Is it true that Scottish students are not allowed to go home for weekends etc as it counts as mixing households?

[Treesofwood]

Before we even move on to MHs dastardly plan to keep them all in halls over Christmas.
I know there is the option to detain people under the Coronavirus act if they are believed to be infectious, but these students are mostly not.
What would happen if an ill studeng tried to return home to parents? Fines? Or seen as reasonable and overlooked?

and now people have decided they are all somehow single handedly responsible for the mess the country is in

Absolutely

Dd has severe mh issues and registered disabled. Her carer is her father essentially (he lives near by) no way can she survive in halls without support unless the government is planning on actually paying her disabled students award this year for a support worker!

I mean... that would tend to massively spread the virus yes. I haven't seen my parents since Christmas (they live 300 miles away).

@Bumble84

Why would a student want to run the risk of taking it home to their parents I think that’s the real question?

One who's struggling mentally being locked up in their room. What type of parent would tell their child to stay like that? I wouldn't care if it was Black Plague, if my kid is struggling mentally and wants to come home then there's no way I'll be stopped from it.

So far the cases I've heard about have been linked to parties. Students have been interviewed saying that they were at parties and didn't think it was an issue. I'm not blaming them for all the current cases - but to not recognise that many have met against the guidelines is equally wrong.

@covidnickname

I went home every weekend - but I had serious MH issues .

I’m assuming most students in that position now - eg carers, disabilities - will just drop out .

DFriend has son with T1DB that frequently requires hospital/ambulance etc, she’s said she’d refuse him to go altogether - can’t take the risk of him ending up seriously ill and not being allowed any family help .

In that case they'd be allowed- social visits are restricted, not caring visits.

In Scotland at age 16/17 young people are deemed to be adults not children

I cant see anything that says that people of 16 and 17 are adults in scotland

As far as i can see its 18 across the uk, but obviously i could have missed something as ive only had a quick google

@movingonup20

Dd has severe mh issues and registered disabled. Her carer is her father essentially (he lives near by) no way can she survive in halls without support unless the government is planning on actually paying her disabled students award this year for a support worker!

Caring is explicitly allowed.

I’m sure 16 year olds can vote in Scottish elections, get married. So treated as adults in some ways and not others.

@RufustheSniggeringReindeer

In Scotland at age 16/17 young people are deemed to be adults not children

I cant see anything that says that people of 16 and 17 are adults in scotland

As far as i can see its 18 across the uk, but obviously i could have missed something as ive only had a quick google

See this link fra.europa.eu/en/publication/2017/mapping-minimum-age-requirements/age-majority. It has always been thus. I was a social worker before I retired and we only worked with children in my team which was up to age 16.

I absolutely agree. My 20yo struggles with her mental health and if she feels she needs to come home for support she’s coming. End of story. I’ll pay any fine and if the government try any heavier enforcement in cases like that the media fall out will be horrendous.

We have all followed the guidance to the utmost of our ability until now but I will not put my families health at risk.

There is a huge difference between freshers in halls who are really struggling to social distance, and later year students.
My DD is in her 4th year, shares a flat with one other girl. Neither of them have any on campus teaching until at least January and probably beyond into next year. They will not set foot on campus at all, they can only meet friends from one other flat at a time in a pub or cafe, not in another home due to the Scottish rules.
Their risk is going to be significantly less than that of the freshers in halls. Having said that, she is probably better quipped mentally to cope with not coming home, having already established a wide friendship circle.

Scotland is only the tip of the iceberg as Scottish students went back a couple of weeks ago. Just wait until the English unis start back over the next few weeks.

I can’t begin to imagine not having her home for Christmas, I’ve already missed seeing her on her 21st birthday due to covid.

@Batshitbeautycosmeticsltd yes if your child is Extremely struggling then I can see the merit. However this is not representative of the entire university population. My general point was more directed that students shouldn’t take it as red that they should travel home at weekends and should consider the risk to their extended families. Especially if they have been socialising with others.

If students who are more or less stuck in their rooms all the time with only flat mates for company (if they are lucky) it will be incredibly depressing for them not to be able to have a break from this at the end of term and the risk to mental health than risk of spreading coronavirus. They won’t even have online learning to occupy them as their lecturers will all be off having Christmas with their families. Could also lead to a massive drop out rate. I wonder this will also apply to boarding school pupils?

I don't really understand why they wouldn't follow the same rules as everyone else? They've moved out now and may be living with 6 people or more. Imagine the mixing if they all went home. They have chosen to move out and go to uni and with that means following the laws on not mixing with other households. Is it sad? Yes. But it is the same for everyone. I bet most students aren't as bothered as parents. I only went home once during my first term of uni and that was only due to pressure from my parents who missed me 🤣

@NameChange9824

Some of those students will be 16 years old, many will be 17. That seems young to me to be told "no contact with your family".

No they won’t. 16 and 17 year olds will be doing Highers (A levels elsewhere) University students will not be younger than 18.

@cardibach Some first years in Scotland will be 17. My niece has just started and she's not turning 18 until November.

In my mind, it will be mixing households. However, DD is already struggling with lack of contact (even though she's in a flat with four other students she thrives on friends). Many are being very careful in her uni city and she's finding it hard not to see others. We just discussed students not being able to return for xmas - if she can stick it out that long (mentally not sure she can) and I've suggested she comes home 3/4 weeks early. The only thing that restricts her from keeping away from us at home is the shower so she can isolate at home at a distance (ie 2m+ for a talk and regularly cleaning). Whether xmas or before then, I think she'll need to come home for her mental health. I work in a school with close contact to 200 children and no protection, I'm probably the greater risk. This comes from someone who takes dettol wipes out and cleans tables, glasses etc and doesn't have social contact indoors.

No they won’t. 16 and 17 year olds will be doing Highers (A levels elsewhere)
University students will not be younger than 18.

Yes, they will be 17 if they entered P1 at the age of 4. Like my daughter. They finish S6 at 17 and enter uni and turn 18 between the start of the term or semester and January.

I went to university at 17, met a few other 17 year olds in first year as well.

@Yetiyoga
I can only assume you either didn't go to uni or was very lucky in terms of your flatmates in halls.
For many the time in halls is essentially spent living alone with a shared kitchen that is to be avoided as much as possible or timed to avoid contact with flat mates that they don't get along with. For this reason students in halls need to be treated the same as those in single adult households and be permitted to visit their families as part of an extended household (and should have been the first situation included when extended households were devised).

Thank you very much for that apollo

I’m finding it very interesting so one more question if i may

My understanding is that legal capacity is different from Legally adult Stuff (incredibly badly phrased i know)

So a 17 year old scottish child can’t drink alcohol until 18, i assume thats the same for cigarettes

Is that right?

Obviously do feel free not to answer 😀 I’m sure youve got much more important things to do

Loads of Scottish students are 17 when they start.

I went to uni when I’d just turned 17 too. And my best friend was 16. It’s more Unis ly nowadays but it still happens.

*unusual