"Essential workers" for afterschool care

MichaelR

Hello,

Our child returns to primary school on Monday. But until the end of March, afterschool care is only for "essential workers". I'd like him to be in the afterschool but am having troible working out if I or my wife are "essential".

I am in IT development/software engineering, with a big multinational. I work remotely full time, it's in the contract, and the offices are also closed, so I never had a need to work out "essential" status before. But now that I look at the list at https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/c9158-essential-services/ , I see "engineering" included, would software engineering be, specifically for child care purposes? There are also "services related to provision of data centres" and data centres are a major target customer of that multinational I am working for (and the product I am working on).

My wife is a music teacher, mainly teaching children. Lessons have moved online for now, but she is factually working (onine).

So, can we return to the afterschool? I don't mind paying for the afterschool but would not want to be fined, or for the afterschool teacher to be fined, and don't want to go paying for legal advice either.

Jim_Hodge

You'd want to talk with your afterschool care provider, as they have their own interpretations. Personally, I'd say you're pushing it and don't qualify under the spirit of the initiative if nothing else.

angela1711

I am an essential worker and when dropping my little lad to the Creche today they said that everyone that needs childcare can avail of it form Monday ?? Basically that regular childcare is back on Monday and ECCE back on the 8th.

MichaelR

MichaelR wrote: »

Hello,

Our child returns to primary school on Monday. But until the end of March, afterschool care is only for "essential workers". I'd like him to be in the afterschool but am having troible working out if I or my wife are "essential".

I am in IT development/software engineering, with a big multinational. I work remotely full time, it's in the contract, and the offices are also closed, so I never had a need to work out "essential" status before. But now that I look at the list at https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/c9158-essential-services/ , I see "engineering" included, would software engineering be, specifically for child care purposes? There are also "services related to provision of data centres" and data centres are a major target customer of that multinational I am working for (and the product I am working on).

My wife is a music teacher, mainly teaching children. Lessons have moved online for now, but she is factually working (onine).

So, can we return to the afterschool? I don't mind paying for the afterschool but would not want to be fined, or for the afterschool teacher to be fined, and don't want to go paying for legal advice either.

I am classed as essential and have email from employer to say so. I asked the afterschool do they need me to send them the letter and they said “oh no, not at all, once we tell them, they count us”. Read into that what you will

Shybride2016

MichaelR wrote: »

Hello,

Our child returns to primary school on Monday. But until the end of March, afterschool care is only for "essential workers". I'd like him to be in the afterschool but am having troible working out if I or my wife are "essential".

I am in IT development/software engineering, with a big multinational. I work remotely full time, it's in the contract, and the offices are also closed, so I never had a need to work out "essential" status before. But now that I look at the list at https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/c9158-essential-services/ , I see "engineering" included, would software engineering be, specifically for child care purposes? There are also "services related to provision of data centres" and data centres are a major target customer of that multinational I am working for (and the product I am working on).

My wife is a music teacher, mainly teaching children. Lessons have moved online for now, but she is factually working (onine).

So, can we return to the afterschool? I don't mind paying for the afterschool but would not want to be fined, or for the afterschool teacher to be fined, and don't want to go paying for legal advice either.

Best thing to do is check with your afterschool provider. The list of essential workers is so much bigger than it was previously so they may allow your child back to their service if one or other of you is considered “essential”.

Sorry I can’t quote but to the poster who said they were told all childcare is open from next week, please check that out also as in the Q&A docs services received last week childcare doesn’t reopen to all children until the 29th March, unless your child falls into a specific category. ECCE reopens on the 8th for all children availing of ECCE as well as longer hours before/after.

Shybride2016

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I am classed as essential and have email from employer to say so. I asked the afterschool do they need me to send them the letter and they said “oh no, not at all, once we tell them, they count us”. Read into that what you will

Do you mean they’re possibly working outside of regulatory adult/child ratios? Or that they’re open when they shouldn’t be?

dublin_paul

You're an essential worker if your physical attendance at the workplace is required "Physical attendance at workplaces is only permitted where such services can only be provided in person and cannot be delivered remotely. "

As a software engineer working remotely myself, unless you have to provide your services in person, we're clearly not essential.