Coronavirus daily update: Tuesday 9 June
Fiona Simpson
Tuesday, June 9, 2020
Some schools will not reopen until September, the Education Secretary has announced.
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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.
Plans to reopen schools dropped
The government has backtracked on plans to reopen schools to all pupils before the summer holidays.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said in a statement to the House of Commons today that primary schools will no longer be expected to open to all pupils before the end of July.
"While we are not able to welcome all primary chuldren back for a full month before the summer, we continue to work with the sector on the next steps," Williamson said.
"We'd like to see schools who have the capacity bring back more children in those smaller class sizes (maximum 15 pupils) if they are able to do before the summer holidays.
"We will be working to bring all children back to school in September," he added.
New guidance released on Kawasaki-like syndrome
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) has issued new guidance for parents on a condition linked to Covid-19 in children.
Kawasaki-like syndrome, officially called Paediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (PIMS) has been linked to coronavirus.
Symptoms of the syndrome include a high temperature for three days and in some cases a rash or abdominal pain.
“PIMs is very rare and most children with the condition will not be seriously affected,” the guidance notes.
Family courts ‘not back to normal until Spring 2021’
Family courts in England and Wales may not return to normal until the end of this year or Spring 2021, a new report states.
The Road Ahead, published by Sir Andrew McFarlane, president of the family division, details the beginnings of a new framework to reopen courts following the pandemic.
It warns that social distancing measures will be in place for “many months to come” but adds that courts are beginning to hold more cases face-to-face rather than online.
Calls for government to support babies amid pandemic
A group of 76 organisations and charities supporting children and babies has written to the Prime Minister calling for more support for babies and toddlers affected by Covid-19.
The coalition, which makes up the First 1,001 Days Movement, says “babies and toddlers have often been missed in government policy and guidance during the pandemic”.
It calls on the Prime Minister to create a “clear cross-government strategy for improving outcomes for all children, including a focus on the first 1,001 days, from pregnancy, which lay the foundation for later development.”
This strategy must “set out a vision for how families with the youngest children will be supported to recover from the impact of Covid-19 and how the government will begin to ‘level up’ and close gaps in outcomes which have widened during the pandemic,” it adds.
Charity launches new games for deaf children
A UK-based charity supporting deaf children, has launched free online games to help young deaf children across the world better understand vital safety messages during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Created by DeafKidz International, the interactive games explain and reinforce advice such as handwashing and social distancing using animation. Instructions are signed by children in British Sign Language and International Sign to ensure the games are accessible and universal.
