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Original poster

If a child has to isolate, but not parents, how will you manage childcare?

178 replies

ginforall · 30/08/2021 15:44

Something which has been playing on my mind, so interested in others opinions on this. If your child tests positive so needs to isolate for 10 days how will you manage childcare if you do not need to isolate and work expects you in? I officially get one day paid to sort out childcare, and then it would be unpaid, DH same. Usually we would ask grandparents if needed (but obviously not if DS had covid). I'm assuming one of us would have to take time off unpaid which would feel a little frustrating (both teachers so no option to wfh).

Hopefully won't be an issue but interested in how other parents are planning to manage.

OP posts:
Fullyhuman · 31/08/2021 08:53

So nurses and healthcare assistants are supposed to get into debt/use up any savings they have? This is outrageous. Of course many won’t be able to afford this.

containsnuts · 31/08/2021 08:55

These guidelines are causing a lot of confusion (Scotand). I had to call the helpline for clarification!. DS has symptoms. If the test is positive, DS isolates for 10 days. Then I do a PCR but because double vaxed can be free upon a negative result. So technically not required to isolate for the full 10 days but practically will end up doing just that with DS anyway. I personally think more should be in law so employers are required to support us in these scenarios.

Silverparting · 31/08/2021 09:09

This sounds like a nightmare if one child catches Covid and you have three other children, they all have to isolate, so a lone parent could be juggling a sick child, work and three other kids at home.

If those kids then catch Covid, it repeats, let alone other illnesses.

What a nightmare

mocktail · 31/08/2021 09:20

@akire Here are the Welsh rules - you don't have to self isolate if there's a case in your household if you're double jabbed or under 18.

If a child has to isolate, but not parents, how will you manage childcare?
containsnuts · 31/08/2021 09:24

@Silverparting

This sounds like a nightmare if one child catches Covid and you have three other children, they all have to isolate, so a lone parent could be juggling a sick child, work and three other kids at home.

If those kids then catch Covid, it repeats, let alone other illnesses.

What a nightmare

Nightmare indeed! It's not just with a positive result though. Every time one has a cough or fever I'll still have to take a few days off at least (in addition to all the usual days off with their illnesses). I almost hope it's positive this time to get us out this never ending cycle!
bonbonours · 31/08/2021 09:25

@Silverparting

This sounds like a nightmare if one child catches Covid and you have three other children, they all have to isolate, so a lone parent could be juggling a sick child, work and three other kids at home.

If those kids then catch Covid, it repeats, let alone other illnesses.

What a nightmare

No, the other children don't have to isolate any more if a sibling has it. But you could end up staying home with one child, then another one catches it 7-10 days later and you have to stay at home with them as well. But at least once they've had it they are unlikely to get it again so then you're done, unlike last year when they could be isolating over and over again due to contact.
containsnuts · 31/08/2021 09:32

But every time one has a non-covid cough it's another few days pending negative results (Scotland). There's a lot of coughs and all those extra days add up.

containsnuts · 31/08/2021 09:38

It gets to the point where I don't want to engage in it anymore but my social concience won't let me send one in coughing and spluttering away.

I've had my morning rant. Calmer now. I'm sure you can tell I'm fed-up with it already and they've only been back 2 weeks!

LovelyLovelyWarmCoffee · 31/08/2021 09:49

@BitterTits

I expect we'll have to take time off unpaid. It really pissed me off that people who can't WFH are disadvantaged in so many ways, having risked our health throughout the pandemic.
I understand it is a difficult situation to be done but the crux of the matter is that we are paid (by a private company for most people) to do a job. If we can’t do this job remotely the company will either need us on site or won’t pay us, govt grants / furlough are not sustainable long term.

You sound angry and I can empathize, but what realistic solution do you propose?

containsnuts · 31/08/2021 09:53

I suggest covid related time off should be treated like sick leave/parental leave and should be paid accordingly.

