If schools aren’t back to normal sept?

[gingajewel]

If schools aren’t back to normal September and you are back to work what are you planning to do? Also do you think the key worker provision will stay for September or do you think it will only available to the summer holidays?

I’m a single parent and my daughter is with me 24/7 she is 8 and has autism so mentally she is younger. Home schooling has stopped, I have gone on sick from work as they would not furlough me and would not let me take unpaid leave. Until we can mix households or she can return to school I have no childcare. I worked for the first 5 week and it was such a struggle mainly working when she was in bed which meant late nights and I couldn’t really do my job (I work with vulnerable familys) If I called them in the day she was having meltdowns in the background. I feel like I’ve been totally let down. I’ll have to choose whether to send her to my parents or quit my job eventually I guess? No idea but it’s affecting my mental health now not working and it constantly being me and her we kinda need a break from each over and some routine.
Also school rang today and I had to admit she has done nothing. Feeling like a failure.

@Bump is your dd not eligible to attend school ?

@Uhoh2020 nope they haven’t let anyone back yet just keyworker children all schools here are on completely different schedules! I’m hoping she will be prioritised for September though.

Carry on home schooling, but it's a daily battle getting just two hours' work out of them a day 🙈

In September DD will be in yr6 and so need to be in her proper class not keyworker group. If now keyworkers are still only part-time I will have to give up work no other options

There is no reason to think you would have to choose between a Year group place and a Key Worker place.

There is also no reason to think Key Worker groups will suddenly become part time-what makes you think that?

I am a dentist working part time. I’ve been off since March and not going back until September. I will have to send him in as a key worker child from September as Dentistry will be getting back to a new normal by then.
There will be no wrap around so DH will have to do drop off and pick up 2 days and I will work a shorter day the other to do pick up. DH can drop off.
DS school is private with small classes so hoping they find it easier to open fully.

I doubt there will be proper classes in September. They cannot start until all schools are almost fully open.

We hear all the time about how inadequate the toilets are for staff, students and visitors. They haven't been transformed into something better. They are still the same ones. Those small corridors, the staircases.

Schools wont be open during the summer holidays, they shouldn't have been open during the previous holidays.

THere's around 7 weeks until they break up. Some still haven't opened because of various issues due to the guidelines. It's another two weeks before another year group will be allowed in. That is of course if a miracle happens and unlike schools abroad, they don't have to close because several have some how managed to get the virus.

They wont all be fully back before the holidays never mind September and all we know really is the year 6's will be in school. The year 11's will be in school. What about the year 10's?

Many schools have several forms per year and will need around 4 rooms for all students to attend.

And until they all attend there won't be any education unless schools are forced to by parents.

Luckily as a senior manager of a global company I can send a more positive message, which is that we are increasing working from home right across the workforce and embracing even more the idea that happy people equal productivity.

Hence we will be enhancing flexible working and travelling in the opposite direction to Frank's. I hope the vast majority of companies will follow... I certainly know of a number who will.

@Letseatgrandma

The choice now is between a keyworker place (in four days but no teaching) or a year group place (day and a half but teaching) and I don’t see why that wouldn’t be the case in September- they can’t be in i the bubbles

In our school keyworker provison was 8.30-3.30 (normally school 7.30-6) five days a week but now they have extra kids back keyworker provison is only 4 days a week so they can deep clean between bubbles

So yes I can totally see part time provison and having to choose as a thing

Of course If school feel they can teach the keyworker bubble then that would solve most of our problems - but I can see that’s near impossible due to the massive age range and lack of teachers - it’s TA led at the mo. Downer solve issues for non keyworker children though

I will have to take up the key worker provision which thus far we havent.

I work very minimal house ( 9 a week) and I imagine until schools are back properly I won't be back, however if I do go back to work first then DS will stay at home with DH who has flexibility to WFH

Luckily as a senior manager of a global company I can send a more positive message, which is that we are increasing working from home right across the workforce and embracing even more the idea that happy people equal productivity.

I'm in the same position. But flexibility and working from home only gets you so far if you have young children. If you are a single parent or someone with a partner working outside the home, all the flexibility in the world doesn't get you around having to look after a toddler and homeschool a reception child and what the hell to do when a client call comes in. Or even with 2 people WFH, they cant continue doing shifts of full days and childcare and housework forever, people are burning out.

For example, I have one team member who is smart and hard working, but has her busy 3 year old with her all day, on every call and is getting far less done than usual or than others. I totally empathise and the wider company is being very flexible for now, but we are going to have to make cuts in August and if nurseries aren't opening by September and her productivity doesn't massively increase I don't see how it would be fair to keep her on when others are working at full pace.

I think a lot of companies will be seeing childcare resignations as a way to avoid compulsory redundancies.

