If one dc's class has to isolate are keeping siblings off

[ChocolateCakesForAll]

DS's class has to isolate, however two siblings in different year, same school, can still attend. Wound you still send other children to school?

School reception have said dc who is isolating cannot come with me to pick/drop other children off. Ds is only 5 so looks like I'll have to keep them all off

Isnt it that siblings in different years can still go in as long as the child isolating isn't showing symptoms?

We are having issues with this now. It seems to make sense siblings should stay off. DD was off today due to someone going into her bubble who now has covid. We kept DS off too. And the school rang going ballistic, saying that they will put his absence down as unauthorized and he MUST be back in tomorrow. His year and nursery are the only ones left in the school currently to start with..

Just seen your other post, if there's no one else to say home with him then yes you'll have to keep them all off

I would keep them off.
If all the other bubbles are bursting it's surely spreading by siblings or staff..

I sent DC2 while DC1 has been off self-isolating as part of a 'burst bubble.' Except on days when I was at work, because DH couldn't get her there because he couldn't leave DC1 at home on her own. The school were ok with that. I have no idea how they are recording DC2's absence, but, realistically, there is not a lot we could do about it. DC2 has had 2 or 3 days off each week that DC1 has been off.

We were told by the track and trace team that the whole household were to isolate

But then we are in Scotland and I think nicola sturgeon would like nothing more than for nobody to go out for a year

I intend to keep them all home

Had this issue today, headteacher give me a right telling off about how I am destroying my child’s future, she’s a real joy.
Thought I was doing the right thing all round but clearly not

Seems different for each school, our school were encoring siblings to stay off too

We kept DS off too. And the school rang going ballistic, saying that they will put his absence down as unauthorized and he MUST be back in tomorrow.

Wow - I'd be saying well since I can't leave my isolating child alone legally, I look forward to you turning up to pick up my other tomorrow morning. What do they expect people to do?

What do they expect people to do?

Well seemingly, though DD is meant to be isolating apparently, if it means I cannot bring DS into school, then I can bring DD to school just not to class, ie she can come on the school run with me, as advised by attitudey receptionist this morning

I don’t think the official advice is to keep the sibling off, and that is consistent with what schools round here are doing.

BUT

There is a problem where there is only one adult at home and isolating child can’t be left home alone. In that scenario I think people will need to call in favours from other parents/relatives. Or take the isolating child along but just keep a massive distance and send siblings into school alone for the last bit of the way.

Ask the school.

School receptionist has said dc who is isolating cannot come on the school run to drop other children off, they asked about other parents bringing dc but I thought they wouldn't mix, that's why they have bubbles. It's so confusing

There are enough children isolating that the school should have some set up by now for homeschooling - so if a sibling has to be off then they should have work provided.

Not everyone has childcare on tap - even more so now (would it be sensible when the isolating child has been in contact with coronavirus to ask elderly grandparents to ferry the other one - obviously not), and schools will just have to deal with it. You can't leave an isolating child alone, that's just not ok on about every level. It's also not ok to leave a child in a car alone while the other is dropped. Unless the other child is old enough to walk to school alone then just no. And it's DEFINITELY not ok to have the isolating child getting out of the car while loads of other school children mill about them. What the hell are they thinking? That's NOT what 'isolating' means.

Schools need to get over their obsession with attendance and focus on providing decent homeschool materials in these scenarios. They will crop up ever more often.

Maybe they should also think about supporting any families that can't just find an alternative person to do school runs at the drop of a hat, rather than berating them.

That would piss me off so much @BatShite - absolutely terrible attitude from the school during a pandemic. I am angry on your behalf and I'd complain (you could also tell your local public health team what they told you to do....).

Well, tday I did what I was told to yesterday, and they told me to tell DD to leave school grounds and wait for me at the gates, right next to a main road! Apparently the receptionist was wrong and shes NOT allowed on school premises. However, no way was I sending her off to a road that I cannot see on her own (though tbf, she IS sensible enough to just wait, its not the point really)

When I said no, they took DS in then instead of at his time, and told me to go. Tomorrow, DS is staying off too. Fuck this shit, they can whinge at me as much as they want.

Even if it is pushed as far as possible, surely it would be impossible to find a court willing to convict someone for low attendance at the moment (especially when usual attendance for them is high). Through being bullied and misinformed, telling me to tell DD to take a walk to a main road and wait 10 mins on her own was really the last straw. Shes 7.

If your DC are self isolating, that includes walking to the school gates doesn’t it? They are meant to stay at home, not come on trips out but just avoid school. Your receptionist needs retraining.

Well yes quite obviously.

Either way, in 2 days I have been 'told ff' on the phone by someone almost shouting at me for keeping him off to start with. Then given totally false advice when I actually said surely thats not right and was told 'if you cannot bring him otherwise, then yes, bring her with you', to what happened this morning

So tbh from now, whenever shes apparently meant to isolate, hes doing it too, and vice versa. It makes sense anyway and they can fine me if they like. IF one of them was carrying the virus, the other would be infected, this 'wait for symptoms the isolate others' is a bit silly when it seems pretty well known that many kids (ad many adults actually) show no signs of illness when they do have it. Bugger the lot of it.

I also did try to get her watched, as even though had been given that advice, it sounded wrong. But I couldnt so it was taske her or keep him off, and they got so angry yesterday when I kept him of..

Getting childcare is not easy for me tbh, my parents live 50 miles away, MIL is disabled/elderly and sister lives closer but is working fulltime.

DH is currently in hospital too, or of course it would be easier to do..

Either way though, I seem to be wrong whichever, wo will do the one that makes sense to me, and honestly is easier also. And not answer the phone when she rings to shout at me in the morning.

The child who is isolating should be isolating away from the rest of the household and the rest of the household should continue to go to work and school unless somebody develops Covid symptoms. If the school is within walking distance it should be possible for another child's parent to supervise the walk to and from school from a social distance other than for the very youngest of school children if you are able to ask a friend to walk them to and from school.

@StatisticalSense impossible for a 7 year old to social distance/isolate from rest of the family and family to carry on as normal; work, school etc. I think we need to use our common sense

We have two years off and siblings in other years are still supposed to be in. I've seen parents obviously teaming up for drop off (parent A takes DC A & B) in and parent B does pick up. Technically not allowed in our area NE, tighter restrictions, no mixing of households but I don't see what else people can do.

How to isolate her from everyone? Lock her in her room and take her dinner to her for the next fortnight, and stay out of her way? Sorry, thats cruel, even if some do think its for 'the greater good' or whatever. I wouldn't do that to an adult, nevermind my child.

Have decided, will keep him off tomorrow, and until shes allowed back. We will not go out in the meantime at all so going to do a big shop later on when my mothers here. This seems the most sensible route, and I don't much csre if the receptionist thinks I am wrong or if they threaten me with court.Am 'lucky' enough to be able to do this though, I really feel for those who cannot.