JS87 · 31/08/2021 09:56

In all likelihood during the ten days either you or DS or DH will test positive so can then switch to sick leave so you probably only have about five days or so to take unpaid and that would likely include weekend

Megan2018 · 31/08/2021 10:07

Annual leave or paid contingency leave here. We do WFH but it’s not possible with a 2 year old as she has to be supervised all the time.
Fortunately DH gets paid leave too so we split it. He works shifts, usually 6am-3pm and I am 9-5, so he usually works 6-12 and I work 12-5 and then it means we both get a decent amount done so it’s not too disruptive to work.

LindaEllen · 31/08/2021 10:09

@Akire

I’m not in England. OP didn’t stay where they were!
They didn't, but their question was 'what do you do if a child needs to isolate and the parents don't' so surely that made it obvious that those were the rules where they are?? Therefore no need to come and confuse things by talking about your rules 🤨.
Simplelobsterhat · 31/08/2021 10:10

@Akire

If a household has it you still need isolate track and trace will tell you that. Living with someone is different from close contact you may have seen at work for half an hour and then have the double jabbed exemption.

Rules are confusing as A- don’t need isolate if a contact but B- household must isolate. Family in situation and have been reading guidance.

I am also in Wales and friend whose don had it 2 weeks ago was explicitly told by track and trace the rest of household didn't need to isolate as all either double jabbed or under 18.
MiddleParking · 31/08/2021 10:14

@JS87

In all likelihood during the ten days either you or DS or DH will test positive so can then switch to sick leave so you probably only have about five days or so to take unpaid and that would likely include weekend
You can’t set any store by that! It’s not ‘in all likelihood’ at all not to mention that it would only work once if it did at all.
user1487194234 · 31/08/2021 10:22

Wonder how the numbers compare between people who get full pay to isolate against people who don't

MaryGubbins · 31/08/2021 10:40

I am not sure nurses have to take unpaid leave. Pretty sure most trusts would class it as special leave/covid leave. I’ve used some of that when child off before.

Frazzled2207 · 31/08/2021 11:03

my ds 1 had to self isolate three times last year. Was horrendous but I'm not sure how things are different now. In fact it is unlikely I think that they will get it twice over a short period so overall I'd be hoping for less disruption if only positive kids have to isolate not the whole class every time.

Knittingupastorm · 31/08/2021 11:11

Surely it’s the same as managing any illness that prevents your child from going to school/nursery. If my DD had D&V, chicken pox etc I’d be in exactly the same situation, just for not quite as long.

Howshouldibehave · 31/08/2021 11:18

just for not quite as long

Well, yes. That is exactly the problem.

Our school is now only 24 hours past the final incident for sickness/diarrhoea. Colds, tonsillitis and Chickenpox, my parents had my DC for. Covid is 10 days and not appropriate for my 80 year old parents to have them for. They are both double jabbed, but the second jab was just after Christmas, there’s no mention of them getting a booster and they are pretty vulnerable.

mocktail · 31/08/2021 11:19

@Knittingupastorm For other illnesses there's not a mandatory 10 days off for the sick child, plus I'd happily recruit grandparents to help, but not for Covid.

BluebellsGreenbells · 31/08/2021 11:22

Bit as it’s a new virus the likely hood is a lot of children and parents will be off work.

You then compound this with people not being paid, workplaces short staffed, businesses having to close and it becomes a nightmare all round.

Teachers have children too, no teachers no school!

BluebellsGreenbells · 31/08/2021 11:25

Something like chicken pox has already don’t through the older kids so unlikely to be a big impact as covid

kirinm · 31/08/2021 11:34

Consider yourself very lucky you haven't already had to do this!

We took alternate days off. It is a total nightmare. Most of my annual leave has been taken up by isolating and / or awaiting covid test results due to lingering coughs etc. (None of us have ever had covid).

lannistunut · 31/08/2021 11:38

@Knittingupastorm

Surely it’s the same as managing any illness that prevents your child from going to school/nursery. If my DD had D&V, chicken pox etc I’d be in exactly the same situation, just for not quite as long.
Yes, but this is going to be really intense as so many kids are going to get it at once.

Chicken pox is once only for most people, and so it doesn't spread in the same way as a school will have many immune people.

My children have never been off with D&V since starting school - and that is only 48 hours usually - and you can ask grandparents to do it.