So how the F are we meant to work?

[Littlewhitedove2]

3 primary age kids. One parent left who won’t leave their house except the shops much less come anywhere near me or the kids. Inlaws in a similar position.
Primary school closed. It won’t be 2 weeks - it will be far longer than that.
Husband full time work.
I work part time as much as I can around school but not critical worker.
How do women work now?

Can you afford to pay a student aged young person to look after the kids, many find themselves unable to work in their normal pt jobs and their courses are online so flexible timing. 3 hours per day perhaps then the electronic babysitter can take over

*I completely disagree. There is no way a toddler of that age would have been left unattended for 2 hours had the mother not been trying to do a work conference call. If it wasn't this accident, it would have been another one. Leaving young children unattended for long periods is an accident waiting to happen...in this case, it happened.

Trying to wfh with children of that age is negligence (in this case, state-sponsored). The government has done a good job of convincing parents that the circumstances somehow make child neglect ok. They really don't. Parents who are trying to wfh need childcare.*

Absolutely. I have no doubt that child deaths and accidents in the home will increase when children are at home with parents distracted.

I had a near miss with my young child. I was on a meeting that went on for a lot longer than it was supposed to. There's only so long that you can safely leave a small person unsupervised.

Employers simply don't care. They expect you to perform, be available, be professional, complete the tasks at the time they say, very often even to be in two places at once.

@christinarossetti19. I do agree with you on smaller childcare hubs, though.

In terms of what parents can do, since it doesn't look as if any help from the government is going to be forthcoming:

• Outsource if you can afford it and try to get a babysitter in.
• Unpaid leave if there's no other option. Again, this depends on being able to afford it.
• Try to form a childcare bubble/do a childcare swap with a parent in a similar position to lessen the load.

For anyone who can do any of the above - please don't try to struggle through alone. Put your children and your mental health first.

If there's no other option financially but to work and care for young children at the same time:

• Forget about the home education. Let the school know that you're not doing it and the kids will have to catch up when they're back.
• Focus on keeping everyone safe and well. Do fun activities when you can take a break, not schoolwork.

Yes, I agree that parents with young children need childcare in order to work.

I've said that repeatedly. The only thing I can think of is childcare hubs, based in similar numbers to nurseries with strict bubbles so that infection risk can be managed better than with large numbers in schools.

This would need funding, so obviously not on the govt's radar.

What suggestions do others have?

It's outrageous that childcare needs haven't been factored into to any of the planning about the pandemic.

That's what parents should be angry about, not that school staff don't want to be working in unsafe environments that would be unlawful in any other sector.

And that even if they do go back next week, it will be a matter of time before bubbles burst and schools close one by one as too many staff are ill or having to self-isolate.

I also agree that parents who are trying to wfh need childcare, although I don't think it's the duty of schools to provide this

I agree. It is not the responsibility of schools. It is the government's responsibility. An immediate cash grant would be cheaper than furlough, in many cases.

toddlers and young children don't have to be unattended for 2 hours for tragic accidents to happen.

Yes, accidents can happen in a flash but many more are prevented by parental vigilance. Leave a small child unattended for long enough and an accident is very, very likely to happen.

In fact, I'd go so far as to say that the closing of some primaries rather than all of them is to distract from the national need for childcare - not everyone will need it immediately - and set up more conflict between people - oh it's all right for you, your schools are open.

And looking at MN, it's working (again).

But surely if the government gave cash grants for childcare, that would have to be spent on having people into your home?

"Leave a small child unattended for long enough and an accident is very, very likely to happen."

Which is why we need much, much better funded and resourced social services working proactively in communities rather than fire fighting tragedies.

@christinarossetti19 of course childcare needs have been thought of - that’s literally the only reason the government are even making the attempt to keep primary schools open!!

Childcare is consideration it’s why KW places are set up.

[quote Dyrne]@christinarossetti19 of course childcare needs have been thought of - that’s literally the only reason the government are even making the attempt to keep primary schools open!![/quote]
So parents in eg Hackney and Islington need childcare, but those in Barnet or Enfield don't?

That doesn't really make sense.

@MarshaBradyo

Childcare is consideration it’s why KW places are set up.

There was huge disparity, partly depending on staffing levels, about provision of key worker places in the last lock down.

Some schools had a very wide remit eg retail workers, others it had to be both parents hcps not able to wfh.

And key worker places will be useless if the virus continues to spread as it has - and why wouldn't it if primary schools aren't closed in all areas - and there aren't enough staff to provide on site childcare.

@DishedUp
I disagree in so far that i think the impacts of decision-making on children and young people have been minimised throughout, and that childrens needs have not been prioritised. For years we have been told that the early years or so important on outcomes in later life but this has been completely disregarded in many, many instances

But surely if the government gave cash grants for childcare, that would have to be spent on having people into your home?

