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?

No, I’m a teacher and providing remote learning so working from home. My DD is staying at home with me even though she was offered a place at nursery during this time. It’ll be difficult but manageable I think. However I am sending my baby son to the childminder three mornings a week, it’s IMPOSSIBLE to even open my laptop near him without him trying to smash it to pieces.

Yes.

Both key workers and work from home. DH full time me part time.

First time we kept him home (Year 1) as we thought we could cope and thought it wouldn't last that long. Big mistake.

I had a breakdown and was bedridden for 6 weeks. Only felt normal after 6 months. Work suffered for both of us obviously and it wasn't a good thing for DS to live through.

This time he's going in 2 days a week. I actually work more hours than this but I don't want to take the piss.

For me.

The cut of point is the make our lives easier.

There is no denying it would make most people lives easier. But we need to accept as a society that during a pandemic "easy" isn't the choice we are making.

It's safety, necessity etc.

For every child under 12 that's sent into school we are doubling the risk of household transmission. They are at least twice as likely to be the index case.

For those 12-16 it's 7 times more likely.

I accept with smaller (maybe even half class sizes) that risk will decrease.

The more people who can stay at home so the quicker we'll get numbers down.

And before anyone starts: like I said. Those who are saying it's easier. Not those who genuinely need a place because they have to work and cannot do this with children home.

Yes. Both parents NHS. Having said that I have to wait for a CV test result first as one of my children coughed a bit this morning

Yes, both KWs, Adult SS and policing. Sent our Yr R and Yr 4 in.
Last time youngest was nursery- when it was shut we had no choice, but as soon as it opened she went in.

Interestingly, the eldest's junior school was pretty deserted...the younger one's Infant school was very busy yesterday. A request came out last night for proof of KW status and lo and behold it was a lot quieter today....

Yes. I'm a keyworker (out of the home), DH is not but works from home. Last time we didn't get a place and it was hell, DH working all hours I wasn't -I'm a Dr so do shifts and it meant I was doing childcare whilst I should be sleeping (10month old and 4yo at the time, so no chance to snooze while they watch ipads).

This time they are going in a max of 4 days a week - DH is doing 4 long days to get 1 day off and then I am having them on my days off, IF I'm not supposed to be sleeping.

And yes, no alternative support, no chance of furlough for DH (it's an 'essential' business, though as he is in IT he can wfh).

@itsgettingweird I agree. At my school (double covid rate than where I live), we all sent in the section 44 letter. My head has kept KW bubbles really small, and now won't take anyone else without proof of KW status. I don't want the rates to rise here, so child will come home. I'm worried about her mental health though.

The amount of children in today has made me sick with worry.

What will happen is our staff will get sick. Even taking away the human element - we've already lost a teaching assistant to Covid - logistically, this is going to leave the school unable to open for people that desperately need a place to enable the world to keep turning. We're going to be in such a pickle in a few weeks.

No. I'm a keyworker and could do all of my own job from home quite easily if my employer organised a voip or mobile phone solution (IT already in place), but because my admin, reception and HCA colleagues are off on a regular basis at the moment I have to physically be there to help out. We're a very small practice team!

DH hasn't been into the office for months, but finds it the homeschooling challenging while trying to juggle his job - thankfully he has a very understanding employer and all his colleagues are in a similar position (they've all been introduced to each other's small children on zoom calls). He's an absolutely star and I definitely think he's got the rough end of the deal.

It just isn't worth the risk if we can muddle through ourselves. I come into close contact with loads of people every day and wouldn't want the kids inadvertently spreading infection. Don't know when we're going to be bestowed the vaccine yet either.

No. I will be KW out of home and DH secondary teaching wfh. He will oversee our kids (one primary one secondary). It's really hard, but if we don't all try our very, very best to minimise all human contact over the next couple of months, then frankly what's the point? I'm sorry, but if people are 'torn' on whether to send their kids in - they shouldn't. If it's essential - eg both parents KW out of home or there are impossible working circumstances within the home eg a very young child or a child with severe needs - then fine. But if your child is safe to be at home and it is humanly possible for you as a KW to still do your job at home, then your kids should be at home

Yes, we are both teachers. I am SLT / safeguarding lead so will be physically at school full time. DH is teaching a full timetable of live lessons.

No. DH is a doctor working 4 days a week, so I have changed my hours so I can go in on his day off, & my manager will let me make up the rest of my hours from home. I've never tried to work from home with the kids before but I am optimistic. Since we can manage without using a space, it doesn't seem reasonable to send the kids in.

@Whatevertheweather you seem to assume that if the key worker can wfh then they can wfh and simultaneously homeschool and that's not always the case.

When I tried it I couldn't get the work done.

Because I'm a key worker my work has been judged to be more important than non key work so it's important that I can keep it up, even if that's from home.

Yes, husband is a CPN and I'm an inpatient MH nurse. We do have some flexibility with shifts/working patterns but there will always be some overlap. Our school have said full time or nothing for children of key workers so they'll be going full time, despite probably only needing 2-3 days a week max.

Yes I have taken a place this time however my dc also qualifies because he can't handle the remote lessons (school didn't use this previously). No EHCP but is on SEND list. I'm also full time now.

Because I'm a key worker my work has been judged to be more important than non key work so it's important that I can keep it up, even if that's from home.

A lot of posters have trouble with this distinction.

Same situation as you. Only child, yr2 but only difference is ds has ehcp.

Torn too but have decided to send in this week.

The reason we are torn is that we didn’t take it up last time and ds mental health declined so far that school strongly encouraged us to send him in towards the end.

I disagree with daisyred - it is possible to be torn.

In your situation I’d send her in, she’s really at no real risk from Covid and nor are you. I’d put her education and mental health first, and try to minimise contact with other people if you’re worried about transmitting it unknowingly.

We are both keyworkers. I WFH and also have to go to the office for some work that requires my presence either once or twice per week. DH works from home most of the time but busier than ever, works more hours than he should really.
We have sent our DD as it wouldn't be possible for us to work otherwise, no possibility of fourlough either for us (and wouldn't like this anyway). Our daughter is 3.5 years old, a very difficult age to keep at home whilst you work too! I wouldn't be working much at all I think.

I don't know, I think that if she was older I may have tried to keep her at home, but I am not even sure...I think it is good for her to go to school and also we have no underlying conditions. We have no family here, so no contact with older people either...

Because I'm a key worker my work has been judged to be more important than non key work so it's important that I can keep it up, even if that's from home.

Is that because your work is generally more important, or because you are on the list of keyworkers?

I suspect quite a lot of us working from home could argue the same thing.........

Yes but I’m a single parent keyworker who can’t work from home so if I don’t we can’t afford to live

Not yet but I will if the schools stay closed for longer than about 2 weeks

@sashagabadon

Not yet but I will if the schools stay closed for longer than about 2 weeks

They reopen after Feb half term at the earliest........

Yes my dd has gone in both times. Now year 10