How long to keep child shielding

[Naz2009]

Hi mums, I see a lot of mums not wanting to send their kids back to school.
I understand their decision. I'm one of them.
I want to keep DD home. If I can WFH my DD can school at home.
We are in T4 starting from today. We have been in Tier 3 since September. and numbers are high, yet schools remain open.
How long can I keep her home. Eventually she'll go back to school and it's not like the virus will be gone.

You could contact the school to see if you can home school without them off listing her. A family at our school have done that.

Surely it depends on:

• how old your DD is
• is she especially vulnerable
• will you be expecting school to do anything 'special' for your child, or will you be taking all the responsibility for her learning
• if you are WFH, who will be teaching her, or is she old enough to self study

You use the term ‘shielding’ in your post; is that because your DD is clinically vulnerable? If so I think you should talk to the ductile I’m ok Ed in her care about how long she is likely to need to shield for. If she is shielding under the direction of her doctor the school should have a duty to provide materials for hone education in this time.

If she’s not clinically vulnerable I don’t think ‘shielding’ is the correct term to use. Choosing to keep your healthy child off is completely different to being advised by a doctor to shield a clinically vulnerable child.

Is your DD or a household family member clinically vulnerable? That would make a difference regarding whether to send her back sooner or later.

My DD is 4 and in reception class. She has a condition which causes her low immunity, I've been told to shield her as she is a red flag on the system by my GP.
He has said to shield her for 12 weeks.
But once she goes back the virus is still there.
My work is such that I can work and educate her. Since the start of school. Twice her year group have had to self isolate as members in her bubble got covid. So for that time I was happily able to adjust. Yes it made my work hard. But if it means DD is safe. Then keep her home.
Those 2 times school didn't provide with no supplies. Lucky I had everything I needed to help her learn. I feel a little bad for her teacher. Who will have to send me daily HW. I don't want to add to her workload.

If she is 4 and immunosuppressed and you can teach her, then I'd definitely consider keeping her home until Easter.

The virus won't be gone, no, but there are loads of illnesses she could be exposed to even without it. Hopefully by Easter enough people will have been vaccinated that the virus won't be moving around the population nearly so much.

She has 11 years to catch up anything missed.

However I would be concerned about her getting lonely, so you might want to see what you could do to mitigate that.

When is her birthday? If she is summer born would it be too late to keep her at home for the rest of this year and defer her starting again until September?

April 16 she will be 5. She is a prem baby. She was due 2nd June.

(I don't think you'd be allowed to do it anyway. Deferring needs to be agreed in advance normally, otherwise you would have people not getting the school of their choice and then deferring to have another bite at the cherry.)

I would contact GP to get it in writing that she needs to continue shielding and yes, I would definitely keep her off school.

I don't have the answer to your question but I'm also wanting to keep my child home and struggling to think of how to word it to school.

I'm not shielding (clinically extremely vulnerable) but I am clinically vulnerable and awaiting surgery. I just don't feel comfortable.

I have a baby as well as two in key stage 1.
My husband agrees but not sure how to put it to school.

I just want to keep them off for the first two weeks until it's all reviewed on the 18th and we know what's happening with the numbers, at which stage the schools will be closed or I can reassess for myself.

@Mindymomo I've already been sent the letter by my GP yesterday. He has made it clear her condition and the consequences if she was to get covid and therefore avoid all face to face contact for at least 12 weeks.
That means she goes back to school after the Easter break.

@hicoolcatsandkittens
As you're awaiting surgery. Can you contact your GP on Monday and seek advice.
I have a feeling they will tell you to shield maybe but say other family members are allowed to go out etc.
It's unfair, if parents want to keep children home and safe. They should be allowed to and not risk being fined. Those parents who happily want to send kids they can.
If you get no clear answer from GP email your kids school, or call up when schools opens. Explain your worries. I know school will reassure you school is safe. They wash hands have bubbles etc etc.
You follow your gut instinct.