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

@AlandAnna
Thank you. I appreciate your kind words.

@brambles**@brambles point this has always been the case. Give keyworker a some credit for working this out for themselves and schools are using their discretion. If they don't feel able to take the children they wouldn't be!

I got it from NEU twitter at 5.30 last night but if you go to the relevant government page about children of critical workser it shows it was updated on 8th January.

Here

Naturally, being the government they don't highlight which part they've changed, but that sentence was not in the guidance released at the beginning of the week.

Ffs

@messagemonkey OK I misunderstood. They should be able to go on Furlough for childcare reasons, although I fully appreciate that neither they nor their employer might want this.

Out of my DS's close friend group there are none who are sending their kids to school even though at least 3 have keyworkers in the family that I know of (TA, police and SEN worker) because they all have partners or older kids who are also at home. I'm the only one sending mine because I'm a lone parent and I have no alternative. There are 15 children attending out of half of year 7 (2 sites) and this is a school of over 2000 pupils so a big school. I don't believe that schools are being overrun with kids of chancing parents - some may be but not the majority.

I WFH, I'm a critical worker AND I send my 3 year old DD to nursery, just to froth the pond up a bit more.

Apparently I'm the equivalent of Satan on these boards 😂. Do I care? No.

I am named on a MHRA licence as being responsible for the quality of 100 tons of pharmaceutical products being distributed every month. If I fuck up, people can take medicine that has lost clinical efficacy, chemo not working, etc. Or I could drop the ball and allow falsified or counterfeit meds into the legal Pharma supply chain, which would end up with me in prison.

Can't do that with a 3 year old constantly asking for apples and Jaffa cakes, to play with polly pocket, or she needs her bum wiping and all the other joys that come with 3 year olds.

Am I able to PHYSICALLY keep my daughter at home? yes, but I could not do my job properly and believe me when I say, it's for the greater good that I am able to do my job properly.

@Eileithyiaa

I WFH, I'm a critical worker AND I send my 3 year old DD to nursery, just to froth the pond up a bit more.

Apparently I'm the equivalent of Satan on these boards 😂. Do I care? No.

I am named on a MHRA licence as being responsible for the quality of 100 tons of pharmaceutical products being distributed every month. If I fuck up, people can take medicine that has lost clinical efficacy, chemo not working, etc. Or I could drop the ball and allow falsified or counterfeit meds into the legal Pharma supply chain, which would end up with me in prison.

Can't do that with a 3 year old constantly asking for apples and Jaffa cakes, to play with polly pocket, or she needs her bum wiping and all the other joys that come with 3 year olds.

Am I able to PHYSICALLY keep my daughter at home? yes, but I could not do my job properly and believe me when I say, it's for the greater good that I am able to do my job properly.

This is what people don’t see.

2 critical worker household here. I WFH full time and I can juggle things (can work evenings/early mornings). We didn’t send the children in. They get neglected for most of the day. I feel guilty throughout it.

Does that mean I think others should make the same call - Hell, no! We all have different roles and different challenges. We aren’t all in the same boat.

I do think where there is a SAHP present they should keep the children home though.

Parents are lying to get free child care - esp about the 'no technology at home' excuse.

If some employers are refusing furlough for people with children with childcare issues, surely it’s sex discrimination? (As it’s mostly women who have the childcare responsibility issues).

workingfamilies.org.uk/articles/coronavirus-furlough/

[quote Bythehairywartsonmywitchychin]If some employers are refusing furlough for people with children with childcare issues, surely it’s sex discrimination? (As it’s mostly women who have the childcare responsibility issues).

workingfamilies.org.uk/articles/coronavirus-furlough/[/quote]
Some people simply can't be furloughed.

I can't be furloughed, as the company wouldn't be allowed to distribute medicinal products without me operating as it's my own name on the licence that enables us to do so. I get furloughed/resign the meds aren't distributed. As we distribute for one of the top 10 biggest Pharma globally, this could lead to global stock shortages. It's not that cut and dry.

Furlough depends on the job I think, not whether you have a vagina.

