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COVID-19 Advice

We understand that our residents and visitors may have concerns about coronavirus, and we are working with all our partners ensure people are kept safe.

We are passionate that every child in Devon should have the best possible start in life and the opportunity to thrive. Even during these unprecedented times, we are working together to deliver the right support, at the right time, and in the right place.

So, with this in mind, we’ve pulled together a list of useful information and guidance to help you through the outbreak:

 

For further guidance on coronavirus and the latest information on the situation in Devon, visit Devon County Council’s (DCC) coronavirus (COVID-19) advice page. For more advice on how to stay healthy and active, visit the NHS. Or for guidance on keeping safe and new police powers, visit Devon and Cornwall Police’s coronavirus page.


Life chances

Schools

Schools are now only providing places for vulnerable children and those of keyworkers. To support parents the Department for Education has provided information for parents and carers about the closure of educational settings. Schools and other educational settings should refer to the latest advice for schools and other educational settings, published jointly by Public Health England and Department for Education.

The government has also published guidance for schools and colleges to support them keeping children safe, including online, during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

For further information and the picture in Devon, please refer to Devon County Council’s advice page.

Guidance on GCSE, AS and A Level cancellations is available.

Other educational support

The Department for Education has published a list of online resources for schools and parents to help children learn at home. BBC Bitesize also offers a wide selection of materials to help supplement your child’s education while at home, and Devon Libraries are offering a range of online facilities including free eBooks, eAudioBooks and eMagazines.

All Learn Devon classes have been cancelled and centres closed until further notice. Information and updates will be made available on the Learn Devon website.

Early Years and children’s centres

The government has issued guidance about early years and childcare closures.

DCC have update information about the picture in Devon. This includes the continued availability of eLearning training courses and a request that all early years and childcare providers complete a short online survey by 2pm every Monday and Thursday.

Children’s Centres remain open but are operating more remotely and exploring ways to support families virtually.

Youth services

Young Devon offices, YES Centres and Youth Centres were closed until further notice on Monday 23rd March. Please see the Young Devon website for the latest information and updates. Meanwhile, SPACE are offering a range of youth services online.

Adoption, fostering and care experienced

Adopt South West is continuing to support adopters across Devon, Torbay, Plymouth and Somerset during this difficult time, and have lots of useful information and updates on their website.

Fostering Devon is trying to keep things running as normally as possible. They have provided this guidance for foster carers, which includes a reminder everyone working with young people that we have access to the Mind Of My Own App.

Children in care and care leavers can find a range of guidance and advice on the Stand Up Speak Up website.

Government guidance about children’s social care services is available.

Other information

The Family Group Conference Service will still be undertaking some family conferencing activities, but these will be by contacting families remotely using Face-time, Skype, Teams and Whatsapp.


Health and wellbeing

Mental health

Government guidance for parents and carers on supporting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is available.

Young Minds have a range of help and advice, including a guide for parent’s on how to supporting your child during the coronavirus pandemic and advice for young people about how they can look after their own mental health.

Childline offer a similar advice page on how to cope during lockdown and also offer a free counselling service online or over the phone. Meanwhile, Every Mind Matters have 10 tips to help if you are worried about coronavirus and 12 tips on how to look after your mental wellbeing while staying at home.

Guidance and revised support for CAMHS intervention is available.

For anyone experiencing suicidal feelings, Samaritans offer free online advice and ready to answer calls and emails at any time day or night. Call 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org if you need to talk.

Exercise and diet

To help keep you and your family physically fit and active, NHS fitness studio offers free instructor-led home workout videos covering aerobics exercise, strength and resistance, and yoga and pilates.

The NHS’s Live Well advice pages offer guidance on, among other things, healthy diets, getting a good night’s sleep and support and tips on how to reduce alcohol intake.

Young Carers

Westbank has a range of support for carers of all ages, and a range of resources specifically for young carers can be found on the Devon Carers website.

Further advice on family health and wellbeing

The Children’s Commissioner has produced a range of guides and advice to help support children and families during the coronavirus outbreak. This guidance includes a children’s guide to coronavirus and a resource page for parents.

The NSPCC and the Children’s Society have both also provided information and support for families.

Further information and guidance on family health and wellbeing can be found on the DCC website.


Keeping children safe

Online safety

With people spending longer indoors and online, internet safety has become more important than ever. The Children’s Commissioner’s has produced a guide to staying safe online. Likewise, the NSPCC has advice about internet safety too, and Think U Know have created resources to support carers and parents.

