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Covid

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Original poster

Special school staff

55 replies

3littlebird5 · 27/01/2021 15:25

Hi everyone,
I wonder if there’s any other special school staff on here that are struggling.
I feel like we’ve been forgotten in all of this, there’s hardly a mention about special schools in the news and even the unions don’t help us much even though like early years we are open for all.
I have worked in a very large special school for a decade and I love it, not a day goes by that the kids don’t make me smile, it really is so rewarding. However, I am so worried now because of the overlap of education and healthcare in our job is being ignored. We carry out medical procedures such as tracheotomy suction and tube changes which is an aerosol generating procedure, gastronomy feeds, etc and a lot of personal care yet we are not being offered the vaccine like other carers and healthcare providers.
Is anyone else feeling like this?

OP posts:

Amaretto21 · 27/01/2021 15:34

Yes I feel exactly the same. We currently have an outbreak but remaining open and I’m expected to go in. I’m beyond stressed and not sure how much longer I can cope. I’m part time but still being bombarded with work plus loads of extra training online as they seem to think we have spare time so having to do that on days I’m not even paid to work whilst juggling home schooling my own children. Get coughed on regularly at work. The government have no idea and I don’t understand why we don’t get any priority for the vaccine when we are health workers and carers as part of our role.

Original poster

3littlebird5 · 27/01/2021 15:47

@Amaretto21

There’s been many outbreaks in my school, mostly since November. We’re exactly the same, juggling training, working in school and homeschooling. Our SLT have said to all staff we must put our own children in a keyworker place and if the school says no we have to provide our school with the name of our kids school so they can sort it out. We are really putting our families and our own kids school at more risk and we have no protection at work. Like you say the nature of our job means we are regularly exposed from bodily fluids yet we’re not deemed carers because we work in a “school”. I’m utterly exhausted from the stress it’s causing and I know my colleagues feel the same.

OP posts:

Fleamaker123 · 27/01/2021 15:52

I work in a special school and we have been offered the vaccine as we are classed as 'health and social care' so 'frontline workers' (this was how we were described in a letter from our local authority). Vaccinations taking place this week.
Are you in a local authority school?
I know what you mean about the risks, pupils don't understand social distancing, want to hug you etc. it's very difficult.

Original poster

3littlebird5 · 27/01/2021 15:57

Wow that’s brilliant and gives me some hope. Yes it’s a local authority school (in England, not sure if that makes a difference) but I haven’t heard anything about getting a vaccine, we have only just been put on a waiting list for fit testing for when carrying out the AGPs. We have all been given the home testing kits this week so it’s a start I suppose. Thank you for letting me know it really does give me some hope.

OP posts:

GinJeanie · 27/01/2021 16:01

As @Fleamaker123 said, some authorities have started to recognise that special school staff are also part of social care, and have organised for them to have a vaccination imminently. Ours has done this recently.
TAs in special schools have the highest risk of any education staff which is rubbish considering they're amongst the lowest paid workers.
It may be worth talking to your union rep/SLT to see if the vaccination priority is being discussed in your LA. Carers, escorts and drivers of our children are already getting it. Good luck!

GarkandGookin · 27/01/2021 16:03

I am in England and our local authority has recently sent a letter prioritising special school staff. My vaccine is booked for next week.
Just the offer made us feel valued by the LA and everyone feels a bit more positive. I just hope no-one sneezes in my face or gets body fluid on me between now and Monday

Fembot123 · 27/01/2021 16:05

You should definitely be a priority.

Original poster

3littlebird5 · 27/01/2021 16:05

Thank you I will certainly ask. I’m so glad to hear it’s happening in some areas. Thank you again, I’m keeping my fingers crossed all special school staff will get the vaccine soon.

OP posts:

Maladicta · 27/01/2021 16:07

The local special school heads in our area have tried to get staff prioritised but no luck so far. We've just reopened after an outbreak among staff.

