Childcare bubble

[HeyDouglas]

I've had a look at the rules and it doesn't say what work you need to be doing while your child is being looked after by your bubble

I am a SAHM - can my mum come and look after my son while I do my chores for half an hour?

If not, can you tell me why?

Forget the health risk, am looking at the rules online

You might think it should only be for paid work but rules that you've made up in your head don't actually carry any weight...

What’s the point in having rules then? If we can seriously interpret the rules as ‘form a childcare bubble so you can get on with the washing up’ - in other words, form a childcare bubble for no good reason whatsoever- then we might as well not have them. A bit of common sense goes a long way.

My mum sometimes looks after my children with special needs because if she didn't neither me nor my partner nor our other children would get any respite and frankly our mental health would be dangerously damaged. And actually, I can't do housework with my kids around. My mum is the only other person able to deal with my children's needs and we are therefore in a childcare bubble. We have made an assessment of the risk, and are acting legally. I would do the same if I was ill, or my partner was abusive, or I was a single parent, or had any other need for childcare support. Those on here saying that you can only use a childcare bubble for paid work have clearly never had any challenging family situation that might warrant some informal childcare.

I'd say it's more pointless having rules that people then insist on overlaying with their own interpretation, confusing the matter, because 'it's common sense' than it is having rules that are clear and intended to take in most situations, even if that then means that people can use them in ways other people don't like. Do I think OP should use the bubble in this way? Probably not, and I wouldn't. Can she? Yes.

The writers of the relevant legislation could have chosen to say that it could only be used while a parent was in paid employment and they didn't, presumably so as not to exclude other legitimate uses, including respite. Why do you think you know better than that?

I was given a letter from the DFE saying that as a PGCE student I am allowed achildcare bubble for study and work, so it's definitely not only for paid work. However, hoovering probably isn't 'in the spirit'.

It’s not just for paid work at all and I know plenty of people using it just so they can have a little break (which in my opinion at the moment is needed) before they introduced the under 1 support bubble I was using my parents as a childcare bubble to help with my newborn so I could get some rest/get something done as my husband works 8/9 hours a day and I needed help. Go ahead and do it OP. Mumsnet isn’t the place for rationale thinking and empathy at the moment unfortunately.

It's all so intense no woman (because let's face it, the brunt has fallen on us) should be expected to live such an insular life with no outlet apart from her kids until partner gets home in the evening. It's soul destroying trying to juggle too many plates whilst trying to keep your children safe. Society has broken down around us. Friendship groups and support with our peers (that's kids as well) have all gone. No one should begrudge anyone having their parents over to help break the fucking monotony of it all.

According to the gov website you can use it in any circumstances as long as it’s for childcare and not for socialising with the othet adult.

So yes under the rules you’re fine.

Morally, different question.

No one should begrudge anyone having their parents over to help break the fucking monotony of it all.

And if the parents get covid?

@HeyDouglas

Love the 'chores aren't work'

Theyre nowhere near the same if you're a full time working parent AND have chores

Oh ffs it means paid work!

I'm a full time teacher so my mum has my child once a week when he's not in nursery...he's dropped off at her gate and she keeps him overnight and drops him at nursery the next morning. I do not see her.

Weirdly enough I manage my own housework whilst patenting my children on an evening weekend.

Sorry to say it but it is not work being a SAHP, it is a choice you make to not take paid employment. I am no less of a mother because I go out to work, I do not expect to have my parents look after my child on a weekend so I can clean.

You are being facetious OP and quite frankly insulting to those of us juggling working and much more limited childcare (ie no wraparound).

No one should begrudge anyone having their parents over to help break the fucking monotony of it all.

Then the the rules may as well just say ‘children can see their grandparents’.

Exactly @Pinkblueberry

Pretty sure the rules state "you must not mix with others"!

In the first lockdown I was working from home, homeschooling and looking after a toddler whilst my husband went out to work 12 hours a day..I almost had a breakdown but I did not break the rules at all..

I think it’s pretty clear the sentiment is paid work. Are you suggesting that working parenting don’t also have domestic tasks?