Vulnerable children and young people

The government has produced guidance about the provisions being made for vulnerable children and young people.

Young people aged 11-19 can text a school nurse for confidential advice and support. Text 07520 631722 for advice on things like relationships, bullying, mental health, self-harm, drugs and alcohol.

Special needs and disability

Please see DCC’s advice page for information about Special Education Needs and Disability, including guidance on Eductation, Health and Care plans.

The Disability Challengers website has a social story to explain coronavirus to children and young people with learning disabilities. And Little Puddins have written a social story about COVID-19 for children and young people with Autism.


Protecting children from harm

Safeguarding procedures

The protection of children remains paramount throughout this pandemic and existing procedures remain in place.

The Adolescent Safety Framework (ASF) and Safer Me Assessment is not an emergency response mechanism and does not replace existing policy and procedures for child protection concerns or individual case planning where there is concern of harm within the home. In the first instance, you should discuss your concerns with your safeguarding lead, use the MASH consultation line 0345 155 1071. If you need to make a MASH enquiry, please email: mashsecure@devon.gov.uk

If you are concerned that the child has been trafficked, you need to report to the National Referral Mechanism or email them at nationalreferralmechanism@homeoffice.gov.uk.

If you have concerns over the radicalisation of a child or young person for the purposes of extremism please refer to the advice and guidance from the Prevent Channel Panel.

Safeguarding guidance to support colleagues in responding to contextual risk is available here.

The Devon & Torbay Anti-Slavery Partnership Spring 2020 briefing to partners covers the impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on modern slavery and human trafficking.

Schools and safeguarding

For children and young people across the county who are at risk of exploitation or abuse, school is often a safe place to be during the day. Without this protective factor, children and young people are likely to be at greater risk.

It is the expectation that vulnerable children and young people, including those at risk of harm outside of the home, do attend their identified school or education setting – unless they have an underlying health conditions that put them at severe risk.

  • Devon children subject of a Safer Me child protection plan and Safer Me child in need plan will be expected to be in education.
  • Young people on Safer Me Team Around the Family (TAF) plans, this needs to be discussed with families and providers, and where appropriate additional support from education establishments is encouraged.
  • The guidance is clear that many children with Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans can safely remain at home.

Government guidance about safeguarding in schools and colleges is available.

Online exploitation

Online exploitation remains an ever-increasing risk, and the current restrictions are likely to increase that activity as the places and spaces young people operate in becoming increasingly reliant on virtual media as a substitute. Young people will be spending a lot more time online and will be at greater risk of online grooming and exploitation.

The online safety section above offers advice about how to keep children safe online. The Child Exploitation and Online Protection command has published amended guidance and resources regarding online Child Sexual Exploitation risk.

Abuse

Devon and Cornwall Police are eager to remind victims of domestic abuse that you are not alone. If you need support and advice, please visit their domestic abuse support page or contact Devon Victim Care.

More information about domestic abuse is available on the Devon and Cornwall Police website, and the NSPCC also has guidance on how to keep children safe from abuse.

Police support and intervention

The Coronavirus Act 2020 introduces increased powers for the police to stop, arrest and detain individuals, if necessary, who are not complying by lockdown guidance. However, enforcement is a last resort, and Devon and Cornwall Police remain committed in ensuring that a partnership and engagement approach with young people remains central – so as not to undermine attempts to ensure young people who are experiencing extra-familial harm are safeguarded and not criminalised.

It is also still vital that professionals across the partnership continue to share information and intelligence regarding exploitation activity to ensure that young people are kept safe in their community.

Please contact the Police if you have any information that would be useful intelligence.

The expectations for parents and staff actions around “missing” continue as was the case prior to the COVID-19 outbreak. There continues to be an expectation that if a young person absents themselves, staff and parents will take reasonable steps to follow the young person and to search for them appropriately, while avoiding unnecessary contact with others. It isn’t appropriate to call the police simply because a young person has failed to follow guidance to remain at the home/school. The normal approaches to “missing” should be applied.

Please bear in mind that frontline police officers are likely to come into contact with a wide range of people during a tour of duty. Limiting the occasions when police are asked to attend our homes unnecessarily will also reduce the likelihood of cross-infection.

If you are concerned that a child is being abused please call

0345 155 1071

or email mash@devon.gov.uk.

If it’s an emergency call 999


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