Here is some information from the Department for Education about schools – who can still attend, which schools will be open, what happens if you are a key worker, transport etc,

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carers/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carers

To be clear on what the Department of Education means by “vulnerable children”, please follow this link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people

It basically includes those children who have a social worker and children and young people up to the age of 25 with EHC Plans.

Lots of people are anxious about Corona Virus or Covid-19 and rightly so. There is a huge amount of information out there and we will try to post on this page and other pages the most relevant and important pieces of Government, Health or Council information in line with Government guidance. Please keep checking our website posts for further information.

Please see some links below which you might find helpful:

Check out the Kirklees Council website. There is an orange banner across the top with links to useful information, such as coronavirus updates, coronavirus help and advice, request help if you need school place (if you have vulnerable child or are a key worker), how to get help if you need it and how to offer help if you would like to help out. There is also a great community pack. The community pack contains help cards you can complete and post through the door of someone who is self-isolating and may need some help.

New Rules on staying at home and away from others: For clarity on what you can/can’t do, please click on the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/874742/Full_guidance_on_staying_at_home_and_away_from_others__1_.pdf

Separate advice for individuals/households with possible Coronovirus infection who are isolating: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection

Government guidance on social distancing (what is it, who is most vulnerable, help with shopping, medical appointments, maintaining wellbeing etc: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people/guidance-on-social-distancing-for-everyone-in-the-uk-and-protecting-older-people-and-vulnerable-adults#summary-of-advice

Further information about businesses which must close to encourage social distancing:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/874732/230320_-_Revised_guidance_note_-_finalVF.pdf

Guidance on school closures for parents and carers:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carers/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carers

The website above refers to “vulnerable children”. In short this means children who have a social worker or those with an EHC Plan. Full information about this and how schools should work with you can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people

Here is a letter from the parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families to be shared with families of children with special educational needs and disabilities:

List of key workers whose children can continue to attend school:

Health and social care
This includes but is not limited to doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, social workers, care workers, and other frontline health and social care staff including volunteers; the support and specialist staff required to maintain the UK’s health and social care sector; those working as part of the health and social care supply chain, including producers and distributers of medicines and medical and personal protective equipment.
Education and childcare
This includes nursery and teaching staff, social workers and those specialist education professionals who must remain active during the COVID-19 response to deliver this approach. Key public services
This includes those essential to the running of the justice system, religious staff, charities and workers delivering key frontline services, those responsible for the management of the deceased, and journalists and broadcasters who are providing public service broadcasting.
Local and national government
This only includes those administrative occupations essential to the effective delivery of the COVID-19 response or delivering essential public services such as the payment of benefits, including in government agencies and arms length bodies. Food and other necessary goods
This includes those involved in food production, processing, distribution, sale and delivery as well as those essential to the provision of other key goods (for example hygienic and veterinary medicines).

Public safety and national security
This includes police and support staff, Ministry of Defence civilians, contractor and armed forces personnel (those critical to the delivery of key defence and national security outputs and essential to the response to the COVID-19 pandemic), fire and rescue service employees (including support staff), National Crime Agency staff, those maintaining border security, prison and probation staff and other national security roles, including those overseas.
Transport
This includes those who will keep the air, water, road and rail passenger and freight transport modes operating during the COVID-19 response, including those working on transport systems through which supply chains pass. Utilities, communication and financial services
This includes staff needed for essential financial services provision (including but not limited to workers in banks, building societies and financial market infrastructure), the oil, gas, electricity and water sectors (including sewerage), information technology and data infrastructure sector and primary industry supplies to continue during the COVID-19 response, as well as key staff working in the civil nuclear, chemicals, telecommunications (including but not limited to network operations, field engineering, call centre staff, IT and data infrastructure, 999 and 111 critical services), postal services and delivery, payments providers and waste disposal sectors.

Government announcement on 20th March re school closures and who it applies to:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/schools-colleges-and-early-years-settings-to-close?fbclid=IwAR2I__96sEctlH-NWSMbSUTQO-a_SukYqjky9nP4RntvOSdQfKWQZOhe_1w

We will post Kirklees specific news about schools etc as soon as we have it

Kirklees Council pages:

Disruptions and closures – Kirklees Council

Latest updates from Kirklees Council

NHS guidance and information:

NHS guidance: overview, stay at home advice, do’s and don’ts:

Number of Coronavirus cases in the UK and risk level:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public

Useful BBC link about handwashing including a short video:

People have mentioned that there isn’t much guidance for carers about caring for someone who has the virus or is suspected of having it. You can find that information on the link below. Make sure you scroll down the page to the bit headed “Recommended precautions for household members, intimate partners, and caregivers in a non healthcare setting”https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-prevent-spread.html

Here is some useful information from Special Needs Jungle about calming your child’s fears about Coronavirus:

Calming Coronavirus anxiety top tips

• Use a range of fact-based media to reassure your child. Remember that in the absence of facts, children will often imagine situations are far worse than reality.
• Use the most current information available. Public Health England update their website every day with a regional breakdown of where cases are in the UK
• Be calm yourself as an anxious child will sense your anxiety.
• Make yourself available to your child as they may need more reassurance than usual. Reassuring them that children are not a high-risk category may help quell any fears they have.
• Avoid listening or giving weight to rumours about Coronavirus. Check where the information has come from.
• Be aware of any comments from other adults around your child. You may have to explain what comments mean if they are different than the values that you have at home.
• Maintain as normal a routine as possible while keeping aware of current health advice. If you’re advised to stay at home – stay at home!
• Remember it is completely normal for anxiety to be higher at a time like this, but be aware of the impact that excessive viewing of TV and social media can have on yours and your child’s mental health.
• Use common sense based on current guidelines
• If you or anyone if your family develops a cough, fever, or shortness of breath, call 111 or your GP for guidance as per current advice. Only call 999 if it is a life-threatening medical emergency. If your child lives with a serious medical condition, trust your instincts.

If we all stick to the guidelines and follow the advice, the spread will eventually diminish. As the WHO says, we are in the best position ever to contain a possible pandemic.