Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Covid positive lone parent and school absence

28 replies

loloballlolo · 20/01/2022 14:58

Does anyone have any info on this? LP and no-one who can take him into school. School have stated it will be an unauthorised absence. He is young and not keen on getting a taxi in. A bit annoyed with school to be honest because there's nothing I can do. No local schemes to get him into school.

OP posts:

LolaSmiles · 20/01/2022 15:05

Depends on age and context, but the fact that you've suggested a taxi is a viable option and it's just that your DC isn't keen on it leaves me erring on the side of the school.

If you're more than 3 miles away (it's different for under 8s) or there is no safe walking route then you'd be eligible for school transport if you've sent DC to their nearest school. If you've chosen a school further away with the only options being you dropping off or a taxi then that's the risk you take making that decision.

Original poster

loloballlolo · 20/01/2022 16:12

I've just contacted the taxi company and I am fine with that if they are ok with it, but they might not be able to do it for under tens. Will see what happens!

OP posts:

Original poster

loloballlolo · 20/01/2022 16:13

I'm happy to use a taxi service if they will do it, so let us hope so!

OP posts:

worriedandannoyed · 20/01/2022 16:18

@LolaSmiles

Depends on age and context, but the fact that you've suggested a taxi is a viable option and it's just that your DC isn't keen on it leaves me erring on the side of the school.

What an unhelpful comment! She's isolating, not something any of us expected when we chose what school our children went to.

Whether the school is a 2 min drive or 20 min drive makes no difference. A free taxi isn't just automatically awarded if a parent can't get their child to school due to isolating...

Iamkmackered1979 · 20/01/2022 16:35

It costs £8/9 each way to get to school via taxi from my house
Single parent my son walked some days but was knackered it’s a long day and it was getting dark. I didn’t send him for the rest of the week there was no implications or unauthorised absence but I called school and explained and the office staff sorted it out for us. I hope you get things sorted op, it’s stressful

Original poster

loloballlolo · 20/01/2022 16:42

I've just had two taxi firms say no under tens unaccompanied. I'm more than happy to pay the cost involved but if they can't do it then I'm screwed. Unhelpfully school have sent me a brief text message saying that he needs to come in, with no more information. Completely useless. I have one more taxi firm to try, I will try them in the morning. Sadly I have not got a great support network here and nobody I can really ask for favours (no local parents etc) - every time i have asked for a favour in the past everyone has been so disinterested. :( fingers crossed this new firm will be ok!

OP posts:

RedCandyApple · 20/01/2022 16:44

I’m in Lone parent, in this situation I was told to keep mine off 🤷‍♀️

Original poster

loloballlolo · 20/01/2022 17:05

glad to hear your school had some sense! thanks redcandyapple.

I am hopeful the taxi co will pick him up tomorrow

OP posts:

shorttwoshot · 20/01/2022 17:07

I just drove mine, dropped them off but didn't get out of the car myself. Is this an option?

Original poster

loloballlolo · 20/01/2022 17:19

sadly I don't drive @shorttwoshot :(

OP posts:

shorttwoshot · 20/01/2022 17:21

@loloballlolo

sadly I don't drive *@shorttwoshot* :(

Aww sorry, that's really frustrating then. I hope you get sorted and that you don't feel too poorly xx

Cuddlemequick · 20/01/2022 17:27

Call your school, explain everything, that you don't drive, taxis won't take under 10s. There is no other way in for him!

Original poster

loloballlolo · 20/01/2022 17:29

@cuddlemequick - I'm waiting to see what the final taxi company say in the morning, and then I will give them a call. I called twice today explaining that I couldn't get him in but they were really super unhelpful. At that point I hadn't checked with taxis though. Maybe that would make them buck up a bit. Hopefully the final taxi company will help!

OP posts:

catchingzzzeds · 20/01/2022 17:33

The school are just following the procedure they are told to follow. Ignore them and keep him home, nothing will happen 🤷🏼‍♀️

RedCandyApple · 20/01/2022 17:38

I wasn’t isolating it was back when if someone tests positive in the class the whole class has to isolate so I don’t know if they have changed their rule since then... they just told me to keep all my kids home even the ones that didn’t have to isolate as I had no way to get them there as I don’t drive either. My kids school have never been the type that would come and collect them etc often see that suggested on here... back in the real world 😂

Cuddlemequick · 20/01/2022 17:47

Nothing will happen, it may end up being mark as unauthorised but that doesn't mean anything. You won't get fined if that's your concern.

altmember · 20/01/2022 17:47

I'm in same position with my you get two (10 and 8). They had covid last week and are about ready to go back to school, but just as they were recovering they've given it to me. I'd be ok with them walking themselves to school, but I expect the school will feel differently.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 20/01/2022 17:49

I'd keep mine off in that situation, no way would I put my 8 year old in a taxi to school.

LethargicActress · 20/01/2022 17:54

If your son isn’t keen to do it, I wouldn’t worry too much about forcing him. There will be no real consequences to the absence being unauthorised. Send them an email with a photo of your positive result, and say again that you don’t drive and have no family that can help. That way they have a written record of why your son isnt at school as evidence that you’re not just being lazy, so in the unlikely event that the EWO did notice the absences, they will be satisfied.

ivykaty44 · 20/01/2022 17:56

I’d email, I wouldn’t telephone

Explain that you are not prepared to break covid 19 isolation. You have tried 3 taxi companies but the refuse to take unaccompanied children under 10 and give the names of each taxi company.

Then ask them if they have a solution, otherwise you are not physically able to get D.C. to school

Give it back to them in writing and wait for their reply. If they phone you then ask for a written reply as they are going to count this absentee as unauthorised

Dippydinosaurus · 20/01/2022 18:05

As PP above but also ask for home learning pack/padlet for your child for the week they'll be off. If we have children off covid related we provide a padlet

randomsabreuse · 20/01/2022 18:06

Cynically either he has symptoms and needs a postal PCR or a faint line on a LFT... Then it's covid absence...

HairyScaryMonster · 20/01/2022 18:08

Yep id be saying delayed or inconclusive PCR result if I can't do taxi.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 20/01/2022 18:17

I would only send if it was a proper school trip with vetted driver (DD had one of thosevat 8, totally different to a random driver!)

Original poster

loloballlolo · 20/01/2022 18:57

thanks everyone! I'll see what the taxi firm says tomorrow. He's literally just out of the covid positive isolation window himself (he gave it to me) so we can't do a covid excuse for him as i'd already told them he would be returning :(
I will definitely email and speak to the head if I need to. I know nothing will really happen if he is unauthorised but I do feel it's the principle of the matter really and what if he needed more time off later in the year for something else they could be super unhelpful.

OP posts:

Flip

1 2