As schools across Edinburgh return to normal today, many parents will also be returning to work.
However, many will be looking organise childcare again soon as 20 additional days of industrial action are planned. More strikes are set to take place between March 13 and April 21, with Edinburgh and surrounding areas affected.
The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) and the Scottish Government have confirmed that some progress has been made during informal talks to end the dispute. EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley said that the meeting on Tuesday was "helpful", as Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said discussions with the union and a Cosla official touched on possible "areas of compromise".
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However, the 20 days of strike action are still set to go ahead this month and into April, affecting students and their parents across the nation.
So, what rights do parents have when it comes to emergency childcare, and will people get paid? The Money Saving Expert newsletter helpfully noted down the key points of rights parents have when it comes to education strikes.
Do I have the right to take time off for emergency childcare?
If your child's school is closed, or your normal childcare arrangements are disrupted due to an emergency situation, you have a statutory right as an employee to take unpaid time off to look after your child.
There are no limits on how much time you need to take off, but it is suggested that it should be a "reasonable" amount - but employers should aim to be flexible.
If your employer refuses, they must justify why they have done so - but you can raise an internal grievance.
Can I get paid for taking time off work during strikes?
People need to check if their employers have policies in place that allows paid leave for emergencies. However, there are no guarantees, and you would need to check if your employer deems strike action as an emergency.
Most strike action is announced in advance and your employer may therefore expect you to have other arrangements already in place.
Here's what you should do:
If you are planning on requesting unpaid or paid leave due to a childcare emergency, you should put this in writing to your employer as soon as possible.
Set out why you haven't been able to make alternative childcare arrangements and what arrangements could be made to mitigate your time off work.
If you're not an 'employee', and are instead classed as a 'worker' under UK law, you won't be entitled to time off for emergencies.
'Workers' are classed as this rather than employee dependant on the contract they have signed - many of which include terms like freelance, casual, as required or zero hours.
Will my child still receive their free school meal during the strikes?
With the cost of living crisis still raging on, some parents will rely heavily on their children receiving healthy and filling meals at school so they can put money towards other essentials.
If your child receives free school meals and can't go into school due to strike action, the school must continue to provide support - whether that's in the form of a food parcel or money to cover food costs.
You should contact your child's school if you have not heard about their free meal, to check which arrangements they are making.
Breakfast and after school clubs may also still be open, even if the main school isn't - although it's best to check.
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