Children’s commissioner tells ministers and unions to ‘stop squabbling’ over re-opening schools
The education secretary has said that the government’s plans to re-open schools on 1 June 2020 in a phased manner is based on science.
Gavin Williamson stood firm on schools in England reopening on June 1 and tried to reassurance parents saying that the government’s plans are based on the “best scientific advice with children [...]
Children’s charities warn that children’s services are ill-prepared to cope with challenges posed by COVID-19
Local authority children’s services are ill-prepared to deal with the challenges posed by the coronavirus lockdown, a group of children’s charities have warned.
Years of under-investment have resulted in children’s services fire-fighting and unprepared for the “torrent of extra challenges” posed by COVID-19, analysis by Barnardo’s. Action for Children, The Children’s Society, NSPCC and the [...]
Children’s commissioner: Thousands of vulnerable children at risk in lockdown
Hundreds of thousands of children in England are living with a cocktail of secondary risks that Covid-19 may exacerbate, the children’s commissioner for England has warned.
Anne Longfield highlighted that thousands of children are experiencing a lack of food in the house, homelessness, sofa-surfing or living in cramped living conditions, neglect, domestic abuse, substance abuse [...]
Parents express fear for children’s mental health amid COVID-19
The government has been urged to take action now to limit the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on young people’s mental health.
Children and young people’s mental health charity YoungMinds is launching a campaign ‘Beyond Tomorrow’ calling for young people who need mental health advice to be able to get it, increased support for [...]
Blog: Why frontline social workers should be provided with PPE
Mark Willis writes that it is essential local authority social workers are provided with PPE as they start to resume visiting vulnerable children.
Boris Johnson announced his roadmap out of lockdown measures this week, urging people who cannot work from home to get back to their jobs while the public can carry out [...]
What should social work offices be putting in place for working safely?
Back to back working, screens or barriers and continued social distancing are some of the measures outlined in the government’s guidance for working safely during COVID-19.
Businesses and workplaces should make every reasonable effort to enable working from home as a first option. Where working from home is not possible, workplaces should make every reasonable [...]
