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

[ginforall]

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.

Yes, I think there are two separate problems here, and they don't both involve DC who need attentive childcare.

Some DC who need active childcare because of age and/or needs will test positive. They will need to be cared for in their home by a person who can't also work properly at the same time, even if their job does allow for wfh.

Then other DC who don't need anything other than an adult in the same house and basic checks, meal prep etc will test positive, and how difficult this is for the parents will depend on the type of work they do. If a parent or perhaps other relative can be with them and wfh, that doesn't present you with a childcare problem, but if nobody can then it does.

Both of these are going to have significant implications for parents of children under around 12, and for anyone relying on the jobs done by those parents.

My daughter starts year 7 at the school I teach at next week. There's no way she could be left on her own if ill with covid. There is no family living in the same county as us never mind town. So I won't be able to go to work and will have to split the time off with her dad ( separated) who is also a teacher. Not sure how colleagues will feel knowing she's ill yet I'm in work instead of isolating as would be the case last academic year.

@Howshouldibehave

I can see people who can’t work from home, eg teachers, dentists, pharmacists, nurses, drivers, retail staff will need to have periods of absence to look after young children (who may have gone to grandparents with other illnesses). If there isn’t suitable cover, eg supply teachers, locums etc, appointments will be cancelled and services restricted, classes closed. This will affect everyone-particularly other working parents.

NHS staff still have to isolate for 10 days if someone in their house has covid.

I don't know about every trust, but my NhS trust doesn't make you take unpaid leave if you have a positive in your household!!! It's just the same as it's been since the pandemic started - self isolation which is paid as it has been all along. If you can do anything from home it's a bonus (I'm ward based but can do bits and pieces if it's emailed to me / CPD etc)

Good to hear some NHS trusts are paying if you have to isolate. Was shocking to read that some aren't.

We have a 13 yr old (as well as a younger one) who would be fine on his own if not ill, but would not feel good leaving him alone with covid.

@yellowdigsaur

I don't know about every trust, but my NhS trust doesn't make you take unpaid leave if you have a positive in your household!!! It's just the same as it's been since the pandemic started - self isolation which is paid as it has been all along. If you can do anything from home it's a bonus (I'm ward based but can do bits and pieces if it's emailed to me / CPD etc)

That’s great NHS staff will get the time paid.

I think that teaching staff should as well.

Well would fall over 2 weekends so it’s 6 work days to sort! So 3 each!

@User5827372728

Well would fall over 2 weekends so it’s 6 work days to sort! So 3 each!

Possibly, but not definitely!!

@User5827372728

Well would fall over 2 weekends so it’s 6 work days to sort! So 3 each!

Not if you test positive on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday.

Surely if self isolation is important everyone should get paid

NHS? Are you sure? Most companies will pay if the staff member is ill, they don’t pay if it’s the child that’s unwell.

They never have in teaching.

With chicken pox a friend lost half her salary for that month!

Wonders why teachers leave?

I am lucky I am sahm mum so if they home I can wear it.
I'm happy leaving my 15 year old to babysit younger few for 2hours when they well whilst I do shopping/ postoffice chores.
I wouldn't leave my 10 or 12 year old alone.
If they were ill im not sure want to leave them at all even for short time .
Anecdotal I know but eldest freinds dad got covid then rest of family did .
Her freind age 15 was OK not too poorly but her younger sister 13 was really unwell .

If I had teaching job or any job and anyone one of them had covid I would not be going to work.

As far as I know when furlough ends I assume the isolating payment to parents will also end so families be worse off.
As surely the probability of them of teacher or pupil in school catching covid is higher.

I imagine be lot teacher absence as lots people go into teaching for term time jobs because they have kids.
Similar nhs sometimes doing shifts can suit working families.

What is legal age leaving a child alone on uk?

@user1487194234

Surely if self isolation is important everyone should get paid

bloody nora this is what everyone has been saying for the past 18 months. Of course they should. In many many cases they aren't, including in my case (self employed)

Yes I know that
I am one of the self employed who has jade sweet FA

Surely if self isolation is important everyone should get paid

Legally if you aren’t ill you don’t self isolate, only the sick person self isolates and that means away from everyone else in the house!

Obviously parent can do this, so they have to stay home not being paid -

This is all so worrying.

