Jury duty - unable to get childcare, options?
Discussion
My wife who is currently unemployed / full time mum to a 3yr old and a 6yr old was called for jury duty last summer. She responded to advise she is full time carer and was excused.
She's just been called again as of the 5th of August and again responded to advise she has had kids, it's the summer holidays and thus can she be excused.
They've since responded to say no as she was excused last time however they will reimburse any childcare costs. Which, doesn't really help us as our kids aren't in childcare and never have been aside for state provided during term times. We can't get anything thus far - all local child minders are fully booked and / or off for the holidays.
We had very limited family help - her parents work, mine could do a few hours tops but isn't able to do more, certainly not potentially days or weeks. I work full time and I can't take the time off, certainly not unpaid for an unknown duration.
I'd gladly do it in her place, but it doesn't work like that. Wife is currently getting herself in a right state over it, compounded by the fact the second day is our little girls 4th birthday - not that the court will care about that however what use an emotional, stress mother will be as a credible addition is a mystery to me.
I'm not looking for "Awww didums" or "suck it up" as it is what it is, however this has put us in a very difficult position and to say they'll reimburse child care costs is utterly useless - childcare just isn't available at this short notice. So aside fof me having to take unplanned / emergency leave, we've been left with no other options.
Seems crazy to call upon a mother during the school holidays but again, that's pointless crying over (though she has... literally) so hence, here I am hoping somebody may offer some constructive advice? Can she be excused on the above grounds? Can I request to go in her place?
The flip side is this might not go ahead... we can only live in hope but equally if she's been called, we can't just "wait and see" or else she'll be attending with two kids in tow. Or I'll have to call in sick on the first day and deal with the consequences work wise thereafter.
Could do without this right now but such is life!
She's just been called again as of the 5th of August and again responded to advise she has had kids, it's the summer holidays and thus can she be excused.
They've since responded to say no as she was excused last time however they will reimburse any childcare costs. Which, doesn't really help us as our kids aren't in childcare and never have been aside for state provided during term times. We can't get anything thus far - all local child minders are fully booked and / or off for the holidays.
We had very limited family help - her parents work, mine could do a few hours tops but isn't able to do more, certainly not potentially days or weeks. I work full time and I can't take the time off, certainly not unpaid for an unknown duration.
I'd gladly do it in her place, but it doesn't work like that. Wife is currently getting herself in a right state over it, compounded by the fact the second day is our little girls 4th birthday - not that the court will care about that however what use an emotional, stress mother will be as a credible addition is a mystery to me.
I'm not looking for "Awww didums" or "suck it up" as it is what it is, however this has put us in a very difficult position and to say they'll reimburse child care costs is utterly useless - childcare just isn't available at this short notice. So aside fof me having to take unplanned / emergency leave, we've been left with no other options.
Seems crazy to call upon a mother during the school holidays but again, that's pointless crying over (though she has... literally) so hence, here I am hoping somebody may offer some constructive advice? Can she be excused on the above grounds? Can I request to go in her place?
The flip side is this might not go ahead... we can only live in hope but equally if she's been called, we can't just "wait and see" or else she'll be attending with two kids in tow. Or I'll have to call in sick on the first day and deal with the consequences work wise thereafter.
Could do without this right now but such is life!
Edited by Davie on Monday 8th July 20:03
You could ask the court again for a deferment as you have been unable to secure any provision for your children despite trying.
My wife was called up and deferred once. The court clerk was very helpful when my wife explained she was the parent to 2 young kids and I suspect did soe juggling to ensure she didn't end up on a long case.
If your wife is finding this element stressful, then I only hope she gets a boring case rather than a multi week child abuse case that leaves the stress of the process in the shade (a friend's case)
Thanks. I've suggested that she contacts them again to advise we have explored and have no child care options and that it be deferred.
To add context, normally she'd be quite keen to do jury duty but the timing of this has not been kind both as far as the kids are concerned and unfortunately she's also struggling with a few other matters just now. Ultimately she's not in a great place, this has just come again the worst possible time.
If deferral is refused again, I fear the only option we have is for me to take unplanned leave which may end up as unpaid depending on how sympathetic my employer is / what they are willing to do to help. This isn't a great time fof me to be away from work either... wife also knows this, wife also getting in a state about that.
To add context, normally she'd be quite keen to do jury duty but the timing of this has not been kind both as far as the kids are concerned and unfortunately she's also struggling with a few other matters just now. Ultimately she's not in a great place, this has just come again the worst possible time.
If deferral is refused again, I fear the only option we have is for me to take unplanned leave which may end up as unpaid depending on how sympathetic my employer is / what they are willing to do to help. This isn't a great time fof me to be away from work either... wife also knows this, wife also getting in a state about that.
It's pointless getting frustrated at the situation as logic doesn't seem to prevail however both her and my sister (similar child care situation) have been called previously. I've never been called and as said, I'd go in her place... that would be no problem. Her going, that's given us a big problem.
She was deferred last time on the grounds she's full time carer for the kids and it also fell upon term break... she was excused without any issue. Her / our situation hasn't changed this time, she's still full time carer and it's also term break... but this time they said no, you deferred last time so you can't be excused this time.
Situations like that rile me. It's just nonsensical...
She was deferred last time on the grounds she's full time carer for the kids and it also fell upon term break... she was excused without any issue. Her / our situation hasn't changed this time, she's still full time carer and it's also term break... but this time they said no, you deferred last time so you can't be excused this time.
Situations like that rile me. It's just nonsensical...
hidetheelephants said:
If courts were actually equipped for the 21st century and had daycare on the premises or nearby this wouldn't arise as an issue. As it is there aren't enough courts to cope with the workload, never mind worry about peripheral concerns like juries.
