Coronavirus daily update: Friday 26 June
Fiona Simpson
Friday, June 26, 2020
Year 11 students who were excluded from school risk missing out on further education and training due to the Covid-19 pandemic, headteachers have said.
-
Each day, CYP Now will summarise the key issues affecting the children and families sector as it tackles the effects of the pandemic. The daily update signposts children’s services practitioners and leaders to the latest developments, expert views, advice and resources.
Excluded students ‘will not be in school, college or training in September’
Thousands of Year 11 students who have been excluded from school will not have a place in further education or training in September due to disruption caused by the pandemic, headteachers have warned.
A survey, carried out by the teacher training charity The Difference and thinktank the Centre for Social Justice, showed that leaders of alternative education providers expected a quarter of their pupils not to be in education, employment or training (Neet) in September.
Sector did not request statutory changes, FOI result shows
“No specific requests” for changes to statutory duties relating to vulnerable children during the coronavirus crisis were made by the sector despite the Education Secretary claiming that organisations had asked “specifically” for some flexibilities, new information reveals.
The results of a Freedom of Information request asking for the names of organisations who had called for changes states: “There were no requests for specific changes as it is not standard practice for organisations to request specific changes to regulations.”
However, when quizzed on the amendments to 65 safeguards for children in care and on the edge of care in parliament by Labour’s shadow minister for children and early years Tulip Siddiq in May, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: “The sector had asked specifically to make sure there were some flexibilities that were made available to them.”
Youth workers key to easing lockdown, NYA says
Youth workers must be mobilised to deliver summer activities and support young people ease out of lockdown, according to a new report.
The National Youth Agency has called for the government to introduce a package of support for vulnerable young people which would see youth centres re-open and youth workers classified as key workers.
Children and young adults in custody ‘missing out on education’
Young adults and children in custody are facing up to 22 hours a day in cells and missing out on education during the Covid-19 pandemic, justice charities have warned.
A briefing by the Howard League for Penal Reform said that “many young adults”, aged 21 and under currently in custody in adult prisons, had reported spending just two hours a day out of their cells while five had said they were no longer allowed to make phone calls due to social distancing measures.
Meanwhile, the Prisoner’s Education Trust has called for education to be reinstated in the youth justice estate following the segregation of inmates during lockdown.
#Chances4Children: Leicestershire care leavers enjoy virtual tour of football stadium
Care leavers in Leicester enjoyed a virtual tour of Leicester City’s stadium as part of an employability skills workshop.
The tour, organised by care leavers charity Leicestershire Cares and Leicester City in the Community, saw care leavers offered a virtual tour of the stadium and an insight into the array of jobs available in the football industry.
