Sian

I respect the police albeit with a bit of caution. My brother in law was CID and before that uniformed all his working life, a few stories there I can tell you. Perhaps the problem is I’ve experienced too many incidents in my own life to just roll over. And anyone that wants to say “if you’ve got nothing to hide.....” simply hasn’t had those experiences and that’s fine but don’t be naive.

I’m not anti police and I believe they still have to have a reasonable justification for requesting your details.

Sorry I’m white, middle aged female I’d want to know why they want my details. They’d certainly need to give me a bit more than I look suspicious!

There were an awful lot of recoveries in the Royal Free Hospital in London who are having kidney dialysis now.

Well I’ve not been hiding and there I'll leave it.

You could argue that a bit longer would take the transmission rate down. I’m not saying wait, I’m saying think about who really needs to go back first, don’t give half a******* guidance about going back and above all be honest about the reason. We are open 51 weeks of the year. Our primary teachers are term time but they all come in over the holidays to work for the next term and prepare their classes and resources and those in nursery through Reception work all year. We’re not frightened about losing our holidays, it’s not about that. I remember my boarding school mealtimes, life long eat in a hurry always. Private sector yes but all those teachers have worked in both state and private.

Just so you know not every teacher is in a union. I have 50 teachers and 1 is in a union. I would just like to see teachers or any other sector for that matter not tarred with the same brush.

I think most teachers, the vast majority want to go back to school. I just don’t think the logistics of what is say being asked has been taken into account. I don’t think the vast majority are saying they should wait for a vaccine at all, again media runs away with half truths or no truth and all of a sudden all teachers obviously think the same! Some teachers, some office staff, some this some that - there will always be those who let the side down - why do they all get tarred with it. I don’t by the way belittle the job of any worker out there supermarket worker, street cleaner etc etc or think any one is more dangerous than the other except all emergency services - they are very vulnerable. I don’t think it’s a competition is it? Again I’m just wanting them to be a little more truthful with the reasoning. You’re right you can’t compare a soldier to a teacher although in America seems to me you need to be prepared to die whilst undertaking your teaching job. I’m not arguing we don’t go back, just how and why we are going back.

Supermarket - they get to wear the mask and if my trips to the supermarket are anything to go by they are able to step out of each others way and my Sainsbury’s has a barrier between me and a cashier. You sound like we all rushed for the door. We did what everyone else was told to do no different. We didn’t at our school we were there on the Monday for lots of frontline kids. Lots of parents don’t think it’s safe if you have a look at social media. Lots want to return so long as you can Ben a miracle worker and keep them all separate. One parent thought we should come by taxi to school rather than buses and tubes at our expense mind you and I’m not sure that is any safer really. There is no teacher mixing. I’ll have to put two staff with a group of 8 so they can cover each other within their bubble. Like I said there isn’t proof yet about the safety, that will come in time. its like anything, one group say yes others say it’s not proven yet. I don’t actually mind that it’s not proven but I do mind they choose what suits their agenda. Just be honest is all I am asking. I’ll still be there tomorrow and the next day and so on. I’m not whinging and I’m not a teacher.

There’s a certain irony in the fact that often the younger children repeat what they did in the last term of Reception when they go into year 1 due to the long holidays. They simply forget things plus they are out of routine. In terms of what they are missing during this period against the rest of their lives at school and beyond is a blink of an eye. Are those children in other countries that don’t start formal schooling until 6/7 less equipped when they are adults? No. I’m sick of teacher bashing, there isn’t any respect in this country for the teaching profession. It’s no wonder that teachers leave in droves. I am not a teacher by the way. I do work in a school, a private one for 2 to 7 year olds and my teachers have been flat out the whole way through as have I. There are an awful lot of parents who need to come back to school to learn their manners. It is far harder to provide online learning than to be present with your pupils. If you want to make a difference to anyone’s education then it should be those who need the support going into their exam years. If they are worried about vulnerable children then provide more social workers who actually have the time to put work into children and their families. This I can speak on as one of my roles is a Safeguarding Lead and the system is rubbish. Teachers are not social workers nor should they be. As for being at no more risk than working in the supermarket please!!!! The scientists have not concluded this to be so. They can’t know yet. There is so much cow pat bandied around as gospel. I have spent countless hours going over and over how I can accommodate the children coming back safely for both staff and children and each time I think I’m there I’m not. I don’t have enough staff to “bubble” the children in small groups and then there’s the space to separate the bubbles. You see it’s so very safe to do that you need to keep the bubbles away from each other!!! I’m pretty hardy and I’m not a panicker but I know too many top ranking Drs, scientists and research scientists all working full on with this that politicians of any persuasion can go do one. They follow the science whilst it suits them. And yes I know the economy is ruined and we can’t wait for a vaccine but I’m sick of hearing their reasons for a return as if they truly care about the children’s welfare. It’s the economy so be honest about it.

There are apparently other ways but I didn’t hear what or how effective this would be. I wouldn’t worry Wyn there are too many who’ll simply not do it or not use it properly anyway.

