Critical workers please

[Bramblespoint]

Are critical workers aware of this advice?

Please please follow it if you can. Lockdown will last longer if more children attend school.

Keep your children at home if you can. It's hard isn't an excuse, it's hard for everyone it's a pandemic

@Mrsemcgregor

Well done OP, you’ve created yet another space for parents to berate each other. Just what everyone’s mental health needs during this time, a nice side helping of guilt about how their child is currently being educated. Parents WFH and trying to home school aren’t happy, parents who are on the front line and have to send their children to school rather than keeping them safe at home aren’t happy.

NOBODY IS HAPPY AND NOBODY FEELS LIKE THEY HAVE THE BEST DEAL.

Why can’t we try being supportive of each other rather than tearing each other down?

I know you were merely highlighting a bit of government advice, but really did you not think it would end up being a pile on?

True !!! My mental health is on the brink too !!! I had a breakdown Dec 2019 and then this happened .... to be honest not even scared of death from the virus now as depression is scaring me more ! X

@raviolidreaming

You don’t have a need to send a child to school if one parent is at home. If you can’t work out a way to do your job and home school then that’s unfortunate

Because I work in mental health crisis, and that doesn't stop when I am working from home. It's not appropriate for my child to overhear confidential and sensitive topics, and they are too young (pre-school; I'm in Scotland where nurseries also closed) to be doing anything independently. It's not 'unfortunate', it's been incredibly stressful and upsetting trying to work out how I can balance everything if I can't access a key worker place.

I am sure you are very busy too mental health will be the new pandemic

Nobody begrudges the children of critical workers or people who genuinely can only work outside the home being in school.

What I do begrudge is the several children of key worker dads (dentists - what a joke, I haven't been able to see one for a year!) and stay at home mums or instagrammers being in school, while some of us struggle away with WFH and home school.
Or the very part time key workers who have sent their kids in because their partners are working from home and it's 'tricky for them to concentrate' with the kids at home. No shit! Welcome to our world!

The guidance is far too vague. Heads need to be empowered to enforce. I really hope it is!

'If they can' is the bit that is open to interpretation.

Some people will interpret 'can' as: a parent is physically in the house with the child but cannot interact with them at all or help with homeschooling, child is completely left to their own devices.

Others will interpret 'can' as: Parent is actually available to actively engage with child, help with homeschooling, ensure child isn't climbing out the window etc.

'If they can' is the bit that is open to interpretation.

Agree, it's vague as usual and a lot of parents won't care but you can see from this thread that many people don't even realise that the guidance has just been updated to include this. If the government are changing anything at all, you can tell they are worried about the numbers of children attending schools. I bet they had to lock Gav in a cupboard somewhere to even get this vague amendment in though.

@messagemonkey it seems you believe that children should be made homeless for the greater good? How many children for how many averted covid cases? How much higher is the risk of an early death, by all causes for people in temporary accommodation?

I find it fascinating how much people give a shit about what other families are doing.

Just sat there seething imagining little Fred attending school whilst his mum is at home watching Little Women, or WFH.

Most people's reality is rubbish at the moment, whether you're a critical worker, WFH whilst trying to homeschool, WFH as a critical worker whilst your child is in school but being attacked for doing so, or your husband earns far more WFH so you don't get a school place therefore have to resign as a critical worker.

All fucking shit. All of it. Everyone needs to think less about what other people are doing and just concentrate on you and yours.

Your blood pressure will thank you for it.

I’m a key worker as is DH. He can work from home but also has to visit various sites each day so in and out of the house. I’m full time WFH. I was completely honest with school and told them this, and acknowledge that key workers working outside of home will take priority. I’ve been given 3 days for the kids to go in so I will work flexibly around that. I cannot work full time and complete the set home learning for both DD’s (both infant school age) and I was concerned they would fall massively behind.
I think the only way the schools would see less attendance is if the schools were completely closed for learning, Ie used as childcare for vulnerable and 2 key workers working outside the home but not education and no work set for home. I know schools have been pressured to increase home learning this time with more pressure for parents to send work in. If primary was closed completely there’d be less guilt of leaving the kids to watch tv, iPads, play with toys whilst working than thinking that alongside working a job you then have to home school them. Then perhaps extend the summer term to cover the work missed.
I also think a lot of parents are sure schools won’t open again in Feb and don’t want their kids out of school until Easter as the earliest.

Do you really think someone will read your post and change their mind

If I feel ds needs to be in school I shall send him

Two NHS keyworkers required on site here.
I don’t blame the parents sending in eligible children if they need to. This initiative has come from the government. If they wanted less children in school they would say that both parents had to be essential workers. They have clearly decided to get as many children in as they can get away with. I don’t have an opinion on this, apart from children should be tested regularly and teachers absolutely need priority vaccination.

As has been said about a million times, the reason that it is one key worker parent only is that because usually the keyworker role is the lower paid one. Which means that if someone has to take unpaid leave or disrupt their job to look after the kids, it will be the keyworker parent. Which kind of defeats the object!

No @Tryingtryingandtrying I think the government should have given clearer guidelines to schools and better protection to parents whom can't work from home as effectively with their children off. This should be to all parents, critical workers or not. I'm classed as a critical worker and working from home and it's not easy with children at all, but I also work for a local authority and with that comes a good degree of protection. For instance I had to self isolate when Ds had covid and I got full pay, my Dp for a private company got statutory sick pay a massive drop from his usual pay.

There's vulnerable children whom haven't been given school places and I really feel need them when there's some families with sahp taking a key worker place as they 'can'.

This wasn't 'only released yesterday'. We were sent this by school on Monday to ensure only those that are critical workers are using the provision.

Getting a bit sick of being made to feel like scum as we work out of the home and are unable to homeschool 😡

Believe me when I say that my DH and I would much rather be at home, schooling our DC for a couple of hours a day instead of working in ICU and frontline NHS.

Get a grip people.

This is literally the same advice that was published in March and it hasn't changed. What are you on about?

@messagemonkey You said "Potentially losing your job and home isn't a good enough reason to get a school space."

Althoug actually then they would be entitled to a space as a vulnerable child living in temporary accommodation. Many keyworkers can not be furloughed for childcare reasons, whilst others can.

@Willowwisp23

This wasn't 'only released yesterday'. We were sent this by school on Monday to ensure only those that are critical workers are using the provision.

Getting a bit sick of being made to feel like scum as we work out of the home and are unable to homeschool 😡

The last line about keeping your children home if you can was only released at 5.30 last night.

The message has ALWAYS been to keep your kids at home if you can.

Our Primary School asks for a letter from Employers detailing role.

Does anyone have a screenshot of the original, was it definitely only changed yesterday?

My kids school have been using 'if you can' all along.

The last line in the guidance about children of key workers that is.

I meant it wasn't considered a good enough reason for non key workers @Tryingtryingandtrying. So a family who don't class as key workers but will end up jobless if they don't work can't say they need a school place can they?
I was saying that's where the hostility is coming from, because a lot of parents are juggling work and home schooling and are worried about job losses.

My kids are at home - we are not key works.

But I'm sick of the opinionated mumsnetters who think they know best.

@Squiffany

Believe me when I say that my DH and I would much rather be at home, schooling our DC for a couple of hours a day instead of working in ICU and frontline NHS.

Get a grip people.

I have the uttermost respect for you and sending you strength. I hope you have an amazing holiday in sight when this is over