Childcare bubbles definitely aren’t just for facilitating paid work. I have one with my parents as I have medical appointments to attend and my toddler is not allowed to attend with me. The other day I went to the supermarket after my appointment, then (shock, horror) went home and did housework for a couple of hours as my mum messaged to say toddler was napping.

One of my friends has a childcare bubble so she can continue with her anxiety counselling (over Zoom) and another friend has a childcare bubble so she can study for her degree.

The guidance has never stated that childcare bubbles are ONLY for paid work (I have screen shot it every time it’s changed since July as I’m a bit of a stickler!!)

@Mammyloveswine

Exactly *@Pinkblueberry*

Pretty sure the rules state "you must not mix with others"!

In the first lockdown I was working from home, homeschooling and looking after a toddler whilst my husband went out to work 12 hours a day..I almost had a breakdown but I did not break the rules at all..

But did the hoovering get done

Seriously, just because you morally disapprove of something, wouldn't do it yourself or don't have the option to does not mean it's illegal or outwith "the rules".

My DC (not me, because as stated above adults cannot socialise as part of childcare) are in a childcare bubble with my parents. They go there so I can do paid work, but went today so I could have a workman in the house for essential work.

I'm confused at the poster berating the OP with cries of "FFS" when their own kid sleeps over as part of childcare. I doubt that whole 24 hours - from drop off in the evening until pick up the following evening - is exclusively for PAID (which apparently is so much more important and valuable to society than anything else including raising children that it deserves capital letters) work.

It's not a race to the bottom.

@MarthaWashingtonsFeralTomcat

Seriously, just because you morally disapprove of something, wouldn't do it yourself or don't have the option to does not mean it's illegal or outwith "the rules".

My DC (not me, because as stated above adults cannot socialise as part of childcare) are in a childcare bubble with my parents. They go there so I can do paid work, but went today so I could have a workman in the house for essential work.

I'm confused at the poster berating the OP with cries of "FFS" when their own kid sleeps over as part of childcare. I doubt that whole 24 hours - from drop off in the evening until pick up the following evening - is exclusively for PAID (which apparently is so much more important and valuable to society than anything else including raising children that it deserves capital letters) work.

It's not a race to the bottom.

OP’s opening post was re the substantive meaning of “work” in the guidance. Not the morality of a childcare bubble in general.

Plenty of working parents also have to fit in housework without childcare.

@Meredithgrey1

There is no restriction on a reason for using an informal childcare bubble. There are restrictions to using formal childcare eg a childminder and these are that it must be for the parent to work, study, take an exam, or look for work. The restriction does not (in the law) apply to childcare bubbles.

Is this so? I am actually studying whilst on maternity leave but my child’s nursery is not aware of the studying and they certainly haven’t told me to stop sending him because I’m at home and not working.

There is nothing about why you need the childcare in the legislation at all. You absolutely can use a childcare bubble to clan the house. Whether or not you -should- is another matter. That's not for me to decide though

Whether or not you should

OP’s opening post was re the substantive meaning of “work” in the guidance. Not the morality of a childcare bubble in general.

Thanks, I got that.

Since the word work isn't mentioned at all in the guidance or law, though, the thread has moved on into PP's laying in to OP for doing something which is clearly perfectly legal. Whether it's moral or not is literally what's being debated here. The guidance and law is clear.

Screenshot from www.gov.uk/guidance/making-a-childcare-bubble-with-another-household

You can use it for whatever you need to use it for. There are no specifics and I don't know why people are just making things up!

We have a relative who comes over to help with our son. There is no one else who can do this including anyone paid because his needs are too great. We are close by in the house at the same time because if he has a meltdown we will have to intervene, possibly physically. Childcare isn't just for when someone is at work.

@HereComesATractor

I’m not sure that’s right - nurseries and childminders are all open for early years as far as I’m aware. Plenty of people are still sending their children to nursery even when not in work. My childminder is open for business as usual now - in the first lockdown she was only able to take key-worker children.