If they put a stop households mixing...

[musicalfrog]

What do those of us relying on grandparents for babysitting do? Could those in already restricted areas shed any light on this perhaps please? Thanks.

@fishywaters

I wonder whether you could set up a childcare contract with grandparents and pay them notional amounts under the mandatory limit for NI per week. Then it is basically paid childcare they are providing. I realise it isn’t ideal but for people on their knees with no other choice... some grandparents are relatively young and healthy and want to see their grandchildren and IMO having to ignore a toddler for months and trying to work isn’t fair on them either. No idea if it is legal but might be worth looking into

This won't work as you have to be a registered childcare provider ( eg Ofsted inspected etc)

@Nixen piss off with your generalising. We are big earners and can afford childcare and I could also afford not to work, I chose not to on both, my parents love minding my children and I love my job. Of course if they dropped dead we would have to do something else eg find a good nursery but how many good nurseries or nannies have last minute vacancies for two days a week?? You are being flippant and ridiculous.

@Nixen

😂 clearly hit a few nerves

Exactly as planned. What are your plans for if your childminder drops dead or equivalent?

@Nixen

😂 clearly hit a few nerves

No you just sound a bit dim

What a load of shit about not relying on family childcare. Thinking of my own family my mam looks after my sisters children 1 day a week. This was arranged while she was pregnant with her first. So family childcare is often part of the plan.

One option is the Belgian system where a household can list 5 people in their bubble and those names can't change. But this does mean you only have 3 people left if you add your grandparents.

Yes , only those earning a certain amount can have children. That sounds like a a solution in a civilised society.

All over the world families help look after children/ grandchildren/ nieces/ nephews. Families are important, worldwide pandemic aside its generally a great solution all round.

@Nixen What's your plan for if all nurseries flood? Or all childminders die?

Oh wait you haven't got one. twat

@nixen in my experience, and for all the other parents I know, the grandparents/family/friends help because they want to, no one is forcing them. We have back up plans in place and plan for emergencies yes - but apologies for not having a plan in place when a pandemic hits and turns life upside for 6 months.... and counting.

Like others have said we will continue to have grandparents help us regardless of what the rules or law says about it. I am still in complete disbelief that legislation in this democratic country makes it illegal for me to meet my loved ones in groups larger than 6.

What would your plan be if the grandparents became unwell or died? People have to have a back up plan, even in normal times you can't 'rely' on grandparents or any relative for childcare. Unfortunately though, the back up plan is probably also ruled out by Covid, so sorry I have no idea but I sympathise. Is the 'care of a vulnerable person' exception any help?

I'll be completely honest, I'm still using my mum. He goes to nursery 3 days per week and she cares for him 2 days. We couldn't afford full time nursery. There's very little else we can do. Unless they want to introduce free childcare (where kids are then mixing with far more than 1 household as they would be with grandparents), then I think most are going to stick to their current arrangements but keep quiet about it.

What would your plan be if the grandparents became unwell or died? People have to have a back up plan, even in normal times you can't 'rely' on grandparents or any relative for childcare.

You could say this about a nursery being burnt down or a childminder becoming ill. Not unique to family childcare.

The most up to date guidance for England (dates 14 Sept) does in fact allow grandparents and other relatives to care for babies/young children without social distancing:

“ 2.7 Can I look after my grandchildren?
Yes. People in groups of up to 6 can meet indoors or outdoors, which enables you to spend time with your grandchildren (although whole families may not be able to meet up at once). We recognise that grandparents and other relatives often provide informal childcare for young children, and this can be very important. Although you should try to maintain social distance from people you do not live with wherever possible, it may not always be practicable to do so when providing care to a young child or infant. If this is this case - and where young children may struggle to keep social distance – you should still limit close contact as much as possible, and take other precautions such as washing hands and clothes regularly.

If you have formed a support bubble with your grandchildren’s household, which is allowed if either you or they live in a ‘single adult household’, then there can be close contact and social distancing is not necessary.”

see here

I would imagine this doesn’t apply in local lockdown areas like the north east though.

@Nixen you sound unhinged. You've obvs got some kind of political point to prove. But perhaps you should pick your examples better as this just sounds fucking nonsensical.
Things are hard enough right now without you having a go at people who use a perfectly standard option of family childcare.

clearly hit a few nerves

Given that quite a lot of us are in local lockdown and having to make some fucking agonising decisions with potentially far reaching implications - I’d say it was perfectly understandable that people have reacted as they have to posts so goady, smug and lacking in empathy.

It's really difficult.

But as has been pointed out, do you really want DCs mixing with (often not always) 60+ grandparents who may or may not have health conditions?

The risk for the over 60s is so much higher and you'd be devastated if your children passed this on and their GDP were ill or worse

Absolutely Herc it could apply to any arrangement. After this year I expect we will all regard nothing as impossible in terms of sudden impossibilities and cancellations!

The alternative is no restriction then the world and his wife are kicking off about nothing been done about covid .

*DGP even

@Inkpaperstars

What would your plan be if the grandparents became unwell or died? People have to have a back up plan, even in normal times you can't 'rely' on grandparents or any relative for childcare. Unfortunately though, the back up plan is probably also ruled out by Covid, so sorry I have no idea but I sympathise. Is the 'care of a vulnerable person' exception any help?

If my parents both became unwell or died at the same time we would use the school after school club which currently isn’t open, because Covid, or cobble together childcare from other family members and friends while we waited for a place to become available in the one nursery in the village that offers school drop offs and pick up.

@Wigeon this is U.K. wide not local lockdown areas. The rumours are that it’s all going to go the way of local lockdowns eg banning social contact in homes and gardens

My partner works away during the week and so does another parent from schools partner, we have had an arrangement where I look after hers one day after school when she's working and she looks after mine one day when I'm working (same bubble for DC)

I have recent DBS, first aid and childcare qual, should I register as a childminder to allow this to continue from my end or would that not be acceptable? My understanding is that you need to register even if it's 'payment in kind'

No availability at after school clubs

Simple answer is make an exception. Mother has DS once a week and I dont have enough leave to book every Monday off. Nor can I afford an extra £65 a week to send them to nursery for an extra day.

Mother happy to keep the agreement even in full lockdown and so am I.

@Nixen

This is a massive lesson in why people shouldn’t be relying on family to provide their routine childcare!

What? On the off chance there'll be a global pandemic where the government deems it safer to put toddlers in nurseries in a bubble of 14 other children, plus 7 nursery nurses, as opposed to mixing with one other household by going to their grandparents?