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Original poster

What happens to children of single mums with no support if get hospitalised by Covid?

76 replies

NoviceNewMN · 21/10/2021 16:16

My friend who is a single mum and lives on her own has just come down with Coronvirus and her two children have tested positive. She doesn't have any relatives and her mum lives abroad.

It got me thinking (for which read worrying) what happens if a single mother with no family or other support and totally absent father gets Covid and gets so bad they have to be hospitalised?

If the children are also positive, no one is going to 'volunteer' to have them in their own family so what happens to the children?

Do they get put into hospital too? Even if social services gets involved, who actually looks after Covid positive children without risking getting it themselves?

OP posts:
vickyc90 · 21/10/2021 16:19

Honestly if it was my friends they could come here, we've all been jabbed so the risk of serious disease is tiny and the case rates are so high it a case of when not if we get exposed.

onthinice · 21/10/2021 16:20

Good question abs one I was worrying about the other night as my two were in bed (with covid) and I was getting chest pains that radiated down my left arm and up to my chin. Fingers poised over the the 9 on the phone, but after a few minutes it subsided so I didn't bother. Really don't know what I would have done.

BlueistheNewme · 21/10/2021 16:23

I worked in covid areas at the start of the pandemic (pre vaccines) and during the strict lockdown.
A friend agreed to come to mine and look after the children if this happened to me - single parent.

BlueistheNewme · 21/10/2021 16:23

And I would have no hesitation doing it for someone.

HumunaHey · 21/10/2021 16:24

It's a horrible scenario to think about. The DC couldn't go to hospital too just because they have covid.

You would need to find SOMEONE to take them. That would make me very anxious.

megletthesecond · 21/10/2021 16:25

No idea. Its my constant fear.
I am the most annoyingly healthy person I know for this reason Blush.

Nuttymonkey · 21/10/2021 16:27

I would imagine social services would get involved and a Foster family might step in. I would imagine there would be a Foster carer willing to do this if double jabbed or had covid in the family already...

IncessantNameChanger · 21/10/2021 16:29

If there is no one to step up surely socail services takes over? When I had my last child they thought I need a c section for low laying placenta. One of the kids has SEN and his early years person at the LA said they would get me two days of emergency socail care for me. Luckily that didnt happen. I know it's not ideal but personal I would rather emergency short term fostering than begging family to take time off work again.

TurnUpTurnip · 21/10/2021 16:29

Social services. It’s all very well and good people saying they would have their friends kids but not everyone has that, certainly there is no one who could look after my 4 kids whilst I went into hospital but that applies to anything requiring hospital treatment not just covid

TreeLawney · 21/10/2021 16:30

I’d have a friend’s children in a heartbeat in this situation. Wouldn’t think twice.

TurnUpTurnip · 21/10/2021 16:30

Not everyone’s has friends who can have their kids many single parents don’t

x2boys · 21/10/2021 16:31

I guess they would have to have emergency Foster care, if there were absolutely no family members or friends who could look after them?

Treblebass · 21/10/2021 16:32

It would be emergency foster care covid positive or not.

thewhatsit · 21/10/2021 16:40

I know not everyone will have good enough friends or family to ask but I think this
If the children are also positive, no one is going to 'volunteer' to have them in their own family
is a bit of a stretch. I would feel perfectly comfortable looking after Covid positive children in an emergency and I think a lot of people would, surely.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 21/10/2021 16:44

My MIL is my sickness back up (I'm not a single parent, just have a husband in the Army so is often not available or will take a while to travel home).

A few years ago, a friend went into hospital, her toddler was taken into emergency short term Foster care.

beigebrownblue · 21/10/2021 16:48

Like many other things we have to do, normal flu included - we hack it somehow.

And usually we do it very well.

My solution has been to prepare everything in the house in the event of.

i.e. always having enough supplies in, everything done...

Emergency plan..etc.

During various lockdowns, I'm afraid despite all the noises out there about all the help that was supposedly available - no one did, so I got used to doing it by myself regardless.

beigebrownblue · 21/10/2021 16:49

I heard someone say last year 'our normal is other peoples' difficult'

just about covers it.

2020isnotbehaving · 21/10/2021 16:49

Foster carers or if children are also ill with covid and no carers can take then sick then imagine it would be children's ward even if not sick enough need hospital care. There isn’t another option.

Embroidery · 21/10/2021 16:50

Emergency foster care.
My aunt supports refugee women and a lady needed hospital treatment quite regularly. All 5 children inc baby go to emergency foster care each time.
It happens a lot.
Get out of your MC bubble for a minute and look at the world

Bagelsandbrie · 21/10/2021 16:53

Emergency foster care.

megletthesecond · 21/10/2021 17:01

beige "our normal is other peoples' difficult".

Crikey, that's so true. I sometimes hear colleagues muttering about a parenting stress and I have to remind myself they have no idea.

SickAndTiredAgain · 21/10/2021 17:02

If the children are also positive, no one is going to 'volunteer' to have them in their own family

I’d be perfectly happy having the children of a friend who has been hospitalised, regardless of whether they also had covid. Unless you have someone vulnerable in your household, I would judge you for turning them away if that was your only reason (of course, there are many other reasons why people would not feel able to have other children to stay, cost I imagine being a big one).

Iggly · 21/10/2021 17:04

@Nuttymonkey

I would imagine social services would get involved and a Foster family might step in. I would imagine there would be a Foster carer willing to do this if double jabbed or had covid in the family already...
Yes. As a kid this happened to me when mum was ill (single mum; no family helped).
julieca · 21/10/2021 17:05

Social Services will look after kids on this basis if there really is no one else. But generally it only happens if you really do have no one else who can help.

beigebrownblue · 21/10/2021 17:09

@megletthesecond

beige "our normal is other peoples' difficult".

Crikey, that's so true. I sometimes hear colleagues muttering about a parenting stress and I have to remind myself they have no idea.

Thanks msec I don't feel so alone with it!