I get it, I do, but there will be tragedies from this

[DoubleAction]

I know, we need the social distance.

Yesterday we were going to have all vulnerable children in .

Today it's only if they can't be safely at home. But by who's judgement? They're vulnerable at the best of times and these are far from that.

Schools can't do it all but there are going to be some awful tragedies. I hope there won't be finger pointing too

My DH teaches at a school with a massive % of kids on PP. He sat almost in tears last night because so many of his kids aren't going to get enough to eat until the schools open again.

yadnbu

This upsets me so much. For many children school is the only place they hear kind words and have some food. With parents at home and stressed and no money it’s a shitstorm.

I have donated to our local food bank and will do regularly. I do know a lot of teachers will be making welfare checks. It’s not going to be enough but it’s better than nothing. This is one aspect of it all I find so heartbreaking.

Yes, we will do welfare checks by phone but have been told not to do home visits (contact). Most won't answer. What then?

Where I live, the towns and cities recognise that many children receive their main meals at school. So they have closed schools and also set up a contactless food pick up for families in the meal plan. It is possible to close schools and still provide for families in need. Why isn't your government doing that?

It's not the food. We do have plans (of sorts) to deal with that. It's protecting them from abuse, alcoholic parents, neglect, CSE, etc etc Giving them a safe place to go for a few hours a day

All child recon cin or cp have school places available in our area? Whether they are taken to school is another matter.
If they are not safe at home at all then there should already be legal discussions taking place?

In our area vouchers are being sent for FSM and certain schools have been named for those families to go and get a lunch.

There are already many cases appearing in schools today and the past few days of probably CV, staff amongst them. Do you really want vulnerable kids sent to schools to mix with staff and other kids who may pass it on to them?

Unless they are masked and gowned up the whole day I can’t see how schools can keep kids safe either. It’s a tragedy all round for these kids, whatever provision is made for them.

DDs nursery called me today to check we were coping and remind us the weekly food project (like a food bank but at the nursery) was still on.
Normally I find their do-goodery a bit intrusive but under the present cricumstances it is vey touching.
They are going to phone every family once a week just to check up on us and see if we need support.
Really over and above the call of duty.
We're not vulnerable but many people in our area are and its really reassuring to see that nursery staff are looking out for families.

It's not over and above unlimiteddilutingjuice it's what all schools will be doing. But the families of the children that need it most won't engage

DD's school are offering lunch to PP children...but many travel miles and miles to get there, and the school buses won't be running
Once the termly bus pass runs out, I can't see pp parents paying for another so their child can pop off to school to get a sandwich.
I'd heard there were going to be vouchers for supermarkets to cover two meals a day (breakfast and lunch), but the supermarkets are empty and I've not heard how the vouchers will be issued to those that need them.

I'm in this category,after a rough few months and relying on FSM for my DD I was fine when they said we could go to school everyday and pick up her lunch...today they emailed and said the school we had to go to was 10 miles and 2 buses away to collect lunch and that's not impossible.

Scary at an already terrifying time!

Well i was impressed DoubleAction!

My DS is in primary school with a middle class intake, outside the area. They have certainly not called to check we have enough food!
Just a link to some online resources and left to get on with it.

I can understand why families don't engage tbh.
As I said, it normally feels a bit overwelming and intrustive. Although well intentioned, I'm sure.

At our nursery its sometimes been unclear where optional additional services end and child protection begins.
I can understand the instinct to distance yourself for fear of something being picked up on and escallated. Trust takes a long time to build and the nursery has made some miststeps.

Where I have "engaged" its often been with the aim of simply convincing them we're OK and getting them to back off. I believe this is called "disguised compliance"

Anyhow, as I say, it starts to feel genuinely useful at a time like this.

I was able to report no problems today.

But I did think: Imagine if they call in a few weeks time and, heaven forbid, DH and me are both poorly and struggling to breathe, maybe on hold for hours with 101, maybe too ill to care for the children or go outside to the shops. I imagine getting a call from a professional who cares would be very welcome at that point.