Well, parents would then have two choices - a babysitter or unpaid leave. Many might choose unpaid leave.

Yes, having a babysitter inside your home would increase the risk of transmission, but I imagine the risk would be less than the risks posed by keeping schools open. It would be a balancing-act. Keeping shops, supermarkets and other essential services open also increases transmission.

@MarshaBradyo

Childcare is consideration it’s why KW places are set up.

This isn’t true for all. I asked a friend this yesterday if she was classed as KW. She said she is but not entitled to a place at school as she can WFM as a single parent with her DD.

That is very difficult NYN, I feel for her.

I've said that repeatedly. The only thing I can think of is childcare hubs, based in similar numbers to nurseries with strict bubbles so that infection risk can be managed better than with large numbers in schools.

The government should have factored something in.

It's all very well people shouting about how it's the parents responsibilities, parents are being asked to do the impossible and ultimately it's about keeping children safe.

What the government could have done

• employment rights for working parents during this time
• enforcement of flexible working rights for parents
• nightingale 'schools', in other words childcare hubs.
• a furlough type scheme for working parents

The truth is most people don't give a shit about children because they cannot vote.

I asked a friend this yesterday if she was classed as KW. She said she is but not entitled to a place at school as she can WFM as a single parent with her DD.

Furlough for childcare reasons needs to be available for all workers, including key workers.

I also agree with other posters that parents jobs should be protected and that we shouldn't be expected to take a financial hit if we can't be furloughed. we are actually doing two jobs - home school and doing our normal job. I would be happy not to work and get a proportion of my pay while I am home schooling my primary age child but this is not an option. Neither can I get childcare as DH is not an essential worker and both have to be here. There are no childminders with vacancies, friends I would normally ask to help aren't prepared to help because they are in bubbles with vulnerable family members.

this is state endorsed neglect

Anyone who is in the same position whether a keyworker or not I empathise

Up front I’ll say it’s shit and hard and try and find help - although definitely not within budget for everyone which makes it harder. People are stressing and good reason. At least private nurseries are open here. Scotland is bad.

[quote Dyrne]@christinarossetti19 of course childcare needs have been thought of - that’s literally the only reason the government are even making the attempt to keep primary schools open!![/quote]
But our primaries here have all been closed. So now what?
I am self employed. Don’t work, don’t earn and also my business that I have spent 3 years building goes down the Swanny so that when schools actually do go back, I won’t have any customers left.
No unpaid leave option here. No furlough. I simply have to keep working longer term.

@christinarossetti19

Re: the newspaper article. It's a tragic, tragic case, although let's not ignore the fact that the lid was accidently left off the hot tub. The coroner identified this as a factor in the child's dreadful death. It doesn't make it better for the parents, it makes it worse. But let's not weaponise this tragic case as being just about trying to wfh and look after young children, or pretend that children didn't have accidental injuries and worse before March 2020.

Re: the harms that schools being closed and lock downs are having on children. Agree completely, though disagree that it's solely the responsibility of schools to pick up the slack.

I'm old enough to remember when local authorities and councils had sufficient funding to run free or very low cost play schemes and the like. When CAMHs had short referral times and a range of services to offer families. When social workers actually had time to develop relationships with families who were in their caseload for as long as they needed to be and more, rather than the current remit of getting everyone off their books asap. When schools didn't need to ask for parental contributions for paper, stationary, tissues and loo roll.

The pandemic has really highlighted the damage that's been done through years of cutting, cutting, cutting the public sector. If LAs hadn't been cut to the bone, they could have been easily and efficiently utilised for track and trace. There could be funding for childcare hubs for working parents which would be safer than schools as they could be smaller and easier to manage infection risk in if properly funded.

Before neoliberal ideology took over the provision of healthcare, people could have gone to their GP or local chemist for a covid test. Instead what we have is Dido Harding and her friends trousering millions, while teachers and LAs do the track and trace work for them.

And yes legal protections for working parents and mandating parents rights to flexible working, short notice parental and dependency leave to be taken as the parents want it etc. Financial support for those organisations affected to come from the govt.

In short, reducing this debate to schools should/shouldn't stay open for childcare is exactly what the government wants. It gets them off the hook at every turn, increases animosity towards teachers and other public sector workers and leaves women carrying the can to the golden altar of neoliberalism.

Great post. I always agree with what you say.

I'm in Scotland. It's a fucking joke. I've been on my work's website to see if any guidance and it basically says nicely - talk to your manager if you are struggling and they'll help you prioritise what you need to deliver

@makingitupaswegoon. Any chance of getting signed off with stress?