Grandparents are safer for childcare than classroom

No, grandparents are not safer.

Childcare is carried on by professionals with a curriculum, teaching and safety standards, etc.

One thing is grandparents wanting to see their gc, another is jumping through hoops to justify that their wants is the best for the child

School is not childcare.

If activities with grandparents are so much more important than schooling, then why do you think all children go to school in normal (non-virus) times? Why haven't they just been spending all their time with their grandparents, even before lockdown? There are several possible answers to those questions, relevant to both the children and the grandparents.

It isn't just very young children who will be going back (eventually), either. School is for children from 5 upwards.

We need to get the children back into education, if nothing else it will take their minds off of all the doom and gloom that surrounds each house when the News and even the adverts are on, they can’t escape it.
They need to see their mates and reassure themselves that some kind of normality exists, even if it’s a new normal.
Not to mention the fact that they still need to learn, it will take a while for them to catch up.

I disagree that home schooled children are better educated than those who go to school. School is about much more than 'education'.
Who is stopping younger grandparents from helping with grandchildren? If I wasn't shielding and over 70,I'd be happy to help as we usually do in caring for our grandchildren whilst their parents work.
I hope school and nursery can be made as safe as possible. The children need to have some structure and definitely need peer group play

My D who is looking after her GC for the time being is adamant that they're not going back to school.

Children need to experience the discipline and fun of group socialisation and this takes place in schools and other group settings. Also, from what I have experienced on reading some gransnet posts, the spelling and grammar can be appalling so many relatives, inmy opinion, would not be able to offer a suitable curriculum.

Thank you highthere. Well said.

Well said oopsadaisy. Too. I work in childcare and don’t know the effect this break has had on my children I will find out and I’m quite prepared to get back as soon as Boris lets us. Children need other children they need to exercise their social skills and I know from my grandsons experience he is suffering as they live remotely and has some melt downs recently.

If anyone thinks that what will be done in schools (if they take in more children) in the next 7 weeks will be anything resembling normal education they are fooling themselves. Apart from the fact that some children with health issues will not be able to return to school some parents will keep their children away there will be issues over equipment and resources. It will simply be a risky sort of child minding with a few activities thrown in.
I've seen home schooled children have hugely successful lives and careers and children who went to school fail miserably. It isn't one size fits all and adapting to a child's needs should be the most important thing. Someimes schools can do that and sometimes they can't.