Do i have to send my child to school?

[t.boydy]

Hi guys,

As above, do i have to send my 9 year old daughter to school? They re-open tomorrow and we are in tier 4.

Myself and her mother (ex wife) are concerned we could be putting her at risk. I know risk is everywhere but....

Reading what is happening, there is a chance schools could close this week anyway (i know, don't believe everything you read in the news)

If we keep her away from school, will we be fined? will she have a black mark on her attendance record?

Tried to call school but no luck so far!

Thanks in advance

Tom

[Mammasaid]

Yes, the risk to your 9yo in minimal, even if they get c19, they are unlikely to get ill.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

There is next to no risk to life for a 9 y/o. The issue with sending kids to school is that they come home and pass it on to elderly relatives or other adults with pre existing health problems.

But a 9y/o has probably got more chance being killed going to and from school than from dying of covid.

[t.boydy]

Mammasaid said:

Yes, the risk to your 9yo in minimal, even if they get c19, they are unlikely to get ill.

I agree with what you are saying, however... If she does contract it and gives it to others??!!??

Need to try and stop/slow down the infection rate

Tom

[t.boydy]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

There is next to no risk to life for a 9 y/o. The issue with sending kids to school is that they come home and pass it on to elderly relatives or other adults with pre existing health problems.

That's our concerns........

[lauda]

t.boydy said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

There is next to no risk to life for a 9 y/o. The issue with sending kids to school is that they come home and pass it on to elderly relatives or other adults with pre existing health problems.

That's our concerns........

Does anyone in your household have a pre-existing health problem? If the answer is yes, you're justified in not sending her in. If the answer is no, there probably isn't anything to be concerned about.

[craig1912]

It’s probably more harmful to her not to go to school.

[kambites]

As others have said, I think the trade off is between doing the best thing for the child (sending them to school) and doing the best thing for anyone at significant risk who has contact with them (and for wider society in terms of slowing down the spread).

As for whether you have to send them in, strictly speaking the answer is "yes" but in practice it (very semsibly) isn't being enforced at the moment.

[t.boydy]

lauda said:

Does anyone in your household have a pre-existing health problem? If the answer is yes, you're justified in not sending her in. If the answer is no, there probably isn't anything to be concerned about.

Yes, sadly

[lauda]

t.boydy said:

lauda said:

Does anyone in your household have a pre-existing health problem? If the answer is yes, you're justified in not sending her in. If the answer is no, there probably isn't anything to be concerned about.

Yes, sadly

In that case, I think it's your call to make. I've just had an email from my daughter's school to say that if parents choose to keep their children at home at this time, it will recorded as an unauthorised absence but that no fines will be issued. Seems like a sensible approach to me.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

t.boydy said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

There is next to no risk to life for a 9 y/o. The issue with sending kids to school is that they come home and pass it on to elderly relatives or other adults with pre existing health problems.

That's our concerns........

That's not what you said originally.

t.boydy said:

Myself and her mother (ex wife) are concerned we could be putting her at risk.

[Smitters]

I would imagine the best course of action is to discuss it with the school's head. Explaining the risk to a household member will be key to their framing a response.

[tribalsurfer]

If you and the child's mother live apart could you not reside the child at the household with the least vulnerable occupants. The way I see it, and probably rather harshly is, school is open, it is not voluntary and therefore children should attend until told not to by the school.

[deckster]

tribalsurfer said:

If you and the child's mother live apart could you not reside the child at the household with the least vulnerable occupants. The way I see it, and probably rather harshly is, school is open, it is not voluntary and therefore children should attend until told not to by the school.

I'm with this. Education and going to school are the single most important thing for a child, particularly at the moment. We should be looking for creative ways to keep schools open and to keep children in them, not trying to find loopholes to allow us to keep them at home.

[BrundanBianchi]

t.boydy said:

Hi guys,

As above, do i have to send my 9 year old daughter to school? They re-open tomorrow and we are in tier 4.

Myself and her mother (ex wife) are concerned we could be putting her at risk. I know risk is everywhere but....

Reading what is happening, there is a chance schools could close this week anyway (i know, don't believe everything you read in the news)

If we keep her away from school, will we be fined? will she have a black mark on her attendance record?

Tried to call school but no luck so far!

Thanks in advance

Tom

Officially, if the school is open, you must send her. However, if she was to present with any sort of symptoms, then she should not be sent to school. Read between the lines.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

BrundanBianchi said:

Officially, if the school is open, you must send her.

All schools will be open, including those in areas where children are told not to attend, for the children of key workers.

[Puggit]

You might get a different answer after Boris finally does something tonight.

[Puggit]

Peston says schools are closed: https://twitter.com/Peston/status/1346110314224340...

[Mammasaid]

Puggit said:

Peston says schools are closed: https://twitter.com/Peston/status/1346110314224340...

Peston...ha ha ha ha ha ha ha...........

[BrundanBianchi]

deckster said:

I'm with this. Education and going to school are the single most important thing for a child, particularly at the moment. We should be looking for creative ways to keep schools open and to keep children in them, not trying to find loopholes to allow us to keep them at home.

Unfortunately, schools and other educational facilities have been unequivocally proven to be one of the two highest contributors to the relentless continuing propagation of the virus. So the sooner they are shut down, the better.