Please see information below from The Children's Trust. Lots of useful and helpful links that you can access. Kind Regards.
1. You can get up-to-date information about the coronavirus and how to support families in Bury on the Bury Directory at the following links:
·The dedicated ‘Coronavirus’ section is updated regularly with Government guidance and you will also be able to browse and access a wealth of relevant and timely information. It provides a link to the:
·The Childcare & Families Coronavirus page providing information and links particularly relevant for staff working with children and families. This provides a link to the:
·The CT Partnership Coronavirus Update – Support, Advice and Guidance for Families in Bury (Special Edition Weekly E-mail). It provides a breakdown of information from organisations in Bury and other sources to help you to support families during this time. The information is set out under themes to hopefully make it easier for you and will be updated with information from the weekly e-mails.
·The SEND Local Offer – Coronavirus pages providing information about the SEND Local Offer during the Coronavirus pandemic
·Advice for Childcare providers – where Childcare Providers can find a range of information to support them as a provider and a business in the current time.
2. There are a number of funding streams being made available to enable community organisations to provide support in the light of the coronavirus pandemic. These include the Forever Manchester Community Support Fund – click on the link and a wide range of organisations which are outlined in the attached Emergency Funding Bulletin.
3. Incidents of domestic violence and abuse are expected to rise in the coming days as families isolated in their homes by the coronavirus struggle to cope with fear and uncertainty. Closing schools also puts some children at a greater risk of domestic violence and abuse because they may be confined at home with abusive parents. Services in Bury are providing services to clients via apps, telephone and email. As a community it is vital than now more than ever before we need to look out for the most vulnerable in our society; neighbours and family & friends need to be extra aware. Please click on the link to the Bury Integrated Safeguarding Partnership page for e-learning courses, including Domestic Abuse awareness training. Click on the link to the Domestic Abuse pages on Bury Directory for more information and for signs and symptoms to be aware of. Anyone at immediate risk of harm should ring the police on 999. You can also find a simple fact sheet about the impact on children and young people in the Domestic Abuse section of the Children’s Trust Partnership Early Help online toolkit.
4. In the light of the increased risk of domestic violence and abuse, Bury VCFA has been asked by the Council to undertake an urgent mapping to assess the status of current provision and to identify new or supplementary sources of support. If you work in the Domestic Abuse sector and/or related organisations please complete the attached questionnaire and return it ASAP (and no later than 15 April 2020) to admin@buryvcfa.org.uk Please share with your own contacts and networks in order for us to capture as wide a picture as possible.
5. For any concerns in respect of families who are tenants of Six Town Housing, the STH contact centre is still open (remotely) – click on the link. STH staff are carrying out regular checks on tenants offering reassurance and offering/signposting to help and completing emergency repairs and compliance (gas/electric/water) checks.
6. Although its centre is closed Bury2Gether is contactable for families via email and social media. They are also sharing information from the government/local authority via our website and social media. Contact details are: website: www.bury2gether.co.uk Facebook page: www.facebook.com/BURY2GETHER Facebook group for parents/carers www.facebook.com/groups/Bury2Gether Email bury2gether@gmail.com
7. Andy Smith, Advocate & Inclusion Ambassador in Children’s Services is setting up weekly zoom meetings for SEND young people where they can just have a chat, offer support to each other or just have a bit of fun! If people (professionals or parents) would like more information about this or other coronavirus related support, they can email Andy at Andrew.smith@bury.gov.uk.
8. The Challenging Behaviour Foundation has produced information and booklets to help families of children/young people with severe learning difficulties during the coronavirus pandemic. Click on the link to for an information sheet: Challenging Behaviour – Supporting your loved one at home and a visual summary: Supporting children and adults with severe learning difficulties at home during the coronavirus pandemic.
9. The Enterprise Centre (Naturally Enterprise Project) is providing Outside Alternative Provision for those with SEN or Emotional need. Students are being referred via school or SEN teams. For more information, e-mail alison@theenterprisecentre.co.uk
10. Mark Withington, Families Activities Officer (M.Withington@bury.gov.uk) is using the Bury’d Treasure twitter handle (@bury’dtreasure) to put on different activities families can do at home. These are posted everyday on Twitter and on Tuesday & Thursday on Facebook.
