Childcare bubble question

My understanding is that we are only allowed one bubble? Maybe the situation has relaxed ? but I'm unaware of that. Good luck with getting back to schooling. That seems a positive move for the country.

Perhaps start wearing a mask when in contact with your elderly relative since she is the most at risk by you expanding your circle of contacts. Hopefully she will have had both vaccinations by the time you go back to school.
Congratulations on the new grandchild.

If a child is under 1, the bubble doesn’t have to be for childcare.
However as Kim says, you can only have one bubble.
So it depends what you do for your aunt.
If you just leave her shopping on her door step I would say that’s not a bubble. But if you go in and have a cup of tea, it would be.

After you go back to the classroom there’s a chance you could transmit the virus to your DD & SiL even if you’ve been vaccinated. I don’t think there’s yet clear evidence that the vaccine stops transmission.

As you re retiring in July and daughter not going back to work till then I m not sure why you would be worrying
I don’t know whether it’s happening everywhere but in our town we have two asymptomatic testing centres where you can book in for weekly or twice weekly tests would this put your mind at reset As schoolchildren are being tested twice a week won’t the teachers as well no point in doing one without the other teachers can pass it to kids as much as vice versus
Congrats on the new baby in the family

This might help Mandk if you live in England. www.gov.uk/guidance/making-a-support-bubble-with-another-household#how-support-bubbles-relate-to-childcare-bubbles. It explains childcare and support bubbles are indeed separate entities.

As far as risk goes when you return to face to face teaching your concerns are understandable, only you can assess risk when the time comes. July will come quickly enough. Many congratulations to you all on the new baby.

As I understand it teachers are going to be having twice weekly covid tests and child care bubbles are also being encouraged to take extra tests

I suggest you ask a doctor about risks etc not a lot of people who really can't give you the answers you need

I think in your place, I would wear a mask when visiting a new baby right now. It cannot possibly do any harm.

Rather than asking our advice, you might ask a nurse or midwife - they ought to be able to assess the risk of an infant or her mother being at risk if you, or anyone else, come in contact with covid19.

My understanding is that you can only transmit the illness if you actually have it, not simply by having been in contact with it.

If you do go back to school, I assume you will be tested once or twice a week and obviously you won't be visiting anyone unless the tests are negative.

In your place, I think I would retire now, rather than wait to the end of a problematical summer term - surely doing so won't make a difference to your pension?

Congratulations to you all on the baby.

Do you mean she wants to bubble with you now so you can help her look after the baby? I’m a bit confused. Like Bluebell I can’t see the problem if you’re retiring in the Summer. You won’t be able to childcare before then anyway, if you’re still at work.

If a family have a baby under one year you can form a support bubble with them- the rule came in on Dec 2nd and my first granddaughter was born on nov 23rd - it means I have helped them all the time and am loving every minute ?
I need to add I am extremely careful and go nowhere else except my work which is very secure as is caring for a disabled young man who has to be really protected (in his own home).
Haven’t been in a shop since last March and not sure I will for a very long time to come. Thank goodness for amazon and on line shopping (all of which gets isolated for 3 days!)
Enjoy for grandchild, they are babies for such a short time ?

As janeainsworth said, the rules would allow contact before the mother goes back to work for social contact for the simple reason the child is under one. You could form such a support bubble if you have not been inside the aunt's home for 10 days. Childcare bubble is for childcare needs only. All the rest, risk etc, is then up to you to decide. Who knows what will open up anyway, so it is more about your immediate future with seeing baby or seeing Aunt

Yes I agree with Kim you are only allowed one bubble ! Depends on when you plan to help with Baby ?

My understanding is one bubble only. I was in a childcare bubble with my daughter and the rules are specific, it has to be when the childcare is needed for them to work and strictly no socialising. My daughter dropped off at the door and collected from the door. If you want more than that, you would have to be in a support bubble with her and not your aunt. You would also need the 10 days isolating in between to make sure you weren’t passing anything on. Horrible I know and I feel your pain, but hopefully not too long now.

I would say you would be okay to 'support' your aunt. She must be fairly vulnerable given her age. Personally I would not want to give too much if my retirement over to child care and caring for an elderly person.

3 weeks after your vaccination i would say you are less risk as a suppirt to your DD.

You are allowed both bubbles because the one with your aunt is for care.
I would wear your mask more when vusiting your aunt.
These are both vital roles you are in demand for. I would do your best to be fair. It's not socialising it's support.
But you are at less risk of spreading after your vaccine. Take exrra vitamins too !! Good luck and roll on retirement!x

You can be in a support bubble with both because the baby is under 1. It's not a childcare bubble. And you can continue to support your aunt who else will. It would be worse to tell either you can't. It is not rule bending.

For once in my life I’m glad that I’m a Billy no mates sort of person. I don’t look into bubbling rules because from the start of the pandemic it’s just been me, DH and the dog but it all seems very confusing

I think you must have read .gov advice about bubbles. It’s not that clear but I expect you have a good understanding. Obviously you would want to be in DGC’s life before doing long-term childcare. If you’ve had the vaccine, are as careful as you can be at work, it’s within the rules and DD and SiL are happy I’d do it. Yes, it’s worrying but what care could she get which is any safer?

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Personally l would think definitely not. Bubbles basically are to stop the spread of CV19 by cross contamination so ask yourself how many people are you actually in contact with? 30 families from your school, one old lady and now your dd? That is potentially a lot of spread. I know children are at low risk but l know of 2 teachers that caught it from a child in their class. I f you have a bubble then you should only see that one person inside. This is the reason most of us have had to wave to our grandchildren through the window for months on end

I agree with helenmabr. It’s not about the “rules”. They’re only there to minimise spread, which is what you should be looking at.

It is potentially a lot of spread. That’s all you need to know.

Personally, if I was going back into school, especially Primary where distancing is pretty impossible, I wouldn’t do indoor contact with anyone else.

MandK as a teacher I have access to lateral flow testing twice a week which helps me assess the risk of interacting within my childcare bubble - is this an option for you?

GT My understanding is that you can only transmit the illness if you actually have it, not simply by having been in contact with it

You can be asymptomatic and completely unaware you’re carrying the virus and still transmit it to others.
That’s why Covid has been so successful from a virus’ point of view, compared to viruses which are only transmitted from hosts with symptoms.

I think you may be worrying more than you need to. As we go forward with the vaccination roll out and lockdown is gradually lifted, the rules change, the weather will improve, etc, etc. You need to break down the different periods of time, factor in your job and follow whatever rules there are in place at the time.
There will be a short period of time where you will be working and will need to limit your access to your aunt and DD. If you feel that you need to see your daughter, you are allowed to do this:
The Stay at Home requirement will remain, but people can leave home for recreation outdoors such as a coffee or picnic with their household or support bubble, or with one person outside their household.
From the 29th March, you will be able to meet up in gardens.
These may not be places where you were hoping to be of help or give support but they are places where your DD can meet you and vent or just meet another adult.
By July things will look very different (more positive, I hope) and you will be retiring so will be far more able to help out where you need to.
Incidentally, I am a carer for my mother but when my disabled daughter was struggling, Social Services were adamant that I could be called upon by my daughter if she needed my support even though her daughter was still attending school. We have kept it to an absolute minimum but in an emergency where my daughter has to take morphine and can no longer care for the children safely, I have to step in. Sometimes there is absolutely necessary childcare and other times it is rule twisting. You need to be sure that it isn't the latter because it suits your emotional needs.