Nurseries are fully open though because not even non-critical workers are expected to work from home with a 3 year old. This guidance relates to school-aged children and is still widely open to interpretation. This new guidance is asking parents to keep their DC home if it is practical even if they're entitled to a place.

So if you work from home in IT and have a 10 year old you could probably keep them home. Likewise, if you work in the local council 3 days a week, you could keep them home the other two days. Or if one parent is a SAHP and the child is not vulnerable they should stay at home. It's not asking people where both parents (or the only parent in a lone parent family) are critical workers to not send their kids in. During the first lockdown we had some parents who were carers or hospital workers doing a full night shift but still keeping their DC home during the day because they were worried. We want DC like this to come into school this time of course.

But the infection rate is not going to drop quickly enough if there are still large groups of children gathering every day when some people who could quite easily manage their children at home choose not to. Then the lockdown will just be prolonged for everyone.

@lavenderlou

Nurseries are fully open though because not even non-critical workers are expected to work from home with a 3 year old. This guidance relates to school-aged children and is still widely open to interpretation. This new guidance is asking parents to keep their DC home if it is practical even if they're entitled to a place.

So if you work from home in IT and have a 10 year old you could probably keep them home. Likewise, if you work in the local council 3 days a week, you could keep them home the other two days. Or if one parent is a SAHP and the child is not vulnerable they should stay at home. It's not asking people where both parents (or the only parent in a lone parent family) are critical workers to not send their kids in. During the first lockdown we had some parents who were carers or hospital workers doing a full night shift but still keeping their DC home during the day because they were worried. We want DC like this to come into school this time of course.

But the infection rate is not going to drop quickly enough if there are still large groups of children gathering every day when some people who could quite easily manage their children at home choose not to. Then the lockdown will just be prolonged for everyone.

I completely agree with you. There have been some threads recently after the school closures where Nursery workers were calling WFH parents for sending pre-school children in. But still expected to be paid full fees of course.

My DDs nursery is connected to a school so I was surprised when I found out they were staying open as I thought they would follow suit of the school. They made it quite clear that it was business as normal and expected the little ones to come in.

But according to some Nursery staff on here, we should be keeping them off, same as older children

Nurseries staying open www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/4125893-Nurseries-staying-open

@Coffeeandaride

We are 2 doctors. We have tried (most of this year) to alternate shifts/days. For example my DH working 12 hours today and tomorrow so he is off on Wednesday when I work. We are also employing a nanny 2 days a week (she can’t work more days). We have used a lot of annual leave covering days this year. We employed another ad-hoc nanny before but she has now found a different field of work. However there is one day next week neither of us can take off or swap, my DH is going in for half a day 9-2 so I’ll be late for work and he’ll be back by 3. So they are going to school. I’m fed up of feeling guilty about this. I didn’t use one day of school last time.

Let the school regulate this/ get the guidance.

Please don't feel a second of guilt. The whole system is set up for your child so you can do your job.

Spiratedaway absolutely, and most of mumsnet probably isn't helping my own mental health at the moment!

Nurseries are fully open though because not even non-critical workers are expected to work from home with a 3 year old

Except in Scotland where nurseries are also closed. I'm not sure about Wales or NI.

I wonder if Scotland will change their guidance re. nurseries if it looks like the lockdown will be longer than they originally thought?

@Helpmyhair2019

Schools are taking in chidlren who aren’t eligible as they are being lied to by so many parents who honestly just don’t want to parent their own children. I am horrified but the selfish entitlement of some parents. I am not talking about genuine critical workers. I am talking about for example (a real one), two parents - one working from home (classed as key worker) the other a sahm send their child to preschool 5 days a week as he is so much happier there than at home. With that sort of attitude we are going to get nowhere. Your child likes routine? Then give them one at home!

But if it's preschool then there are no restrictions on who can access so they wouldn't have to had lied/stretch any criteria.

I'm sure there are more kids in school than March (there are in my son's school but still way less than the % I've seen quoted in the media/on here). There quite possibility some piss takers but I suspect it's a bit Chinese whispers and people not knowing full circumstances. But hey people love to froth and blame others, there were plenty of these threads in March as well.

