Time off when children are ill

[veneeroftheweek]

I'm curious as to your school's policy when your own children are sick and you don't have family nearby to help out.

I called in today and explained that my son was ill, and that my other half had taken the day off yesterday so I couldn't come in. It clearly wasn't ok. And now I feel really shit. Nursery won't take him if he has a temperature. What do other people do?

And in any case, taking unpaid leave is something lots of parents do - I certainly have. The problem is when you have an employer who won't even let you do that! BTW I get the hard stare if take time off to look after a sick child whereas if DH does it he is a great dad. Go figure.

Ginaandjag.... I took my DS to church for over a year... I never got a single of offer , support for anything ever....

I don't think anyone is saying that employers are expected to pay for this leave but understand it does have to happen...

The world has changed... I do remember my mum looking after neighbors children with Chicken pox as I was also off school with a broken leg... In the times I grew up more women didn't work than did ...This is no longer the case...

Did you ask,,starry?

Most childminders would not look after an ill child. In fact, Ofsted would frown on it as a health and safety issue.

No I found them a very stand offish group of people.. one of the reasons I stopped going.

Surely not, starry - the kindness and Christianity can be seen oozing from people like Gin

I remember standing with a group of very worthy, judgy women in a Catholic church who were complaining about the behaviour of some reasonably-behaved children under 6.
When I agreed with them and said 'Of course I never bring my children to church, it's just not an appropriate place for them' it was disconcerting how several nodded in agreement before they realised exactly what I'd said.
It depends on the church. In the same way that it depends on what sort of school you work in, and the attitude of the SLT.
I did a distraught friend a favour last year and worked in her place for two days whilst she took care of her sick child. Noone asked about the legalities, I was a known supply teacher there and it solved a seemingly impossible problem.

I did a distraught friend a favour last year and worked in her place for two days whilst she took care of her sick child. Noone asked about the legalities, I was a known supply teacher there and it solved a seemingly impossible problem.

Good on you ArmchairTraveller. We try and help each other out at my workplace as well. If someone has a child's school play/assembly/whatever, and someone else is on planning time, then they'll usually offer to help out, and the favour will be returned at a later date, even if the other person doesn't want child related time off, but just wants a bit of extra planning time, or any other reason they choose. It all balances out, and as long as no one is abusing it, then the principal allows us to work it out amongst ourselves. We're supposed to be adults, and professionals, and I hate workplaces where staff can't be considered mature enough to sort it out in an appropriate and amicable fashion.

Exactly. No one gets stressed if the time is regarded as a credit for the other person that they will get back later. The better SLTs let the chalkface work it out and are happy if a solution is presented to them instr=ead of the problem.
I owed my friend a lot in other ways, it was a pleasure to say 'No problem, I'm able to fix this'

I'd actually be fine with paying my wages to a CRT if needed so I could stay home with my son when he was sick, if it weren't covered at my school. I am very lucky that our "sick" leave is considered personal leave, so it covers my own or my child's illness, but if it were unpaid, then I'd accept that. Being a parent means that you do need contingencies, backups and being willing to accept some unpaid leave, but it doesn't mean that some industries, such as teaching, should be immune from the same rights to personal/sick leave as any other industry.

Apologies if this has been covered but I haven't read the whole thread. If you don't get paid then do you set the cover work?! I would really resent that I think.

Setting good cover and sorting out the classes when I go back is always what puts me off phoning in sick when ill. I've struggled in when I should have been in bed too many times just because of this.

That's when the swap from schools having a known, experienced supply teacher from an LA list to cheaper labour from supply agencies kicks you in the teeth.
Technically, you shouldn't have to set work, the supply should work from your planning and resources.
Or you could do what I used to and have a stand-alone flie of activities for a couple of days supply that I updated regularly. If your supply causes more work than comfort, don't have them back.

Sadly Gin my dad has scuppered my contingency plans by becoming terminally ill and having to be cared for by my mum. I'm happy to take the time unpaid but curious as to what people do when that also isn't allowed.