I reckon another 3 weeks lockdown as is before any movement. The hints they’ve given about what they would like in place will take at least that long to bring about. The unions will want to ensure their workers are not compromised unduly, schools will need the time to implement the changes, transport is a big headache particularly in big cities and London alone will be a nightmare. They cannot afford to have gone to such extremes to just throw it away because if we have a big surge no-ones going to remember the extremes they went to just the disaster when we were let out. I am out and have been throughout and I feel fairly relaxed overall but once the rest are let Free I dread it because there are so many stupid people who will not be careful - that is what truly scares me. Watching the news about the new app for tracking - all I can think is it relies on people being responsible and honest if they are notified to isolate and quite frankly there are too many chancers, selfish *********** about for it to be truly effective.

I’ve been wondering that for a while.

I’m sure there will be but there are plenty of hardworking, responsible parents who have children with ADD/ADHD and other conditions. It’s not made up, it’s very real and when you are a child who is labelled naughty, negatively received sometimes by your own parents in their ignorance, your extended family, general public and professionals such as teachers who are stuck in their old ways then you don’t stand much chance. I know several grown men now in their mid to late 20s who who have ADD. It presents in different ways as you mature but you can still be seen negatively because your disorganised, forgetful, get overwhelmed by too many things at once etc. Some are lucky and get the help early on which enables them to function being taught strategies. Imagine your head filled with so many things but not being able to concentrate on one thing at a time. It can be exhausting many becomes depressed and anxious. I am actually sick of people just pretending these conditions don’t exist. I wish disbelievers could spend just one day with these conditions. Sorry but it’s so easy just to put everything down to bad parenting.

Yes lots of children particularly boys have high energy and certain things in our diet can trigger excessive energy but the traits Jim Neal is describing are very much indicators of autistic behaviour. In the long run it is definitely worth having professional input because the earlier things are put in place the better the outcome for the child. I’ve worked with many children on the spectrum, high functioning to extreme autistic and all are worth giving a chance to cope with a world they can’t quite work out.

I was going to say the same as Gingercat, it sounds far more like being somewhere on the spectrum than ADHD although both can be present. I would strongly suggest that when this is all over you seek help, as the earlier a diagnosis is given the better for your child and for you as a family. If he is autistic, so much can be done to help him make sense of his world and for you as parents too. Shout very loud though for that help.

It doesn’t surprise me at all.

Our local authority decides who comes and it won’t just be NHS Drs but all their staff, police, fire, delivery drivers and teachers. They are supposed to be giving a list of key workers.

I’ll be in school too. We’ll be looking after keyworker children. I’m not a teacher but I’ll be doing admin and helping out with the children. We’ve prepared online teaching and even recorded ourselves reading stories for,the youngest amongst other things. We don’t know yet whose children we will have although we have many medical peoples children in our school. We haven’t been told anything yet. It all sounds easy but the reality is a lot of very young children could be with people they have never met without any time to do a usual settling in. There will also be children who are at risk. At the same time we’ve got to try and keep healthy and keep going. I’ve got staff we have had to push out the door because they are vulnerable and can’t stay and help and they aren’t happy about it. It’s not fun.

I know, I’m trying to be level headed but for the first time I see them as vulnerable. I have never felt that way even given their age.

I went to see my parents on Sunday 86 and 85 respectively. We were sensible with our interaction and kept our distance but they are in Lockdown from today. It’s a strange feeling knowing that whilst we may not sometimes see them for months, I am now effectively not allowed to see them in the same open way. They live in Wales and are lucky in that they live in a village and they have land that surrounds their house so they can still get out in their garden and still have land around them that is theirs. I went through lists with my mother for shopping purposes should it come to my husband dashing down the motorway. She has said the local little town butcher will look after her and deliver and go next door to the convenience store and get her things. Younger neighbours will rally and make sure they have stuff and check on them and get her paper. They are very active and she is used to going to church and doing the flowers, visiting friends - they are both still able to drive. Going for her hair etc, chatting with the Tesco ladies in town so I think it will have a bit of an effect on her whereas my dad potters more at home. It felt horrible not hugging them. Her parting words to me were “if I die I don’t want any fuss, cremate me, no wake nothing. Just scatter me on the mountain”. To which I replied “Jesus you will kill me having to get to the top of that ******* mountain”.

Hello and thank you. I work in a school for 2 to,7 yr olds. They will eventually close schools but we have decided that voluntarily we will stay open to care for children of Drs, nurses, police etc etc. Any children not just the ones we have now. We work next door to the Royal Free Hospital in London and they are one of the centres for this. Many of our parents are health workers. We need them and they will need us.

It isn’t just the over 70s, it is anyone of any age who has underlying medical issues and that is a far bigger percentage of people who are asked to self isolate for that length of time. older generations have lived through some pretty hard times. I’m middle aged so born after the strains of the Second World War. It might be one more sacrifice our country ask of them to give up their freedom for 12 weeks for the greater good just a thought. we certainly need the mentality of countries where we act as one My generation and younger need to step up and be organised into ensuring older generations are cared for during this awful imposed isolation. Not just our own families but those without family. We are always saying or hearing how “great” Britain is well maybe now is the time to actually show it.

I’ll celebrate anyone who makes progress with their mental health but I find it difficult to like him.

Yes you have a point but they also often consider they are doing others a favour. I don’t think it can really be seen in black and white terms.