Confused about self isolation rules

[ladymary86]

My DC have been with my ExH and his partner for the last 5 days.
They came home to me this evening.
I've had a text from ExH to tell me that his partner (who lives with him) has tested positive for covid today.
Obviously the kids need to self isolate but I have no idea what to do about my partner and I?!
We've not been direct contacts of his partner but the kids are here now and sending them back isn't even an option in my opinion! But will my employer accept that I need to isolate with them?!

Its just the kids that need to isolate, not you or your partner

You only need to isolate if they get symptoms and test positive

You don't need to isolate, no, but the children do.

If they're young and you can't leave them, can you take annual leave? If not it's dependants leave which, with my employer, is unpaid

I'm a teacher... we don't get annual leave. I'm also pregnant

Did she get a test because she had one of the main 3 symptoms? If so, they should all have been isolating whilst awaiting the results.

Can your partner take time off to be with them?

@ladymary86 I work in a school too and it's unpaid for us - it sucks

You do need to isolate. www.gov.uk/guidance/making-a-support-bubble-with-another-household#if-youre-clinically-extremely-vulnerable states 'If you share custody of your child, and you and your child’s other parent are in separate bubbles, members of both bubbles should stay at home if someone develops symptoms.'

I don't think they are in a support bubble as neither of them are single adult households.

They just share custody of children and the adults aren't mixing

@StatisticalSense I don't think the children are showing symptoms though, are they? They've been identified as close contacts so need to isolate. Op doesn't need to isolate herself unless the dc's develop symptoms themselves.

Although the kids should have stayed isolating with your ex if they were awaiting a test result.

It doesn't matter if the children are showing symptoms. If a member of either support bubble (or household) that they are apart of develops symptoms all members of both support bubbles (households) must isolate.

They arent in a support bubble though if the adults aren't mixing as if they live together

@dementedpixie
Please use a little bit of common sense. It quite clearly states that in the case of children living between 2 homes that if anyone in either support bubble develops symptoms all members of both bubbles must isolate. Quite clearly the advice whether or not the parent that isn't in the same household as the person with symptoms needs to isolate will not depend on whether that parent is also in a support bubble with another household.

@StatisticalSense thank you for this... that's really helpful

I'm a teacher and colleagues who have had to stay at home with isolating children have been paid. It's because if they don't pay you then you aren't working from home setting cover work and there's just no way anyone can fit in setting cover work for others at the moment!