Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Is there any thought yet as to how students are going to get home for Christmas?

362 replies

TawnyPippit · 26/10/2020 13:53

I haven’t seen anything, but I’m assuming some thought must be being given to this, whether by the universities or the govt?. DS is in catered accommodation and I can’t believe that that that would keep on going all over the Christmas period. I’m not a Christmas obsessive - DS is just coming to the end of his first lockdown period, and also can’t come home for reading week as originally planned as we are Tier 2. But I have told him (rashly?) that it will all be ok for Christmas.

I guess the way it would currently work would be to do another period of isolation - which hopefully will be just 7 days by then - and then come and re-join our household. He is in Tier 1, so coming home is not a problem for him, its us that cannot mix households ATM.

I suspect its all too far away to strategise about at the moment as we will likely have several different iterations of lockdown restrictions before then, just idle musings.

OP posts:
mumsneedwine · 31/10/2020 17:25

@cologne4711 Many will have parents freely mixing with students at school too 😊

ListeningQuietly · 31/10/2020 17:34

My child will come home for Christmas no matter what
because I did not spend 20 years raising the little sod
to have their mental health destroyed by the idiocy of our Government.

We have no elderly relatives still living in this country.

The end of Transition on 31st December will herald dark days for the UK.
I can best look after my family if we are all together.

Aragog · 31/10/2020 17:37

Stupid supposed adults who can't work out for themselves how selfish this is to their parents and grandparents. .. and the NHS

My DD has probably been far less of a risk to me (clinically vulnerable) than I am to our household.

She is only in close prolonged contact with a handful of other students within her bubble (flat below). She is an empty flat as her flat mates have all bailed and gone home so isn't sharing a kitchen even. She is 2m away from other students during the 2 sessions a week she is in university. The students she is in close contact with almost all had positive tests about 3 weeks ago now, though DD didn't catch it from them (as far as we are aware) - mainly as she wasn't with them in the days running up to it.

DH works full time in an office, which has some pretty covid secure precautions taking place. Across the 200+ staff they've only had 4 known positive cases - all isolated cases which the staff themselves could trace to outside of work.

I work in a school with young children, teaching 270 children a week with no SDing, no masks and in poorly ventilated and over crowded classrooms. It is the place I almost certainly picked up covid, most likely from a symptomless child (the only people i have prolonged close contact with when at work.)

In fact DD came home for a family friend's birthday and ended up having to SI for a fortnight here because I brought Covid into our home. I was the risk to DH and DD. Fortunately neither showed symptoms during their isolation period. Hopefully I now have some form of immunity.

So no - DD isn't selfish for coming home at Christmas to spend time with me and her dd, rather than being in an empty flat alone.

mumsneedwine · 31/10/2020 17:49

@Aragog no one ever says anything about our risks as teachers do they ? Only about our 'selfish' children. Mine is on day 13 of isolation, missing Halloween and dissection toon and netball matches. Missing fresh air. Her flatmates have behaved and were just unlucky as not been anywhere they shouldn't.
If Uni things don't change she will stay and I will go visit on Weds. tier 1 to tier 1. Haven't seen her for 6 weeks and I want a cuddle. God I'm selfish.

simbobs · 31/10/2020 20:19

Go for it @mumsneedwine. Perfectly justified. Wish I could do the same with mine.

Aragog · 31/10/2020 21:17

mumsneedwine - we have already told DD that if things get bad then we will come and pick her up and bring her home regardless, any day she needs too.

I'm lucky in that I saw her only a week ago as she had to isolate here after I got Covid, otherwise we would be doing the same if need be.

But she is in an empty flat. I think she is still allowed to bubble with the flat below. If not she can come home.

Aragog · 31/10/2020 21:18

@Aragog no one ever says anything about our risks as teachers do they

Exactly. Schools only contain children these days it seems.

Hoghgyni · 31/10/2020 21:26

From the official guidance published tonight:

There are further restrictions in place:

If you live at university, you must not move back and forward between your permanent home and student home during term time. You should only return home at the end of term for Christmas. We will publish further guidance on the end of term.

mumsneedwine · 31/10/2020 21:32

@Hoghgyni honestly ? I don't care. I'm expected to walk back into a classroom (well 6 different ones a day containing 6 sets of 30 students) and in return I will see my own kids when I want. Fine me. Stick me in prison. I'm beyond caring now. If I catch COVID I might die (I am in a risk category). So I will see my kids when I can.

