Time off

[gdhgdhh]

Can you face consequences if you need to take time off working in a school because your child is ill?
Obviously not just once but I mean in general?
Can it trigger anything employment-wise?

I suppose if very often it could trigger performance management. Do you have a partner and if so are they doing half of these absences from work?

No there is nobody else

You need to check the absence policy. There should be a clause about time off for dependants but it may be limited.

It's quite vague, obviously after a couple of days it's unpaid but I'm more concerned about the actual job

There will be a trigger point for absence, which may start with an informal meeting then disciplinary.

Are these replies based on school experience please?

I think I've had 5 days since sept but that's from 3 children so doubtful it's high enough to trigger anything but I read such differing things it's hard to know what the facts actually are

If you roll that forward for a full year. it's 15 days potentially - 3 weeks. Way too high.

Why would you roll it forward if it hasn't happened 🤔pretty sure you can't be penalised for the year ahead that hasn't happened.
Are you a school employee?

Yes, a teacher at DSs school lost her job over emergency parental leave - long battle (which she was very vocal about) with union involvement. She had been off quite a few times though.

I work in HR (not in schools, though every school will be different so don't take what's said here as gospel!) - but from experience across different industries I'd say 5 instances in 4 months is extremely high. They won't look at it in advance as across a year, but they might well look at it as a percentage - so say you've supposed to have worked 50 days across the term and taken 5 as emergency childcare, that's 10% of time that you're not fulfilling your contractual obligations.

How did it look before the summer? If last academic year you had a very low amount of emergency parental leave you can always argue that it's a fluke and everyone's sick at once!

There should be an attendance policy for the school based on the LA policy. In my last school it was 10 days or 4 periods of absence in a calendar year. This would prompt a stage 1 meeting where you discuss the reasons for absences and how the school can support you in reducing them. There will be another meeting usually each half term.

If the absence rate increases or doesn't improve over the next few months it can be increased to a stage 2 where the governors are informed and OH can be informed if it is personal sickness.

It is monitored over a calendar year so these sicknesses will not drop off until this time next year.

Agree with PP, if it’s been a one off it will be less of an issue than if it has happened frequently in previous years too.
My colleague was managed to part time for this reason

It's just been very recently, they attend my school and half the school have dropped with winter bugs. The head is usually great he hasn't said anything and always says it's unavoidable and not to worry but I'm a conscientious staff member and I don't like to be off.
Single parent family and no backup, it's not easy.
And a nice side of guilt that my first thought if they are ill is 'oh no I might lose my job and our lifeline' and all that

The amount of children doesn’t lessen the time off you have had. 5 days in 3 months is quite a lot but it depends on your schools actual policy if it will be an issue. I don’t think anyone here can answer if it will be a problem.

Yes I was just pointing out I wasn't off with one child repeatedly or anything.
I didn't know if anyone had solid information with facts that would say yay or nay to being ok to take care of dependents in general; particularly in a school setting.
Seems mostly just anecdotal so I would surmise that there is no clear cut answer

It sounds hard @gdhgdhh !

If they haven't mentioned it before - and aren't now - you should be okay. It's probably high enough to trigger if the school wanted to pursue it, but it sounds like they don't.

To save the worry, if your head is approachable maybe have a chat and reiterate you know the recent levels of absence has been high, but it's all on you in your household, and you're doing the best to combat the lurgies as a family! You could also ask about your school's policy on it, so you're not stressing next time it happens.

I think emergency leave, whether you’re paid for them etc etc is down to heads discretion, so nothing you read on here will be solid advice really

Thankyou for saying that, it is hard to be honest. Not to sound too melodramatic but I was in a refuge with my kids a few years ago, got sorted out and landed this job that I cannot state enough how much I love it. I'd be devastated to lose it and as a result of my past I do drive myself into severe worry.
My head has been extremely kind to me and hasn't actually given me cause to worry I'm just aware of not letting people down. Including my kids by losing my job!
It's a lot of pressure

Thanks all

It’s a bloody impossible situation. During the Covid period but not actual lockdown I was off about once a month with a ‘sick’ child - usually she had a cough but we all had to isolate until she got a negative result (and then later I think only she had to, so one of us could go to work). Even after that the toddler years are filled with endless illness. Luckily I have a partner who works from home so he does more than 50% of illnesses. But if you’re on your own and have no family locally there is literally nothing you can do.

FWIW I have worked in 4 different schools and have never known anyone lose their job over this. I have known plenty of people have to have time off with their kids though.

Thank you I do get upset sometimes and worry and that's when I try to find information so I at least know where I'm at.
Not in a confrontational way to arm myself or anything but so I can manage my expectations and try and sort my fear out!

Look at the absence policy for your school-that will spell it out. I know of members of support staff who have been given warnings for absences.

If only it did! It's very vague

What does it say?

The only specific is seven days in one term (I don't have it I have seen it though) and then just about special leave and heads discretion and things along those lines