Helping core families back together

My idea is to allow partners/finances/ couples who for various reasons live across two households to be able to isolate those two homes as one in the same way children who move between separated parents are.

There is a significant impact on core families who live across two homes that haven’t seen each other for 7 weeks. There is a real disparity in fairness between couples who live together and couples who don't (even those in the process of buying homes etc. who ordinarily are together every single day in one or other house hold.)

My suggestion is where you and your partner and live across two houses and have been following guidelines allow these partners to make the adult decision to extend their house hold to the two homes as long as they DON’T need to use public transport to travel between those two homes and can travel by personal vehicle or by foot.

Splitting up a core family is unnecessary especially where their compliance levels have been high.

Why the contribution is important

This will support mental health improvement, ease pressure on mental health services and associated illnesses that can result from the isolation of lock down, allow for support with child care and stop separating families. Most importantly it will support a sustained period of compliance to include a whole new group of people. And I’m not talking about individuals who already share a home with another adult to extend to more adults - I am talking about partners; finances, people in long term relationships who because of their residential situation with their families haven’t been able to lock down together and are alone with no adult support.

I don’t think this is a big change and it would support continuing compliance... many homes are not realising everyone is NOT feeling this lock down the same. Whilst they have the support of their partner they live with, others are suffering forced to be alone. The mental health impact you can change for a large group of people very easily.

by ganderson on May 05, 2020 at 02:35PM

Current Rating

Average rating: 4.8
Based on: 25 votes

Comments

  • Posted by Rachel_T1502 May 05, 2020 at 15:17

    Agree in particular where people live alone it is very important for mental health reasons to be able to have at least one adult in-person supportive social contact
  • Posted by JoeOH May 05, 2020 at 18:50

    Totally agree - if kids can be punted between houses, why can’t adults?
  • Posted by sheepiegirl May 05, 2020 at 23:38

    Agree allowing for 2 separate houses to be treated as one household as per current guidance if certain conditions were met. For example I’m doing my Mum’s shopping and she is only taking her once daily exercise so for her to be able to visit would be minimal risk but be very positive for her and my mental health.
  • Posted by OldDeuteronomy May 06, 2020 at 02:46

    And not just for couples/fiances/partners but for families in general. We are all responsible adults who do not need to be told what to do.
  • Posted by Djalaodbdld May 06, 2020 at 02:50

    I have to agree. Allowing people to add one or two other households to their bubble would really help everyone. Even if to start with this has to be as outside gatherings. Many countries have plans for this including Ireland and Guernsey has already allowed people to increase their bubble to include another household. Especially where one of the households only includes one person the increased risk would be minimal.
  • Posted by Jsaint May 06, 2020 at 07:00

    Yes agreed, I think core family groups (parents, grandparents, grandchildren, siblings) should be able to socialise/visit one another. Even if it's just once a week. And if it is local. This will help support mental health and wellbeing and encourage people to stick to lockdown rules as they will have some normality brought back into their lives. Loosen the belt slightly.
  • Posted by MargaretR19 May 06, 2020 at 08:17

    As long as we are prepared to take responsibility for safe social distancing between individual households
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