If your child qualifies for a school place through keyworker status have you taken it up?

[yefh]

I'm a keyworker but fortunately can wfh. Dh is not a keyworker but both our jobs are incredibly stressful and busier than ever. We have one child. Last lockdown we muddled through but dd yr2 was largely ignored whilst we worked all hours day and night and were on calls all day. We felt so guilty. Essentially the tv babysat. We nearly made ourselves ill with the hours worked and I am sure dd suffered too.

There is no chance of furlough for either of us.

We have contacted the school and they say we qualify for a keyworker place for dd but we are so torn as to whether to send her in. On one hand it will be good for her as she needs interaction with other children and she wants to go in and the alternative of being on her own all day whilst we both work is pretty miserable ( even with one hour of zoom lesson) on the other hand we are so worried about exposing her and us to risk. We are early 40s and in ok health.

We have no alternative support. GPS are far away and in vulnerable category

Just wondered if anyone else in this situation and what you did?

I'm not a keyworker, DH is.

DS is at school and DD will go back as soon as her school reopens.

We kept them both home last time.

I would do it, but I would keep myself isolated as much as possible in other areas of life (delivered shopping, etc).

yes. Didn't last time, but have taken up a place for ds (12) this time round. I'm an NHS clnician. Working already long full time hours, plus will be doing extra hours from this week assisting with COVID vaccinations for our Trust. DH is a teacher and required to be in school 3 days a week. Last time was disastrous for ds left to his own devices all day every day(in terms of his well being, behaviour and educaiton), so he will be going in 3 days a week this time round. Older 2 dd are very capable of working well from home and managing ok and seems to cope ok last time so they will stay at home.

No, school called today to ask if we wanted a place but we can keep them home.

Nope, 2 KW and an EHCP so we qualify under two categories. One because I know what schools are like, two because KW provision is so oversubscribed I can see bubbles popping all over the show and we need stability for our jobs.

Plus I would rather they had some provision than none because their teachers are sick. I predict a shit show with KW provision this coming term, especially with this new variant. KW provision isn't the socially distanced thing it was.

DS's dad is a key worker. I am not but I cannot do my job from home. We were offered a space and accepted it. If I were able to work from home or a SAHP I probably would have kept him home.

Yes for youngest, primary school age. No to the older two who are secondary age and can take more responsibility for their own learning.

No. I want to leave more spaces free for people who need them, and to give the teachers one less chance of catching it.

Yes, I’m sending my Ds6 in tomorrow.

No, but mine are older so able to study at home and as I don't drive they would have to use two buses each way to get to school.

I work 2 1/2 days a week so dd1 is going to school for my 2 full days (Dh and I both keyworkers) and she will just watch tele for the half day a week at home then on Thursday when I’m not working I can try and catch her up with whatever work is as I don’t think they will be teaching much, more childcare.

We are both keyworkers and not sending any of ours, they are older though, (17,14 and 10)

One has Sen and struggles a bit more but we had an email from the school to say they had 20% of parents respond (not us) to the offer and they couldn’t accommodate all. I can’t honestly believe 20% need it, it’s a middle school (yrs 5,6,7 & 8) so most should be able to cope at home.

No, we haven’t taken up the offer. We are both keyworkers.

I WFH currently but I’m a mental health nurse so a lot of my conversations with patients are inappropriate for young ears. My DCs are cared for by our childcare bubble during the day (grandparent).

I am not in your situation OP but from your information given I think it sounds like a perfectly reasonable decision to use the key worker place and send her in. The benefit she will get from going in, and avoiding the detriment to her if she stays home, both greatly outweigh the relatively minor risks from going in. If she does catch covid she will most likely be absolutely fine, you just need to keep an eye on her for any symptoms just in case but mostly so that you can drop everything and isolate her if need be in order to protect others.

Both keyworkers, emergency services and we’ve used our place

No, I am a keyworker (children's mental health), but DH isn't and we can work from home. He is our main salary, but he isn't a keyworker, so he needs to step up and look after the children even though he has a lot of work on. I'm not taking places from single parent keyworkers or two-keyworker families who really need them, and I won't put pressure on staff who are juggling online provision and keyworker provision.
2 of mine have SEN and the other is classed as vulnerable as a young carer, so all doubly entitled to be in, but we can keep them safe at home, even though it will be hard, because we can.

Both keyworkers but DH can work from home (I can't, patient facing) so we don't meet the eligibility criteria for a place in our local authority.

DS2 is old enough to work on school stuff independently though.

DH and I are both keyworkers, I am currently WFH but have contacted the school and looks like I will get spaces for my two DS. My job is high pressured at the moment and I often have to deal with vulnerable people on the phone so I am taking the spaces but only for a couple of days a week, DH and I both have a day off during the week so will homeschool them these days. Older DS has ASD think school would be better for him he hasn't coped particularly well after returning to school after the last lockdown when we didn't put them in.

Yes for 7y/o Y3 child hub was very safe last time, lots more space, rules and consideration than full classrooms. Still a bubble but much more manageable

I work in a different school and am required to go in until told differently. (I am feeding key worker children in the kitchen)

No but DD is year 8 and sensible. I am working full time but splitting between 70% in the office and 30% at home so can help if needed. We have a dog which, silly as it sounds, is good company.

I work in a college. Seems silly to send her in if not absolutely necessary.

If nurseries switch to KW places only I willl definitely use.

No. 13y old son can and will manage at home- he did well last time though it was emotionally hard for him. We’re both NHS front line but between shifts etc there is usually someone around (possibly asleep) for some of the week.

I need it for one of my children but can't access it despite being a single parent key worker and dd having asd and autism! School have refused a place.

No.

Ds is college. He also CV so I'd rather he's at home.

But college been amazing. Already had email from study centre to say all children with EHCP will be contacted (that's ds)

Already had email to say they've arranged 1:1 support through study centre for assignments and what needs to be done to support him to complete them.

I'm doing what I can to support him between working!

He can go in and they've offered this. But I'd rather for now - he didn't.

Yes. Both keyworkers, mixed home working and shift patterns. 2 DC. They're going to school. They were at home first time and never again. It broke us, working 18 hour days and looking after older relatives. They learn so much at school just through activities.

Our son is 7 (only child) and he's going in. DH works for NHS with a very stress clinical job dealing with vulnerable people. I'm also a non health keyworker, I can work from home but again in a demanding role.

All of our mental health suffered terribly last time, to the extend one of us is now on medication. We were offered a full time place so have taken it.