I've just undergone 6 months of brutal chemo and a stem cell transplant for lymphoma. My immune system has been destroyed and restarted from scratch so despite being double jabbed I've got no covid immunity and could become very ill if I caught it. I've got a 5 and 7 yr old and am supposed to send them into school next week when local rates are through the roof (Cornwall) knowing that a lot of parents won't be in the position to keep kids home if they have an active case, so it's pretty inevitable that it's going to spread in the classrooms. I am pretty terrified and it looks like we might have to elect to homeschool until the situation gets less risky. I'll only be able to do this because my parents are close enough to help out - I'm still too ill to fully supervise my kids and DH can't afford to lose any more self employed income. We are both gutted about the idea of the kids misssing out on school but what choice do we have??

Many of us don't even get statutory sick pay never mind paid leave to mind a child! (Self employed - no wonder our taxes are so high paying for everyone to have all this paid time off we don't get ourselves - not very fair is it?)

What's the legal age for leaving a child alone in the UK?

There isn't one. It's a judgment call.

@Xenia

Many of us don't even get statutory sick pay never mind paid leave to mind a child! (Self employed - no wonder our taxes are so high paying for everyone to have all this paid time off we don't get ourselves - not very fair is it?)

You're welcome to join the NHS for such perks - we need all the help we can get.

Sorry OP, just read you were teachers.
Have your school not set up the system whereby you teach remotely but with a cover supervisor in the classroom?
So they manage the class and set up the camera to face them but you do the delivery until independent tasks follow and cover supervisor supervises?
That would be the expectation where I am. Not sure how well it works in practise - it is similar to team-teaching and making sure you don't talk over each other - but there is a knack to it.
Something for teachers to consider if they won't be paid otherwise but you get 3 days compassionate anyway x 2 if lucky enough to have a co-parent take the same, meaning 4 days unpaid, 2 each...
This is if the bursar/LEA is buckling down as far as absences go. Ours was very generous iirc (as I said I was able to make up my hours so don't know what happened with colleagues who couldn't).
Good luck, Godspeed

www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/in-the-home/home-alone/
While every child is different, we wouldn't recommend leaving a child under 12 years old home alone, particularly for longer periods of time.
It’s important to know that if you hire a babysitter who is under the age of 16, they’re too young to be legally responsible if harm comes to your child. If you’ve left your child with someone who isn’t able to take care of them, this could be seen as neglect under the law.
www.gov.uk/law-on-leaving-your-child-home-alone
Parents can be prosecuted if they leave a child unsupervised ‘in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health’.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-58402153.amp?fbclid=IwAR2WNW5fSG-1fIiPvQXwR-smVzFfmiNPPQaXgWLyqPQeFkF9TMj4qOAr4cw

1/2 a school off in first week of term

Many due to waiting PCR tests as close contacts

It’s the way forward.

@BluebellsGreenbells

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-58402153.amp?fbclid=IwAR2WNW5fSG-1fIiPvQXwR-smVzFfmiNPPQaXgWLyqPQeFkF9TMj4qOAr4cw

1/2 a school off in first week of term

Many due to waiting PCR tests as close contacts

It’s the way forward.

Thats still a lif of kids and staff off. Also Scottish rules are different they sent home to do pcr and can't come back until results come back negative. Think there's been delays with Scottish testing or maybe its just reporting. Scotland also don't fine parents if thye decide to keep them home.

In England close contacts under 18 don't have to isolate.
They are advised take a pcr test don't think its mandatory.
Also think they welcome attend school whilst they wait to get ocr tests results through.
Also they threatening fines and attendance officers.

My neighbours both low paid work leave their 11 year old and 9 year old home alone sometimes whilst they work.

@BluebellsGreenbells

NHS? Are you sure? Most companies will pay if the staff member is ill, they don’t pay if it’s the child that’s unwell.

They never have in teaching.

With chicken pox a friend lost half her salary for that month!

Wonders why teachers leave?

It's the same in the vast majority of jobs not to get paid if you take time off to look after ill dc . Not sure how leaving a job because of this is the solution as chances are you'd be in the same position with a new employer.

The difference with NHS is that you aren't 'staying off work to look after a sick child' - that would be A/L or unpaid. With covid in the house, you have to stay at home and isolate - the rules on that haven't changed for NHS workers. The NHS doesn't want you at work due to the risk of exposure to patients and outbreaks it causes regardless of the new government guidance. Hence it's paid self isolation leave - there's a special code on the system and everything.