother also asked me to have his kids and I’ve said nope! I can’t wait for my first break since Feb half term!

Our nursery (where our reception aged DS went for wraparound care some days) had just told me they expect to be able to run summer club, even though they can't do wraparound care - I assume this is because they can make a "bubble" of the holiday club children in a way that would be impossible for children needing wraparound care who will be in lots of different "bubbles" all day.

I'm pretty sure our schools after school club has started running now schools are reopening? They also run the holiday clubs so I had assumed that meant they could run something this summer? Obviously numbers will be limited though

id look into a nanny or mothers help. you could also use a chilminder.

I'm pretty sure our schools after school club has started running now schools are reopening?

Very few schools round here are doing this. There is only one that I know of that is having limited wraparound care but only for KW children who are in every day and they are in a separate bubble to the other year groups.

In the summer holidays I will escape the tyranny of preparing bloody video lessons. I will go on holiday, even if it's just to my back garden. I will see some relatives. I will read books. I will listen to audio books. I'll decorate my landing.

About sums it up.

*I'm pretty sure our schools after school club has started running now schools are reopening?
**
*Very few schools round here are doing this. There is only one that I know of that is having limited wraparound care but only for KW children who are in every day and they are in a separate bubble to the other year groups.

Yes, our school has also stopped all breakfast and after school club from this week so that's another work-related headache! It's part of the issue re summer hols that I'm going to have to use up a fair amount of goodwill/capital over the next couple of months just to manage 8.30am drop offs and 3pm pick ups everyday (shared with DH, obviously). By the time we get to the end of July I suspect any sympathy or indulgence could be limited!

@Letseatgrandma , yes I think that might be what's happening at our school - Key children only

I'm in exactly the same boat OP, and I won't be risking exposure for my mum as she is v v high risk.

I'm crossing my fingers that some of the big chain holiday clubs will open up for key worker kids at least.

I know this will sound v v v selfish, but as amazing as it would be for the schools to offer childcare, I feel my DC need a bit of a break from 'school' as the teachers also do, so would be fantastic if the big chain holiday clubs could open. One or two have said they r trying for this so fingers crossed.

I have provisionally booked a place for my daughter in holiday club - I know at least one other is taking provisional bookings.

Childminder is also taking bookings - my daughter is actually attending some school days until the end of term as her year isn't going back.

I imagine by then at the hell for leather rate Boris is working at, despite warnings. Everything will be back to normal, so holiday clubs, childminders are already back.

Considering that school staff have been working since February half term, then I do not see people getting the childcare over the summer. Not when all staff are in schools now and home teaching too. Also many LEA's encouraged schools to close over the last half term to give staff a break, because they knew doing two teaching jobs over an eight week term will probably burn a few people out .

There is something on the front page of the 'i' newspaper today about possible holiday camps over the summer in schools- not teachers running it but other staff.

The government thinking of it possibly for poorer children (it says) but unsure of the details. Something about a mention in one of the briefings soon.

Yes that is what will happen. It's been discussed for a long time.

But also to provide childcare to KW as many of the usual holiday clubs and grandparents will not be able to be used.

I just don't understand how the holiday camps in schools thing can actually work without putting yet more pressure on headteachers. Who will organise these clubs if not school leaders?

All school leaders have been working under extreme pressure since March.

@womanvsfood your children are able entertain themselves at that age. Mine are 8 and 11 and can only just do this. You need to a) contact the school and ask them and /or b) ask to be furloughed.

There are holiday clubs open where I live but with reduced numbers worth a ring around.

Our holiday club is organised and run by a TA. The other staff members are a mixture of TAs and support staff. Unfortunately they wouldn't be able to run it during the summer, as they are already in bubbles.

Even those outside agencies will struggle as many of their venues are schools / community spaces, which are either closed or limiting those who have access to the building.

I think it's going to have to be a mixture of parental leave, annual leave or family members / friends.