ListeningQuietly · 31/10/2020 21:40

TBH I do not give a shit what the guidance says
as its not based on science or evidence,
I'll do what keeps my babies safe

Frazzled6 · 31/10/2020 21:42

It's guidance from the 5th November.. So if you collect daughter on Wednesday and she stays home till after Xmas you are not breaking any rules.

Hoghgyni · 31/10/2020 21:44

Well you're all wondering if there will be quarantine etc. The Gov haven't got a clue yet either.

Nettleskeins · 31/10/2020 21:45

Where is the official guidance detail? Is it on Gov. UK or somewhere else?

Nettleskeins · 31/10/2020 21:54

I've found it..in gov UK. There is the additional point..subject to limited exemptions set out in law.

But I cannot find the "exemptions" unless they are the same ones as in general use..escape harm or injury, house move, care to vulnerable.

Anyone know where the legal exemptions para is???

Nettleskeins · 31/10/2020 21:57

No, it is existing guidance from tier 3 that I was reading re: universities..it already exists.

Nettleskeins · 31/10/2020 21:58

Nothing on uni website either, prob a bit soon to have updated.

Tickledtrout · 31/10/2020 21:59

Yes gov.uk website @Nettleskeins.
Section 7 of this published tonight www.gov.uk/guidance/new-national-restrictions-from-5-november#going-to-school-college-and-university

Nettleskeins · 31/10/2020 21:59

Guidance and law are two different things anyway.

Ellmau · 31/10/2020 22:14

New guidelines say:

If you live at university, you must not move back and forward between your permanent home and student home during term time. You should only return home at the end of term for Christmas. We will publish further guidance on the end of term.

www.gov.uk/guidance/new-national-restrictions-from-5-november#stay-at-home

Hoghgyni · 31/10/2020 22:19

The Corona Virus Act or whatever it's called allows the government to put it into law on Wednesday. There maybe a small rebellion, but most MPs won't want to upset Dom.

meditrina · 31/10/2020 22:26

Starmer spoke in favour of a further lockdown, so I really don't see a the Opposition trying to bring it down over a difference between 2/3 weeks and 4. Anyhow, they wouldn't have the numbers

Nettleskeins · 31/10/2020 22:28

So where are the exemptions? Quite important to stop people freaking out and doing crazy things like move their kids back lock stock and barrel, for fear they will be trapped.
I despair about the communication from govt. Is it deliberately opaque?

AnguaResurgam · 31/10/2020 22:33

@Nettleskeins

So where are the exemptions? Quite important to stop people freaking out and doing crazy things like move their kids back lock stock and barrel, for fear they will be trapped. I despair about the communication from govt. Is it deliberately opaque?
It's 'wait and see'

"If you live at university, you must not move back and forward between your permanent home and student home during term time. You should only return home at the end of term for Christmas. We will publish further guidance on the end of term"

Aragog · 01/11/2020 10:18

My 18y is living alone. Her flat mates all went home. If it gets too much for her I will be collecting her regardless.

She wouldn't be moving to and from her student flat - she's be moving from her flat to the family home longer term. There wouldn't be any to and from going on.

It would also come under MH support/caring for someone in a vulnerable position I suspect - lone young person expected to spend four weeks on their own, after already having had a horrendous year (three close family deaths on top of everything else Covid has brought on) should not be seen to be acceptable.

They can fine me if they have too but nothing will prevent me caring for my daughter if she needs me.

She's no more a risk in my home as she is where she currently is. I've just had Covid despite being careful, as clinically vulnerable, which I almost certainly picked up at school teaching hundreds of young children daily with no mitigating factors - something the government feels is safe enough for me to do every day. My teenage Dd coming home is far less of a risk to me and her dad than I already was.

mumsneedwine · 01/11/2020 10:21

There is no way they can 'keep' students at Unis. They will have mums all over the country turning up and breaking down the doors. Boris is not brave enough to take us on. He hasn't got the balls.