Childs bubble has burst

[AvoidingRealHumans]

We've had a message from the school today stating that one of the teachers has tested positive so the whole class has to go into isolation.
I am just so nervous about telling my manager, I've already just had a week off for isolating.
I know they will have to understand but he can be so difficult that I feel nervous, I don't even know what to message him.
I am also stressed about money as because I am not the one needing to isolate it will go down as unpaid leave - my last stint of isolating will probably be ssp and this is the same pay period so god knows how I'll pay my bills next month.
Does anyone know the rules, can my child go to the home of a child in his class while I'm at work seeing as they're isolating too? This is the only way I can see round it where I could earn some money this month.

Any ideas of to the point messages I can send, he will call me as soon as he reads it and I'm dreading it.
Thankss

This situation is absolutely not sustainable and is just going to keep happening over and over! Unless the government want to pay people properly every time they have to stay off, people won’t be able to stay home.

My 6 year olds school bubble burst last week and I can't believe anyone would think it's possible to isolate a young child away from their parent 😂
How on earth are they going to do the mountain of schoolwork for a start without a little direction from the parent and they still need feeding 🤣

@AvoidingRealHumans

What did you decide to do?
How is your DS?

He shouldn't even be in close contact with you let alone anyone else

Errr whatttttt? I’d almost forgive you if you thought this post was about a secondary kid but from the OP you could tell it’s a primary school kid!

No where in any of the advice does it say a young child needs to keep socially distant from their mother, to be honest it doesn’t say that about any family members living within the same house hold!

Comments like this don’t help at all!

I feel for you. I am self employed and when/if my kids have to self isolate for 2 weeks I will make no money in those two weeks. In my case I do have a dh who is earning however. Can the absent father at least help you out financially if you end up taking unpaid leave? It is utterly shit and unsustainable. In your situation I absolutely would try and come to an arrangement with another child/parent if they are willing.

ps obviously you need to take your younger son in the car with you when taking the older child to school. School will totally understand this even if some mnetters do not. Not everyone has another parent just sitting around to look after the other child.

Is this any good?

www.gov.uk/government/news/new-package-to-support-and-enforce-self-isolation

Failing that I would also try to find.some unofficial childcare. I know DD's friends mum's and I would do.it for each other

I know similar in your situation and parents are helping each other out and grandparents because at the end of the day of course you have to keep a roof over your head, food on the table and bills to pay

I was asked the same thing would I stay away from ds when at home during lockdown and working with people with COVID of course I wasn’t it’s just us two and ds often reminded me we shall both have it of one of us catches it (not necessarily true) I wasn’t going to stop mothering

I told my manager what was happening and couldn't apologise enough.
He made out he was fine but I know he was probably a bit peeved and I don't blame him.
I've booked all my annual leave for this year - I have October half term and Xmas booked and I won't have childcare then so can't really swap it for now.
A friend was willing to have my son at hers but the head sent an email saying that if he gets wind that children who are supposed to be isolating, aren't doing so, then he has a duty to report us. I live in a village where people know everything so can't risk that.
My son is fine thank you, no symptoms as of yet and hopefully won't get any, public heath sent us an update saying he last had close contact with her on Tuesday so thats when the isolation starts from (even though he was in school after that) so the plus side is i won't need 2 full weeks off of work.
I don't qualify for any self isolating help unfortunately, as technically I don't need to isolate.
Also the Dad doesn't contribute financially.
I'm sure I will get through it I will just need to tighten my belt this month. I had some money put away for Christmas so will use that on some bill's etc.
Thanks so much for all the support I really appreciate it. It's so shit and no doubt will happen again and again.

It’s unbelievable (not that I don’t believe you) that you can not get help what are you meant to do leave a young child alone as they have to self isolate

What an absolute mess. I’m glad to hear the call wasn’t as bad as you feared. I really sympathise ds is 12 and not ideal but at time’s I have to leave him home alone for longer than I feel comfortable with had no other choice (he is a very sensible child) if he was a year younger things would have been so different

My 8 year olds teacher tested positive and the whole class had to isolate. I got a call at work to collect immediately. He had to isolate for 14 days, but the rest of the family didn't. Only if he developed symptoms did we all have to isolate.
While he was symptom free I took him on the school run as my youngest was still in school. I couldn't just leave him home, we walked the dog and that was it. I didn't make him isolate from the rest of us, if he got it, we all got it! He's back at school tomorrow. My boss was very understanding (he also had to isolate with his kids!) I don't know yet what they are going to do about pay but I had no choice, I also had 5 weeks off at the beginning of this as my kids and partner all had symptoms. I got paid then! Maybe these last 2 weeks will be pushing it!
I will now dread phone calls from the school!

Just to say that we have received communication from the school who has taken advice from the LEA. We are allowed to take Reception children on the school run as long as we adhere to the restrictions that have been laid out in the email.
So I’m calmer now as at least it’s workable.

pleased your employer is understanding. Is totally shit that there is no government support available for people in this situation. Fingers crossed it doesn't happen again, not too soon anyway.