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Original poster

Told to isolate - can i collect children from school?

254 replies

petitdonkey · 16/03/2021 13:02

Apologies if this has been done! I’ve just received a notification to isolate for eight days (I went to the supermarket on Saturday and was at work- no other contact!) - my children are at school, perhaps a stupid question but am I allowed to drive to pick up and drop off this week?? I have just emailed work who I guess won’t be thrilled...

What a PITA!!!

OP posts:
PurpleDaisies · 16/03/2021 13:04

Of course not.

It’s not isolate unless you’re picking your children up from school.
Confused

FedNlanders · 16/03/2021 13:05

Well I dont know about op but I am the only person that can pick my kids up, so I would have too.

Foobydoo · 16/03/2021 13:06

Ring school and ask, they may arrange for you to pick up and drop off on the school carpark.

Iminaglasscaseofemotion · 16/03/2021 13:09

Are your kids allowed to leave school alone so you would just be sitting in the car waiting for them? If so then I would if no one else can easily pick them up.

Haenow · 16/03/2021 13:09

Obviously if it’s an emergency and nobody else could collect them today but otherwise, absolutely not!

UserTwice · 16/03/2021 13:12

How old are the children? How far is the school? The obvious thing would be to ask a classmate's parent to collect them. I find it hard to believe as FedNlanders suggests that it's entirely impossible for anyone else to collect them.

middleager · 16/03/2021 13:13

No. You're not even supposed to set foot out your front door legally.

Mine are older, but had to make their own way back when we were both unable to collect.

Rockbird · 16/03/2021 13:13

Contact the school office. If there was no one else to collect then we would walk them out to your car provided you stayed in it!

Original poster
petitdonkey · 16/03/2021 13:14

I don’t have anyone to collect them today- they are teens so I don’t need to leave the car. I am guessing that they then can’t go to school for the rest of the time as I can’t justifiably drive them!!

Could that message really just be the case of being near someone in the supermarket??? (It was my first trip to the shop since December!!)

OP posts:
PurpleDaisies · 16/03/2021 13:16

How on earth can people still not know what self isolate means?
It’s been a whole year.

Stay at home.
Do not leave your house.
This is so clear.

There is really no other way teenagers can get home from school? Really?

middleager · 16/03/2021 13:16

If they are teens can they get public transport or a taxi?

MummytoCSJH · 16/03/2021 13:17

I'm assuming that because you say drive there as opposed to just picking them up you mean waiting in the car for them? So your question is are you allowed to walk outside of your house to your car, get in your car, alone, park outside your children's school and wait for them to come out without ever having contact with anyone outside of your household? Well, I'm sure there are some people here who are unable to use common sense and will say absolutely not even if it means your kids can no longer go or get home from school. All well and good if your children are old enough and close enough to walk there and home alone. Provided you stick to it and don't have contact with anyone, it will be fine. If you mean actually going into school and having contact with other parents, then no.

And yes, some people really do have zero support and absolutely nobody else able to collect or look after their children.

MummytoCSJH · 16/03/2021 13:18

Cross post.

Not everyone can afford taxis every day for however many days it is, and I'm pretty sure the kids getting public transport instead defeats the point when there is an easy solution that will not put anyone at any extra risk.

FedNlanders · 16/03/2021 13:18

Of course some people are the only people who can get their kids! I have zero support network with regards to childcare!

PurpleDaisies · 16/03/2021 13:18

Here is what the nhs says about self isolation.

Note there is no exception for picking up children from school.

If you're told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace or the NHS COVID-19 app:

self-isolate immediately
do not leave your home for any reason – if you need food or medicine, order it online or by phone, or ask friends and family to drop it off at your home
^do not have visitors in your home, including friends and family – except for essential care
try to avoid contact with anyone you live with as much as possible^
any people you live with and any people in your support bubble do not need to self-isolate if you do not have symptoms

FedNlanders · 16/03/2021 13:19

@MummytoCSJH

I'm assuming that because you say drive there as opposed to just picking them up you mean waiting in the car for them? So your question is are you allowed to walk outside of your house to your car, get in your car, alone, park outside your children's school and wait for them to come out without ever having contact with anyone outside of your household? Well, I'm sure there are some people here who are unable to use common sense and will say absolutely not even if it means your kids can no longer go or get home from school. All well and good if your children are old enough and close enough to walk there and home alone. Provided you stick to it and don't have contact with anyone, it will be fine. If you mean actually going into school and having contact with other parents, then no.

And yes, some people really do have zero support and absolutely nobody else able to collect or look after their children.

I would do this for today, seems like you have no other option.
MummytoCSJH · 16/03/2021 13:21

@PurpleDaisies

Here is what the nhs says about self isolation.

Note there is no exception for picking up children from school.

If you're told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace or the NHS COVID-19 app:

self-isolate immediately
do not leave your home for any reason – if you need food or medicine, order it online or by phone, or ask friends and family to drop it off at your home
^do not have visitors in your home, including friends and family – except for essential care
try to avoid contact with anyone you live with as much as possible^
any people you live with and any people in your support bubble do not need to self-isolate if you do not have symptoms

Suppose the children will have to stay off school even though they don't need to then, mine would have to.
UserTwice · 16/03/2021 13:22

If they are teens can they not use public transport or cycle if you don't want to ask anyone else (or taxi as someone suggested - your 8 days straddles the weekend so would only be 6 school days)? I can see you might have no other option today, but you need to make another plan for the rest of the time.

lljkk · 16/03/2021 13:22

Sorry you have this difficult problem OP. I would drive them if no alternative & forget about critics. Not one of them is offering to help you.

UserTwice · 16/03/2021 13:23

And yes, some people really do have zero support and absolutely nobody else able to collect or look after their children.

If they have children at school, then they have other school parents to ask. They may not want to, but the option is there.

PurpleDaisies · 16/03/2021 13:24

@lljkk

Sorry you have this difficult problem OP. I would drive them if no alternative & forget about critics. Not one of them is offering to help you.
How would any of us posters be able to help the op get her children to school? What a ridiculous comment.
SleepingStandingUp · 16/03/2021 13:24

Why can they not catch the bus op? Is there a friend they could travel in with?

UserTwice · 16/03/2021 13:25

@lljkk

Sorry you have this difficult problem OP. I would drive them if no alternative & forget about critics. Not one of them is offering to help you.
Hi OP, I'm a complete stranger off the internet, who probably lives nowhere near you, but I would happily offer to pick your DC up from school and drop them off at home.

Is that the sort of help you mean?

SleepingStandingUp · 16/03/2021 13:25

@lljkk

Sorry you have this difficult problem OP. I would drive them if no alternative & forget about critics. Not one of them is offering to help you.
Erm yeah, I'll offer to drive random kids of random woman off internet to school and she'll accept cos that wouldn't be inappropriate as hell!!
MrsArchchancellorRidcully · 16/03/2021 13:26

If you are a close contact, you can't leave the house but the rest of the family carry on as normal unless they show symptoms. Is there a reason your teens can't get themselves to school? Definitely stay in the car.