Coronavirus daily update: Monday 27 July
Fiona Simpson
Monday, July 27, 2020
A judicial review, brought by children’s rights charity Article 39 against the Education Secretary, over the relaxation and removal of local authorities’ statutory duties to vulnerable young people is underway.
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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.
Judicial review into children’s social care exemptions begins
A judicial review brought by children’s rights charity Article 39 against Education Secretary Gavin Williamson over the emergency exemptions to children’s social care regulations has begun.
Article 39 is calling for the government to scrap emergency relaxations and removals of at least 65 regulations relating to the protection and safeguarding of vulnerable children during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Article 39 was granted the review, heard by High Court judge Mrs Justice Leiven remotely, on three grounds:
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That the Department for Education failed to consult before making the changes to children’s legal protections;
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That the regulations are contrary to the objects and purpose of primary legislation, particularly the Children Act 1989;
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That the Education Secretary Gavin Williamson breached his general duty to promote the well-being of children in England.
It is set to finish tomorrow.
Junk food adverts banned in wake of Covid-19 pandemic
The government has banned adverts for junk food online and on television before 9pm in a bid to tackle childhood obesity.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson today announced the move as part of a raft of measures in a bid to cut obesity in people of all ages after research showed those classed as obsese or overweight are more likely to fall seriously ill after contracting Covid-19.
As part of its new “Better Health” campaign the government is set to introduce new laws banning the advertising of foods high in fat, sugar or salt (HFSS) on television and online before 9pm which is when experts say children are most likely to see them.
The government is also set to hold a “short consultation” over whether the banning of adverts for HFSS should apply at all times of day.
Children in YOIs ‘still held in cells most of the day’
Children in two young offender institutions were still locked up for most of the day after four months of COVID-19 restrictions, inspectors have found.
Inspectors from HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) also discovered that that local management attempts at HYOI Feltham A and HMYOI Werrington to reintroduce education classes were blocked by the prison service and national staff associations.
Peter Clarke, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, said in a report following the inspections: “Children at both sites told us they initially understood and largely accepted the need for the restrictions, but after 15 weeks of being locked up for more than 22 hours a day some were understandably frustrated about the slow progress in implementing activity, particularly as they saw restrictions easing in the community.”
Children spent most of their day sleeping, watching TV or playing computer games, he added.
County Durham health visitor cuts ‘‘incomprehensible’
Plans to axe as many as 37 full-time staff members including health visitors and community nurses in County Durham has been branded “incomprehensible” by Unite the Union.
Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust (HDFT), which is taking over the County Durham 0-25 family health service contract from 1 September, wants to axe about 37 whole time equivalents (WTEs), the union said.
“Although the HDFT also says it wants to employ 21 WTE new posts, there will be a net loss of 16 WTEs out of a workforce of about 230 WTEs,” it added.
Unite lead officer for health in the north east Chris Daly said: “It is almost incomprehensible that when ‘public health’ is foremost in people’s minds because of coronavirus, Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust is swinging the jobs axe.
“The vast majority of those being earmarked to lose their jobs are health visitors and school nurses – the very professionals at the public health frontline helping families with babies and young children, and children returning to school.
“Disgracefully, the trust is consulting when staff have been working flat-out throughout the Covid-19 crisis supporting very stressed families and young people. This flawed exercise is happening before the first wave of the pandemic is over and with the expectation that a second wave will hit this autumn and winter.”