Fleamaker123 · 27/01/2021 16:09

Just to add, all staff have been offered it, including admin, kitchen staff etc.
We also have a room set up for testing (lateral flow) which you can use as often as you want.
I would definitely investigate further! Good luck.

ScarletORyan · 27/01/2021 16:12

My daughter's special education setting (post 19) is vaccinating staff imminently I heard. That will reassure parents too. Hope this happens in all local authorities soon.

GinJeanie · 27/01/2021 16:13

@3littlebird5 - I hope all staff and carers of children and young people in special schools are vaccinated as soon as possible. We need to be open fully, but safely. Many of our children and families are amongst the most vulnerable and I know the respite we provide is a lifeline... One thing this crisis has made me realise is how vital the work we do is. Even more than I realised. Some of the posts I've read on MN from parents of children with SN have been heart-breaking.

Amaretto21 · 27/01/2021 16:13

My local authority will not prioritise us but I know lots are now which is great news but it should be for all special school staff in all schools not just certain areas. It’s all incredibly stressful living under this level of anxiety all the time. At least we know we are not alone.

bloodywhitecat · 27/01/2021 16:16

I'm not special school staff any more but my daughter teaches in one, it worries me greatly that the staff are an overlooked group.

selfishjeanss · 27/01/2021 16:16

Hi, London SEN secondary here and had mine on Saturday. Other local SEN schools were invited too. Very short notice but now happily done. Hopefully you will hear very soon

ILookAtTheFloor · 27/01/2021 16:16

I also work in the sector and have my 1st jab tomorrow. My LA have swung it.

Feel so bad for those that haven't.

noblegiraffe · 27/01/2021 16:18

You could try writing to your MP/council to ask what their plans are as staff in other areas are getting vaccines?

RosesAndLemonade · 28/01/2021 18:59

Sen teacher here - we are being offered it starting this week and the whole campus will be done by end of 3 weeks. I cant have it due to severe allergies but I'm really glad for my colleagues. A sen teacher friend in another part of the country has had hers

ILookAtTheFloor · 29/01/2021 09:09

There's a piece on the Schoolsweek website about it today, it's their lead story. Hopefully it leads to a blanket approach.

I got my 1st jab yesterday. I hope all my colleagues across the sector get it too.

TrashedWarrior · 29/01/2021 09:15

Sen teacher, yes our LA is vaccinating Sen staff but only in a few settings they've deemed more at risk than others for a range of reasons. Not currently my setting but no idea if that may change. 3 weeks ago we weren't getting lft for staff and now we are all using them!

TrashedWarrior · 29/01/2021 09:15

I'm really glad many here are though.

TrashedWarrior · 29/01/2021 09:19

schoolsweek.co.uk/councils-seize-initiative-to-give-covid-19-vaccine-to-special-school-staff/

It is very inconsistent from what I can tell.

Nopreservatives · 29/01/2021 09:20

Special school staff in our LA were vaccinated last weekend. The Director of Education has worked closely with the Director or Public Health throughout, e.g. in our LA we never did the 7 day testing for contacts because they always agreed it wasn't safe, long before the DfE conceded. They arranged for these vaccinations to be done outside of the national programme.

It will of course mean some more clinically vulnerable people wait longer, I'm not sure what the right way is TBH, but I'm pleased for my colleagues who have had it.

mrshoho · 29/01/2021 09:32

Our local authority has also prioritised sen school staff for the vaccine. We are all having them now and over the next couple of weeks. We have more students in this time and in many ways it feels like a normal school term. Our slt have made allowances such as letting onsite staff leave earlier and we have more PPE available. It is a small school so although I know the risks I still feel more protected than if I was in a huge, crowded secondary school. Many of us are members of Unison and have had good support and advice. We have had some staff refuse to work onsite due to personal situations and our slt have so far been accommodating but could become tricky as more students return.

mrshoho · 29/01/2021 09:37

oh yes and lft for staff twice a week now. Have had 3 positives so far this term. We've been advised that we no longer need to follow up with a PCR test as the positive lft is accurate.

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