One in 10 parentswould only be “happy” to send their childback to school when staff and pupils have been vaccinated against Covid-19 -evenif this were to take up to 18 months, a survey reveals.
And nearly one in five parents - 18 per cent - said they would only feel confident in sending their child back to school when school leaders and teachers said it was safe to do so.
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The survey also shows that the majority of parents feel positive about how their child’s school has communicated with them during the lockdown, with 85 per cent reporting teachers’ contact had been carried out“very well” or “well” with them during closures.
A quarter -25 per cent -of over 250,000 parents who took part in the Parentkind survey saidthey would feel comfortable with a September return date if it wasconfirmed now, while just one in 10 said they would be happy for their child to return “as soon as the lockdown ends”.
Coronavirus: What parents think about reopening schools
A further 23 per centsaid they would only be content to send their childto school when the government says it is safe to return.
Nearly half of all parents surveyed -48 per cent -said their biggest concern for their child duringthe pandemicwas about themnot seeing friends or socialising during school closures, while 38 per cent said their biggest fear was their child missing out on learning.
And 35 per cent of parents said they were most concerned abouttheir child’s mental health during lockdown.
Schools, colleges and nurseries closed more than six weeks ago due tothe coronavirus outbreak, remaining open only for vulnerable youngstersand the children of key workers.
Prime minister Boris Johnson promised to deliver a “comprehensive plan”this week on how the UK lockdown may be eased and suggested that hewould set out efforts to get children back to school.
Education secretary Gavin Williamson has said schools in England are setto reopen in a “phased manner” after the lockdown but he has yet to seta date.
John Jolly, CEO of Parentkind, said: “Parents are desperately seekingclarity and reassurance about schools reopening, what measures will beput in place to ensure their child’s education doesn’t suffer long term,and how the mental health implications for young people will beaddressed.
“The weight of our research and the strength of parent voice is a callto action for UK governments to listen to parents when it comes toreopening schools, phasing children back into classroomsand minimisingthe disruption to home life and the education of children.”
Another poll by Mumsnet found that most parents would not send theirchildren back to school as soon as they reopen -but 43 per centwould.
The survey, of more than 1,000 users of the online parenting forum, alsofound that more one in five (22 per cent) of parents thinkschools should reopennow.
The findings come after more than 340,000 people signed a petition,launched by the NEU teaching union last month, which opposesany reopening of schools “before it is safe to do so”.
The petition has been signedby tens of thousands of parents, the union has said.
