Covid-19: Children’s home sees 16 staff and children test positive

Thirteen staff and three children at Arnold House children’s home, in Northampton, have tested positive for the virus since mid-May, Northamptonshire County Council has said.

Councillor Fiona Baker, cabinet member for children's services at the council, said despite staff sickness “there is adequate staffing in place and that staff continue to have access to the required PPE for this setting”.

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She added: “The welfare of children is our top priority and we have been working closely with Public Health England and the local public health team to ensure the situation is managed appropriately.

“All families have been informed of the situation and we are continuing to work closely with the unions to ensure that a safe service continues to be maintained for the children in Arnold House’s care.”

Branch secretary of Northamptonshire Unison Kev Standishday said the union’s regional office had submitted a referral to the Health and Safety Executive over the weekend after being alerted to the outbreak on Friday.

“We have had urgent meetings with Northamptonshire County Council to ensure everything is being put in place to manage the situation and ensure safety going forward,” he said.

Latest council documents state that Arnold House is one of three children’s homes directly run by the council.

It is designed for up to six placements of children with autism spectrum disorder, the council said.

The outbreak comes after sector leaders warned that the government’s “track and trace” system could close small children’s homes.

The system, which was introduced last week, should alert anyone who has been in close contact with a person testing positive for the virus, instructing them to self-isolate for two weeks. In the first week, 31,000 people were contacted through the system following 8,000 positive tests.

However, Peter Sandiford, chief executive of the Independent Children's Home Association (ICHA), has said use of the system without exemption for staff working with vulnerable children could be “catastrophic” for small children’s homes and even the youth custody estate.

Sandiford voiced fears over the widespread use of track and trace leaving children’s homes so understaffed they would have to close.

Alan Wood, former president of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services, told CYP Now that he and others from the sector had been in talks with the Department for Education over the issue.

DfE said it is in "regular contact" with the ICHA and "continues to work with service providers, local public health experts and the test and trace service to support the sector at this time".