Today’s big challenges need collective efforts

Yet again, the messaging from the government, scientists and health officials is for everyone to do their bit in the fight against the virus by getting a booster jab, practising good hand hygiene and wearing a mask in public. This comes just six months after “freedom day” and the scrapping of many basic public health measures.

After nearly two years, children’s services leaders are wearily adept at coping with the ebb and flow of the pandemic and adapting provision according to levels of infection risk. In addition to disrupting services, the pandemic has resulted in the delay of key reviews into special educational needs and disabilities, youth work funding and elective home education, and many will fear that the emergence of Omicron could create further problems at a time when the sector is awaiting the publication of the Care Review in the spring.