Unison strike Thurs - asked to keep DS with ASD at home as no support

[DomesticGodessLOL]

I have been asked to keep my 5 year old with ASD at home on Thurs due to the Unison strike and there being no one to one support. They can't guarantee his safety so it puts the onus on me NOT to take him. I don't know what the legality of this is and if he will have an absent mark against his name. Also it will send the wrong signals to him when I drop his sister off and take him home again, going to have to lie to him. I will be asking for his work home so he doesn't miss out but as I'm going to have to work at home it may not get done. Has anyone else had this request?

I don't think they can ask you to do that. If they don't have safe staffing numbers, the onus is on them to close.

Legally they can not ask someone to do the job of a striking staff member. In some schools there will whole classes staying at home because teachers are striking.

Difficult one to be honest - it's not all that different to a school having some classes with a teacher striking and some not - so last time, for example, I had one child in and one not. This time, a lot of the TAs are striking, so I suspect that may be the problem here as he can't have his normal 1-1. His TA and others are striking, so they can't provide for his needs for this day though they have enough teachers for the required 1-30 ratio for other children. Surely having him home for one day is better than in a school that doesn't have a 1-1 for him that day?

I would double check that he will be marked as "educated elsewhere" or something though, he cannot be marked as just absent.

Do the legalities really matter, the school can't stop the support assistant going on strike and they can't replace the support assistant when she is on strike - what else can they do?
They have been honest and said they don't feel that they can keep your son safe, surely it is his best interest to be in a safe environment?

thanks mrz thats what they said they can't ask someone to cover, I kind of understand that.

I think I'm mostly concerned about sending the wrong signals to my son as it's not easy to get him school and being absent (he asks if he can be every day), seems to be a daily goal. Such a shame to be singled out, working so hard for him to be joining in with his year group. He has no idea he's different.

When the NUT strikes the whole school closes.

Thanks PatricaHolm, I will ask about 'educated elsewhere' or something...

The NUT is striking on Thursday DomesticGodessLOL

I think keeping it at home is the best option of course, I wouldn't take the risk, I just want to make sure I know where we stand, I'm not up for a fight with the school either, they are pretty amazing on the whole.

Thanks everyone for the comments, appreciate the input.

mrz, are they really? They haven't told us about that one, perhaps not this area then.

It's a national strike www.teachers.org.uk/

In our school, those classes with staff who are striking have been told to stay home. They cannot be covered. Other classes (siblings incl) will come to school as usual if their teacher is in, and marked as unauthorised if they don't attend and it's not illness. This will also apply to your ds. His usual staff member is not in school and cannot be covered for, therefore he must stay home.
An absolute pain for you, of course (if not for him!) but that's the nature of strikes I suppose.