Todays u-turn from DfE, key workers working from home should NOT send kids to school

[Esmerelda01]

In case you've not seen.

Could cause a lot of people issues on Monday

www.theguardian.com/education/2021/jan/09/school-guidance-for-children-of-key-workers-changes-again?CMP=twt_a-education_b-gdnedu

@Crakeandoryx

Mrsterrypratchet welcome to my world! I work in safeguarding and the conversations are very adult themed. Nobody seems to appreciate the discussing rape, child abuse, violence and abuse is not a good idea with primary school children in earshot.

No doubt some idiot MP will suggest giving children free headphones if their parents WFH!

I think the examples above would qualify, surely, due to the nature of the work.

But I am classed as a key worker, I don't think I should qualify for a place (not sending mine anyway), and I assume this U-turn means I now wouldn't.

5 days too late, but I hope it starts to cut down numbers in schools.

We're not cutting the spread if we don't.

@Crakeandoryx

I have had to fight for our place. We are both keyworkers, husband NHS and working at hospital. DC is ASD so has additional needs. The school has less than a quarter in attendance yet they say there is too many children 🙄. My dc is going despite me working from home for reasons I've explained. Sadly I am not alone in my battle.

Did you get a place in the end though? I have been in school this week and seen the carnage...queues of parents arguing that they should all qualify. A bit of 'cross examining' is to be expected...

If it is misleading it looks like some schools may be interpreting it the same way already.

Can schools not even read the guidance for themselves?

Honestly, social media has a lot to answer for these days...

They absolutely couldn't have children present.

That’s what headsets are for.

No doubt some idiot MP will suggest giving children free headphones if their parents WFH!
Or, as pretty much every person on every call I’m on does, the person working can wear a headset. It works better to avoid feedback too. It irritates me when people don’t wear them.

For the children @MintyMabel? Otherwise they’ll hear their parent speaking! Or should they use mime?

That’s fine. Lots of keyworkers won’t work then. I’m not discussing my cases with my children around.

They also won’t receive an education of any description whilst at home if I have to work and do education. It’s just not feasible in my job.

Or, as pretty much every person on every call I’m on does, the person working can wear a headset. It works better to avoid feedback too. It irritates me when people don’t wear them.

Um..... You can still hear what a headset wearer is saying - you just can't hear the other end?

@MintyMabel so I wear a headset and I say things like (very tame examples) "did the syringe have blood in it?" Or "sorry was that 'fuck your self' or 'fuck you'?" Both examples from this week. DD hears that right?

@ABitOdd

If you actually read it it doesn’t say this at all it still says at least one parent as keyworker and that if they work from home they should try to keep their child at home if they can. Not all all the same as saying keyworker wfh parents can’t send kids to school.

I know - it has really pissed me off that The Guardian has published this totally misleading article, as everyone (including schools now it seems) is sharing it without even bothering to engage their brains!

I wear a headset and I say things like (very tame examples) "did the syringe have blood in it?" Or "sorry was that 'fuck your self' or 'fuck you'?" Both examples from this week. DD hears that right?
Fair point.

this has always been guidance
our school begged key workers to keep kids at home back in march

I interpret it as if you can work from home with your child there and keep them safe. Which means for people such as social workers etc you can't keep your child from harm, as hearing the things involved in your work will harm your child. Send them in.

'That’s fine. Lots of keyworkers won’t work then. I’m not discussing my cases with my children around.'

It needs time management, compromise and organisation.

You surely can't expect schools to be full with the dc of people wfh? We're in a crisis you know.

People's response to this is exactly why we are going to be in lockdown for a long time. People aren't willing to make life difficult for themselves and work and school at the same time. I understand the safeguarding issues mentioned and fair enough but surely those are minority situations schools can accommodate. We have worked and homeschooled for months in the last lockdown and pushed our mental health to the brink, and are about to do it again. Surely people can appreciate the virus is the threat here, people are going to have to just persevere and if they can be at home then do so. Schools need minimum children to protect our actual critical workers and their children not to mention the school staff, 50%+ children in is not appropriate right now.

@CornishTiger

That’s fine. Lots of keyworkers won’t work then. I’m not discussing my cases with my children around.

They also won’t receive an education of any description whilst at home if I have to work and do education. It’s just not feasible in my job.

They've not said that you can't send your children in. They've said if you CAN work from home and look after them, then keep them home. You can't, so they can go in.

Headsets only work one way. I still have to talk about exact situations, look at pictures, CCTV footage of incidents etc. I shouldn't have to justify why my child shouldn't be at home when I'm working.

I do think the keyworker term has been given to some questionable roles.

Napody we have a place till Wednesday but the school is still assessing numbers and applications.

'I wear a headset and I say things like (very tame examples) "did the syringe have blood in it?" Or "sorry was that 'fuck your self' or 'fuck you'?" Both examples from this week. DD hears that right?'

Give the kids headphones then, set them work and go into another room while you ask 'sorry was that fuck yourself'. Can't you email this vital info, must it be on a live meeting?!

'People's response to this is exactly why we are going to be in lockdown for a long time. People aren't willing to make life difficult for themselves and work and school at the same time'

Exactly. Its all me me me. Compromise and adapt fgs.

We have worked and homeschooled for months in the last lockdown and pushed our mental health to the brink, and are about to do it again

I think "we" is the key thing here. Assuming you have a partner also wfh that you can split the day with. Entirely different as a single parent

Have to admit I thought the reason that key workers couldn't work from home and that was the reason their children could go to school. I don't agree with closing the schools but if any children can attend because of the work that their parents do it should be the children of workers who can't work from home. For anyone who has to work their work is "key".