DH is a director at a large company. They are about to announce that from September 1st, all employees will be expected back at their desks. No working from home will be permitted without a medical note.

So it seems to me that many companies are seeing that WFH is not working for them and are giving notice that it will be coming to a stop.

DH is expecting a wave of resignations at the end of July. He's hoping it will avoid thousands of compulsory redundancies that will have to be made due to reduction in demand.

@FrenchSeal if you and your DH’s companies are expecting everyone back at their desks how will that work with social distancing, and if you think social distancing won’t be an issue in September (I think that’s unlikely) it won’t be a problem for schools so won’t have the childcare resignations you’re hoping for. Similarly how do you ask staff to travel in on public transport when the government are surging people not to?

I'm so glad my husband and I work for a company that has the best interests of their staff at heart. They've been amazing. They've sent any equipment needed to the house, told people they don't want them using public transport so they won't be expecting them back for the foreseeable and even sent food parcels at the start to lift morale.

@mangocoveredlamb

Both DH's offices and mine have more space than is necessary for the number of staff, so social distancing will not be an issue.

In DH's case, this is because his company has been through a number of redundancy exercises over the last 15 years and in mine, it's because we've earmarked space for planned recruitment (which now won't be happening).

They also send a wellness survey every week to make sure people are happy at home etc and will adjust things for those people who are struggling in a home environment.

Companies are basically fighting for survival. If they need staff physically in the place if work and staff are struggling with childcare then people will lose their jobs.

Not all jobs can be done at home and not all homes are best suited for home working. It has been fine for some as a stop gap in this current crisis but longer term not maybe workable for some staff as well as employers.

I can't do my job full time from home. A few hours or a day here and there but not permanently. If I can't get to work, then I can understand why that would be a major issue to my employer - they need someone who can be in the office for most of the time. And given we are under the threat of redundancy I will be making every effort to be at work.

My employers are flexible and get childcare issues, however they also need everyone who is working to be at their job bringing in money otherwise the firm won't survive.

I do think it will be mostly woman
Who take the hit here, but that's not the employers fault - it's going to be up to each family to decide what's best in their circumstances

penny slow response to your question - yes it’s a problem how to manage the school drop-pick

We have been told DD1 goes back on Wed but we still have no idea what time

As both me and DH are wfh the plan is that we do drop and pick, and depending on how long the day ends up being she just stays at home or take her around to the childminder

But I just wish the school would actually give a heads up on what time she will go. I imagine it is logistically challenging yet our work calendars as you can imagine are already rammed and I can move internal meetings but client stuff is more tricky

This is the first week in 10 weeks I have felt productive at work vs skimming the surface and fire-fighting

Productivity will be a big issue. It will create problems between those back in the office and those WFH.

I can see some companies saying 'sorry Ms WFH but your productivity has fallen' so we need to discuss redundancy/pay cut/reduced hours/demotion.

The longer people are at home the more out of the loop they will be with the rest of the office. It doesn't matter how many Teams/Zoom/Google calls you have the fact is that you will miss out on those out-of-meeting comments and discussions.

@Rosehip10 you should hang your head in shame for that comment. You obviously have no idea who hard it is to run a business in a typical year, let alone during this catastrophe. My DH has his own business and he’s exactly the same as @FrenchSeal. He’s done what he can, including spending £30k in new equipment so job sharers doht have to share, PPE, even extra toilets for the office - but at some point the business has to be prioritised. He and other staff are working 14 Hour days to cover those who can’t work due to childcare. It can’t go on.

This is probably outing me ....
Most of my company are working from home . Everyone who can do this has been advised to do so until next Jan at least .
There are some who must attend work as that’s the only way their job can be done .

Our director has fitted out 3 large rooms ( out of his own pocket ) they are suitable for children to use if their parents require to bring them to work due to lack of childcare .

There is a few games consoles , TVs , desks with crafts and drawing things etc and a little bookcase with a range of books for all ages ...
Mini fridge with chilled water and orange juice and fruit and snacks .

Workers have been told not to worry if they need to bring children in ..
kids need to be over 5 though just for safety ..
The reception staff keep a wee eye on them ... no issues at all .. kids are apparently loving it

If working from home isn't working for you (as a business, not individually), it is for one of three reasons

1. your management and company culture are shit and backwards
2. your employees and shit and unreliable, in which case why did you hire them in the first place
3. childcare issues, which everyone has right now

Assuming childcare opens again, there is literally no reason why office workers cannot work from home. None.

Only stubbornness and a refusal to step into the 21st century. If your company cannot adapt to remote working it is simply not fit for purpose and that is a hill I will die on.

Exeter my company produces TV.
How the bloody hell do you expect us to do that from home?