Having done jury service twice, I feel jurors are treated with utter contempt.I've never had to do it; received a letter about it once but was never called. I get the impression the courts are just another part of the british state which has been flogged incessantly by successive govts, demanding more and more for less and less, and it's now highly dysfunctional as well as years behind schedule. Hopefully/presumably the new govt will attempt to do something about it.
I'd have thought school holidays was the easiest time to sort temporary childcare, loads of kids camps spring up during the school holidays.
My kids loved going to Kings Camps and they have locations all over the country - https://www.kingscamps.org/. Loads of local football clubs, tennis clubs, gymnastics clubs, ballet clubs, etc will run something similar. Over the years my kids have done weeks at Sale Sharks, our local indoor snowdome, even attended kart racing school at our local circuit - it's PH after all.
Kings Camp only run from aged 5, but a quick google suggests there are similar providers for 3 year olds.
My kids loved going to Kings Camps and they have locations all over the country - https://www.kingscamps.org/. Loads of local football clubs, tennis clubs, gymnastics clubs, ballet clubs, etc will run something similar. Over the years my kids have done weeks at Sale Sharks, our local indoor snowdome, even attended kart racing school at our local circuit - it's PH after all.
Kings Camp only run from aged 5, but a quick google suggests there are similar providers for 3 year olds.
Drumroll said:
So if you would gladly do her jury time, why can't you take time off to cover her whilst she does jury time?
'
OP has already said that they could, but its not good timing and would possibly be unpaid. Very different to being called up for jury duty themselves.'
Not sure why there's a pile on, the OP isn't being unreasonable with their frustrations. Think of it this way, if you were ever up in front of a judge and jury, would you want people there who are paying attention, or someone who keeps checking their watch and has half their mind on picking up the kids from some random last minute childminder?
JQ said:
I'd have thought school holidays was the easiest time to sort temporary childcare, loads of kids camps spring up during the school holidays.
My kids loved going to Kings Camps and they have locations all over the country - https://www.kingscamps.org/. Loads of local football clubs, tennis clubs, gymnastics clubs, ballet clubs, etc will run something similar. Over the years my kids have done weeks at Sale Sharks, our local indoor snowdome, even attended kart racing school at our local circuit - it's PH after all.
Kings Camp only run from aged 5, but a quick google suggests there are similar providers for 3 year olds.
They’ll be fully booked now - the ones around us sell out straight away.My kids loved going to Kings Camps and they have locations all over the country - https://www.kingscamps.org/. Loads of local football clubs, tennis clubs, gymnastics clubs, ballet clubs, etc will run something similar. Over the years my kids have done weeks at Sale Sharks, our local indoor snowdome, even attended kart racing school at our local circuit - it's PH after all.
Kings Camp only run from aged 5, but a quick google suggests there are similar providers for 3 year olds.
Thanks, I appreciate my posting may come across as a bit "woe is me" and I appreciate jury duty isn't something to pick and choose anc as said, my wife isn't unwilling to do it... quite the opposite in fact and in a different situation she'd be there willingly, how'd er as per the last time when the court deferred her with absolutely no issues due to childcare issues... this time, her situation is the same but it's a poing blank no / we'll cover childcare.
We simply cannot get childcare. We could scrape a day or two between friends / family however beyond that is just not viable. Again, we don't have "childcare" on hand be it family or paid. My wife isn't working just now, ie during the school holidays as we don't put out kids into care, ever... thus finding something / someone with short notice and an indefinite term isn't viable.
If I'd been called instead, my employer would be bound to allow me time off. However they aren't sympathetic to me taking time off to look after the kids. The irony is the following week I'm on annual leave, but the flip side is in turn if makes me week prior (the time she's been called) extremely busy and moving my leave isn't viable at this short notice.
I appreciate this all seems granular / first world issues however it's a bit like the perfect storm, several factors have coincided to create a bit of a headache. I'll call the court today but they seemed pretty blunt when my wife spoke - they can't say how long she'd be required, can't do anything regarding childcare aside for reimburse and seem fixated on the fact she was deferred last year on childcare reasons.
The latter is the most frustrating factor, they deferred her without any issues and yet now, he'd situation is exactly the same but this time they seem indifferent.
Just a rather frustrating process. She's even said she'd happily do it on a later date, ie during term time when we can more easier manage the kids but that's a flat no too.
And yes, the PH response is "that's why I wouldn't want kids" but we're a bit far down the road fof that...
We simply cannot get childcare. We could scrape a day or two between friends / family however beyond that is just not viable. Again, we don't have "childcare" on hand be it family or paid. My wife isn't working just now, ie during the school holidays as we don't put out kids into care, ever... thus finding something / someone with short notice and an indefinite term isn't viable.
If I'd been called instead, my employer would be bound to allow me time off. However they aren't sympathetic to me taking time off to look after the kids. The irony is the following week I'm on annual leave, but the flip side is in turn if makes me week prior (the time she's been called) extremely busy and moving my leave isn't viable at this short notice.
I appreciate this all seems granular / first world issues however it's a bit like the perfect storm, several factors have coincided to create a bit of a headache. I'll call the court today but they seemed pretty blunt when my wife spoke - they can't say how long she'd be required, can't do anything regarding childcare aside for reimburse and seem fixated on the fact she was deferred last year on childcare reasons.
The latter is the most frustrating factor, they deferred her without any issues and yet now, he'd situation is exactly the same but this time they seem indifferent.
Just a rather frustrating process. She's even said she'd happily do it on a later date, ie during term time when we can more easier manage the kids but that's a flat no too.
And yes, the PH response is "that's why I wouldn't want kids" but we're a bit far down the road fof that...
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