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Original poster

Will there be Keyworker care?

201 replies

Amonite · 15/09/2020 19:13

If a school bubble or bubbles close is there still keyworker care as there was in the summer term?
Our children went to school throughout as we both have frontline keyworker roles. We are in a local lockdown area, if the children are sent home for 2 weeks surely keyworker children are exempt and can still attend?
We have no childcare options

OP posts:
SmileEachDay · 15/09/2020 19:18

I wouldn’t have thought so - the bubble being sent home is on the basis that one of them may have covid, so they cannot be on site.

We aren’t offering KW provision for a bubble at our secondary school.
I don’t know how you would maintain the protection offered by sending bubbles home if you allowed some back on site.

BKCRMP · 15/09/2020 19:18

If it's isolation due to a confirmed case in the bubble then no there won't be exemptions.

ohthegoats · 15/09/2020 19:18

You want teachers to look after your children if they are ill?

Kaktus · 15/09/2020 19:19

No, as the bubble will be isolating due to contact with a confirmed case.
If your child had had contact with a confirmed case when only key worker places were available, they wouldn’t have been able to attend school.

SmileEachDay · 15/09/2020 19:19

*a bubble closed.

ohthegoats · 15/09/2020 19:20

"Hey, teacher - I've got a child who might be contagious with a disease that will probably affect you more than him/her, can you babysit them for 6 hours a day for the next 2 week please?" said no manager ever.

Kaktus · 15/09/2020 19:20

It’s the same issue for non keyworker parents too. They still have to go to work, even if their child’s bubble closes.

starrynight19 · 15/09/2020 19:21

What would be the point of closing a bubble if they then made exceptions to key worker children as they could potentially have the virus.
And also a bit off expecting teaching staff to care for them.

Original poster
Amonite · 15/09/2020 19:21

Not if mine are ill no, but if they are symptom free I wondered if there would be a way to isolate at school as they are already exposed.
Two weeks off when healthy is not possible for us.

OP posts:
starrynight19 · 15/09/2020 19:22

It’s exactly the same for any working family no ?

PotteringAlong · 15/09/2020 19:23

No, they can’t isolate at school Hmm

TheFallenMadonna · 15/09/2020 19:23

If it is quarantining, they will need to stay home for 14 days. Like you would be expected to do if you were on close contact with a confirmed case. If it is a rota in a local lockdown area, with no confirmed cases, then possibly yes. I work in an AP school with vulnerable children and we have been told that we would open as normal even in the event if other schools going to a rota.

Shieldingending · 15/09/2020 19:23

Teacher here, no if the bubble closes due to a case there will be no key worker provision. The staff in the bubble will be isolating too ...

TheFallenMadonna · 15/09/2020 19:24

Oh, cross post. No, they can't isolate at school.

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 15/09/2020 19:24

@BKCRMP

If it's isolation due to a confirmed case in the bubble then no there won't be exemptions.
Nor should there be. Parents not childcare or teachers should be looking after isolating children
Kaktus · 15/09/2020 19:24

It’s not possible for many working families. Sadly it has to be possible.

Didiusfalco · 15/09/2020 19:25

Well, you are still allowed carers leave although it might be unpaid. This is all very difficult, but there is no way they can start making exceptions for various children within the bubble. Unlike in lockdown this will affect individuals rather than whole professions so the need to make provision just Isn’t there at the moment.

DamitJanet · 15/09/2020 19:27

Two weeks off when healthy is sadly going to be the reality for a lot of families over the coming months.

hopsalong · 15/09/2020 19:28

I agree that this is a problem, especially for front-line NHS staff. Earlier in the pandemic everyone knew that these children would be heavily exposed via their parents, and yet they were still going to school. Of course it was much easier then because they were all in a single bubble together (a high exposure bubble).

Maybe hospitals will be able to provide some kind of childcare for parents in this position? But it's not going to work well as we get into the winter flu season if half the consultants and nursing staff are off work, not looking after the illest covid (and other) patients, so they can look after children who, very probably, don't have it anyway.

SmileEachDay · 15/09/2020 19:28

Not if mine are ill no, but if they are symptom free
That doesn’t mean they do not have covid.

I wondered if there would be a way to isolate at school as they are already exposed

Who were you wondering would look after them? And where?

Donelurking · 15/09/2020 19:29

Yes.

ohthegoats · 15/09/2020 19:38

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Barbie222 · 15/09/2020 19:45

No, the bubble would need to isolate away from school. Good to think about this going forward, I believe unpaid parental leave is the way we go in my line of work (teacher, key worker) so I'm saving like mad now to prepare for this.

littleducks · 15/09/2020 19:53

Im a nhs keyworker with child sent home to self isolate

He did three days in school Hmm. He is secondary so can look after himself while I go in as he actually did in lockdown and I can run video clinics from home some days but he had to stay in house. If my younger one is sent home it will be leave for me and a problems at work.

One two week absence will be doable but multiple could be a real disaster.

NoSleepInTheHeat · 15/09/2020 19:53

Of course not!

Two weeks off when healthy is not possible for us I don’t disagree TBH, but what makes you think that it is more possible for non keyworkers? We are all in the same boat unfortunately.