11. The Bury Directory has a new ‘Health & Wellbeing Hub’ where you can discuss health & wellbeing topics with others, browse health & wellbeing news, access a range of free and funded learning opportunities and share useful resources.
12. Manchester Metropolitan University, Adfam and Alcohol Change UK have jointly produced a briefing: Alcohol and domestic abuse in the context of Covid-19 restrictions. Click on the link.
13. Click on the links to the following organisations that are providing updated bereavement advice and information for children and families in the light of Covid 19: the Child Bereavement Network and Cruse Bereavement Care . For general advice click on the link to NHS.UK website
14. You can get a daily free David Walliams audio story for children at this link: https://www.worldofdavidwalliams.com/elevenses/ and you will also find a link t catch up with stories from previous days.
15. In an effort to make quarantine a bit easier, Audible audio book platform is making a vast selection of its titles available to listen to for free. A mix of classics, education and entertainment books will remain free to stream for anyone for as long as schools are closed. Go to https://stories.audible.com/ (Council staff may not be able to access due to IT restrictions).
16. Energy companies may be able to help those on a pre pay meter or smart meter if they are self-isolating and unable to get out of the house to top up. Most are offering to send 2 weeks’ worth of gas/electricity if a customer has no other options or support in making a payment. Some companies are also sending out pre-loaded smart cards for those in need.
·British Gas 0333 202 9802
·EDF 0333 200 5100
·EON 0345 052 000
·Npower 0800 073 3000
·Scottish Power 0800 027 0072
·SSE 0345 026 2658
17. The House of Commons Select Committee on Education has set up an inquiry to look at how the outbreak of Coronavirus is affecting all aspects of the education sector and children’s social care system and to scrutinise how the Department for Education (DfE) is dealing with the situation. The inquiry has launched a call for evidence to examine both short term impacts, such as the effects of school closures and exam cancellations, as well as longer-term implications particularly for the most vulnerable children. The call for evidence closes on 31 May 2020.
18. Click on the link to GMCA (Greater Manchester Combined Authority) for information on new mental health services for people across Greater Manchester affected by social restrictions to complement local support. You can also click on the Bury Directory Mental Wellbeing and Coronavirus page.
19. The Council for Disabled Children has published an open letter from the Children and Families Minister to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, their parents, families and others who support them signposting guidance published over the past week. Click on the link to the letter.
20. The National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) has published information for parents, carers and families and information for professionals to support deaf children and young people during the Coronavirus outbreak. Click on the link.
21. Thinkuknow has published guidance for parents and carers to support children who may be spending more time online at home while they do their school work and socialise with friends. Suggestions to help parents keep children safe online include: chatting to find out how they use online technology and what it means to them; reminding children to report anything worrying, and how they can do this; and setting up or reviewing parental controls. Click on the link.
22. The NSPCC has created a new webpage with information and advice for parents or carers who are worried a child or young person may be struggling with their mental health or has anxiety about Coronavirus. The webpage includes information on: talking about feelings and worries; keeping in touch and balancing screen time; ways to create structure and routine; and helping to give children a sense of control. Click on the link.
23. The NSPCC Library and Information Service has created a reading list of books for children who are worried or anxious. Our free information service remains open, and can provide reading lists and help you to find information on safeguarding topics. Contact learning@nspcc.org.uk or click on the link to the reading list.
24. The Children’s Commissioner for England has written to the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Local Government and Communities, the Secretary of State for Education and the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions regarding the impact of the Coronavirus outbreak on children and families. Click on the link. In a separate letter, the Commissioner has written to the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice to ensure the rights of children in custody are upheld during the Coronavirus outbreak. Click on the link. A further letter to the Permanent Secretary for the Department for Education and the Permanent Secretary for the Department of Health and Social Care requests additional safeguards to ensure that children’s rights and best interests are upheld during the Coronavirus outbreak. Click on the link.
25. Public Health England (PHE) has published updated statistics on children living with parents in emotional distress. Figures show that for the period 2017 to 2018 in England: around one in three children lived with at least one parent reporting symptoms of emotional distress; around one in four children lived with a mother reporting symptoms of emotional distress; and children were more likely to live with a parent reporting symptoms of emotional distress if both parents were out of work. Click on the link.