Furlough depends on the job I think, not whether you have a vagina

Yes, I understand some people won’t be able to be furloughed due to their job role being critical ect such as yours. However, if some employees are being refused where their job role isn’t critical to the function of the business and the person genuinely has childcare issues, it could be seen as sex discrimination.

On a side note, what happens if you are ill, go on holiday or needed time off of work? Surely your employer needs a plan B?

I think the increase in people using spaces isn't because people are taking the piss but because circumstances are different this time.

Last lockdown, a lot of people who worked in say greggs or a local cafe were off because the business was closed. Now, they have to work as those businesses are, quite understandably, doing takeaway provision. Someone I know has a wife who wasn't a key worker last time (he is) but now is because the company she works for started making PPE.

I am a secondary teacher. DH works part time but in work that cannot be done from home. If he doesn't work, he doesn't get paid. In addition, he provides essential care for his mother who lives in her own home but has alzheimer's. She needs support to wake up/get up or she would sleep all day, take medication, make food etc. He is the only support she has.

Last time, I wasn't doing remote lessons for all -just a couple of A-level ones. Everything else was setting work/emails/curriculum planning. Despite being in a dark place due to my Nan dying, I kept DS (then Y1) home and muddled through.

This time, I am required to teach my full timetable remotely, plus I am supporting an NQT (and other colleagues as I am 2nd in department), plus continuing with curriculum development/meetings/delivering cpd/chasing kids not logging in or completing the work. I cannot work from home as my rural wifi won't support that. So, I am in school full time to do my job and look after vulnerable/KW children.

Therefore, I am using the key worker place this time as there is no one to care for DS while I am at work. I am well aware that people may begrudge me of that but without it, I can't provide the quality of remote learning and care the pupils deserve as well as supporting my own son with his learning.

@Eileithyiaa

I WFH, I'm a critical worker AND I send my 3 year old DD to nursery, just to froth the pond up a bit more.

Apparently I'm the equivalent of Satan on these boards 😂. Do I care? No.

I am named on a MHRA licence as being responsible for the quality of 100 tons of pharmaceutical products being distributed every month. If I fuck up, people can take medicine that has lost clinical efficacy, chemo not working, etc. Or I could drop the ball and allow falsified or counterfeit meds into the legal Pharma supply chain, which would end up with me in prison.

Can't do that with a 3 year old constantly asking for apples and Jaffa cakes, to play with polly pocket, or she needs her bum wiping and all the other joys that come with 3 year olds.

Am I able to PHYSICALLY keep my daughter at home? yes, but I could not do my job properly and believe me when I say, it's for the greater good that I am able to do my job properly.

Fab post

@Bythehairywartsonmywitchychin

Furlough depends on the job I think, not whether you have a vagina

Yes, I understand some people won’t be able to be furloughed due to their job role being critical ect such as yours. However, if some employees are being refused where their job role isn’t critical to the function of the business and the person genuinely has childcare issues, it could be seen as sex discrimination.

On a side note, what happens if you are ill, go on holiday or needed time off of work? Surely your employer needs a plan B?

Short periods of illness and holiday are acceptable as long as I'm contactable. It's even worded into my contract that I have to be continuously contactable 24/7 due to things like recalls and such. It pays very well so I'm willing to accept the terms and in reality I've always got my eyes on my emails as they come through to my phone. I also have to include an emergency out of office contact number on my automatic reply. I've gotten good at triaging situations that can be dealt with now, or delegated if it's just someone being a bit too lazy to seek out the info themselves.

I am training an apprentice to be a "deputy" as I do want another baby so they won't be knackered when I go on maternity. I moved into this job straight from my last maternity and I plan to add her name to our licence for backup to take the pressure off. I manage the quality on a European wide basis but that's more internal for the company where's my scope for the UK is predetermined by the conditions of our licence.

'Critical to the EU transition' is no reason to send a child to school in my opinion. I doubt many if any have used that reason, but it shows a lack of priorities by the government for it even to be there.