Single parent key worker - wfh - no provision!

[Scottishmum1984]

I might get flamed for this, but I am very upset so please, please be kind!

But just been told I can't have key worker place as I can do my role from home. I'm a single parent to two primary aged children and work full time, very long hours in a full on job, not a chance I can supervise home learning and I work Monday to Friday.

Am I wrong to think I should still get key workers place?

That’s batshit! My dh is a keyworker out of the home and I will be returning to work from mat leave on Monday. My role will be WFH as the rest of my team have been doing since March.

To those asking how a keyworker role can be done from home and how its different to anyone else trying to juggle wfh and homeschool I will ask you this......if you were accessing psychological therapies as a 1:1 or in a group would you want a 4 year old wandering in during the middle of your session to announce they need a poo/ have spilt their drink/ crying they’ve banged their head etc as you are getting to grips over video conferencing with the trauma/ depression/ anxiety/ phobia you are experiencing????? No you wouldn’t?! Ahh thought so!!

If a key worker can work from home how is their situation different from somebody in another job who also has children to look after? Why is their situation any less shit.

Because the key worker’s job is more important to the country as a whole. KW places aren’t to stop the KW having a shit time, they’re to make sure they can do their really important job undistracted.

How old are the dc? To be honest I would just ditch the home schooling and go for easy possible route. If the school complain then say that it is not possible to follow the schooling due to your work.

[quote Scottishmum1984]@nex18 Hmmm they would happily write me a letter explaining why I need the space. But the school is adamant working from home key workers don't get a place at the hub school. I wonder if it is Scottish wide rule..[/quote]
I don't really see why you are in any worse position than other lone parents wfh and now homeschooling tbh.

I'm glad the school are being sensible and protecting their staff and pupils by reducing numbers attending.

I'd wait a day or so for the chaos to settle and try and place a call to the head for a quiet word.

I'd explain how it is for you, mental health etc and politely say you understand policy etc but ask if you can be considered should a spot become free.

We are humans. Doing our best.
Maybe it's not possible for the school but they should know how it is.

As a single parent too I know only too well how badly MH is impacted when there is literally no respite.

People compared single parents to partners of key workers last time. It's a bloody big difference. Clearly those making the decisions at your school haven't been there....

It makes me so mad.

My dc's school will only take children of key workers if they work outside the home. They have capped the number of children they will accept.

I'm not a kw but am a single mum working from home and reliant on my income so I don't lose my home so am really worried about the disruption. I've already been hit hard financially by Covid and need to be able to do well in my job to keep it.

@minipie

If a key worker can work from home how is their situation different from somebody in another job who also has children to look after? Why is their situation any less shit.

Because the key worker’s job is more important to the country as a whole. KW places aren’t to stop the KW having a shit time, they’re to make sure they can do their really important job undistracted.

Plenty of other roles are as critical though. Yet not on the list. Eg the thousand of charities and voluntary groups who provide many services and have paid staff. Often they're the ones who are actually propping up the NHS and social services from collapsing. How are these employees less critical and worthy of an easier life? And yes if they don't work a lot of other services start to crumble.

Which Scottish council area are you from? They shouldn’t be doing this. I’m in Scotland too.

GP's working from home? Wow assessing patients over a phone whilst all other medical staff crack on and visit patients. Shocking.

I believe many are also doing video appointments. It's perfectly possible. Many hospital outpatient appointments are now by phone or video and many of the clinicians doing those may well be at home. The medical director of the Trust I work in sent a message encouraging colleagues to wfh where possible. Obviously you can't do surgery or hands on care for inpatients from home but there is plenty which you can. It's just not true that "all other medical staff" are seeing patients in person.

Oh no, this definitely isn't the case at our school. There are several critical workers who are wfh and have got places.

I’m sorry you’re going through this, could you possibly complain to the school governors? As a critical worker your children should have a place.
I’m also a critical worker - part time, but the school will not let me send my child in part time on the days I work? It has to be everyday (even when I’m not working) or nothing? It makes no sense when there are other families waiting who could use the days I’m off? Plus my other children at a different school have been told they can only go in the days I work - which in my opinion is how it should be.
I hope you get it sorted.

OP you will get a lot of inaccurate advice from people not realising you are in Scotland.
Dh and I both teachers (and will be teaching online, two dc at home) we are not entitled to a space unless we are working from school. I would not want to send them in, I think it is too risky.
Primary age dc will need to watch the BBC primary bitesize stuff in the morning, secondary one will have own work and fingers crossed won't struggle too much.
Don't worry too much re the learning side of things, keep them fed and safe and do what you can at work.

@ItsIgginningtolookalotlikeXmas thank you, the situation does seem a lot different in England with key worker spaces. I think I will just have to get on with it. Thanks for the BBC suggestion. Mine are both primary and sadly can't do the school work unsupervised. I wish I could afford an online tutor like many people I know!

@Doyoumind So sorry to hear that, it's really tough. Commiserations from a fellow single parent.

I think the government guidance in Scotland gives local authority's discretion in how keyworker places offered.
I would definitely challenge it - maybe write to your MP or MSP. It's ridiculous to expect you (and others in same situation) to be able to work from home and supervise primary age children.
Is your employer understanding at least?

@Lalapurple Yes, thankfully, employer understanding to a point. For e.g. won't mind a child appearing during a meeting, but won't offer flexibility re changing shift times or taking unpaid leave etc. It wouldn't actually work in my role as I need to supervise an entire team also, so I can't now work say v early or later when kids are in bed.

@MotherExtraordinaire - Charity workers and volunteers are on the critical workers list - why have you decided that they aren’t?

Can nobody see these rules are going to push so many into poverty

OP I hope your sort it. I wfh with a toddler and mostly absent husband (works away) last time and it was hell.

Push back OP and use the letter, and tell them you may talk to your MP.

As a single parent too I completely understand the turmoil, not just for work, but for your children. March lockdown, my 9 yo kept getting upset that I wasn't able to sit 121 with him to do schoolwork, said other Mums do that...and I think it really hit him, that I'm on my own. I really hope you can get this resolved. I'm in Scotland too and will hopefully find out today if my children will have a KW place .