As more people in the UAE return to offices and many schools continue with online-only classes, parents may be wondering if their young children can be left home alone.
The pandemic has resulted in major changes to people's working lives and hours.
While some parents in the country have the option of working from home, others do not.
Some employees have returned to the office full-time, while others work from home a few days per week. Many schools have not opened fully and offer distance learning or a hybrid model, where only some pupils are allowed on campus each day.
Authorities in Abu Dhabi have said students in grades 6 to 8, also known as years 7 to 9 in the British school system, will continue remote learning "for the foreseeable future".
So far, 1,025 schools in the UAE are conducting distance learning while 212 schools are offering in-person classes, said officials during a media briefing on Tuesday.
That has put many parents without help at home in a predicament: what to do about their children’s care while they are at work?
At what age can children be home alone?
The UAE law is very clear on this point: it is illegal to leave children unattended at home.
Anyone who endangers the life of a child less than seven years of age can be imprisoned between one month to three years, or be fined up to Dh10,000.
Caregivers will be punished if a child is left without proper supervision.
A caregiver who leaves a child under 15 unattended can be imprisoned for two years if the child suffers permanent disability or death.
In 2011, Daniel Kuriakose, 12, a student at Delhi Private School in Sharjah, died alone after accidentally hanging himself on a karate belt. His mother was only minutes away from returning home.
His death came just 10 days after a five-year-old Dubai boy accidentally fell from an eighth-floor apartment, dying soon after. His distraught mother threw herself to her death from the same window moments later.
Have exceptions been made?
In May, police in Abu Dhabi dispatched a patrol car to be stationed outside a family’s building 24-hours a day after a mother, her husband and in-laws were admitted to hospital with the coronavirus.
They were forced to leave their children, aged between three and 13 home alone.
Police found out about the situation and Asma Al Jasmi, a civilian administrative staff officer, arranged for food from a nearby restaurant and provisions from a supermarket to be delivered to the children for 17 days until their family returned.
Police visited often to check on the children and delivered food three times a day.
What can parents do if they have to return to work full-time and do not have childcare?
Abu Dhabi and Dubai government employees with children enrolled in distance learning programmes have been offered the option to work remotely.
Employees must provide a letter from the school confirming that their children are enrolled in distance learning for the first school semester, to be able to work remotely.
Women government employees who have disabled children or pupils in grades 6 and below are also allowed to work from home.
Anyone working for a private company would either have to negotiate on work from home terms with their employer or employ someone from an agency to look after their children while they are at work.
It is illegal to hire a maid or a nanny who is not under your sponsorship.
Residents who hire illegal housemaids can be fined up to Dh50,000.
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Wenger's Arsenal reign in numbers
1,228 - games at the helm, ahead of Sunday's Premier League fixture against West Ham United.
704 - wins to date as Arsenal manager.
3 - Premier League title wins, the last during an unbeaten Invincibles campaign of 2003/04.
1,549 - goals scored in Premier League matches by Wenger's teams.
10 - major trophies won.
473 - Premier League victories.
7 - FA Cup triumphs, with three of those having come the last four seasons.
151 - Premier League losses.
21 - full seasons in charge.
49 - games unbeaten in the Premier League from May 2003 to October 2004.
More coverage from the Future Forum
Day 5, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day When Dilruwan Perera dismissed Yasir Shah to end Pakistan’s limp resistance, the Sri Lankans charged around the field with the fevered delirium of a side not used to winning. Trouble was, they had not. The delivery was deemed a no ball. Sri Lanka had a nervy wait, but it was merely a stay of execution for the beleaguered hosts.
Stat of the day – 5 Pakistan have lost all 10 wickets on the fifth day of a Test five times since the start of 2016. It is an alarming departure for a side who had apparently erased regular collapses from their resume. “The only thing I can say, it’s not a mitigating excuse at all, but that’s a young batting line up, obviously trying to find their way,” said Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s coach.
The verdict Test matches in the UAE are known for speeding up on the last two days, but this was extreme. The first two innings of this Test took 11 sessions to complete. The remaining two were done in less than four. The nature of Pakistan’s capitulation at the end showed just how difficult the transition is going to be in the post Misbah-ul-Haq era.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
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'Moonshot'
Director: Chris Winterbauer
Stars: Lana Condor and Cole Sprouse
Rating: 3/5
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Director: Paul Weitz
Stars: Kevin Hart
3/5 stars
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