What is the latest Covid-19 guidance for out-of-school clubs and youth services?
Eloise Feilden
Monday, April 12, 2021
Changes to guidance for youth service and out-of-school clubs have come into force as part of the latest stage of lifting Covid-19 restrictions.
Following the government’s announcement of a roadmap out of lockdown beginning on 8 March, stage two of the planned reopening began on 12 April.
While pubs and hairdressers have been permitted to reopen under strict guidance, this second stage also means changes for youth services and out-of-school settings for children and young people across England.
CYP Now breaks down the impact of this new stage of reopening on the sector:
Out-of-school clubs
Government guidance for out-of-school settings from 12 April applies to tuition and learning centres, extra curricular clubs, uniformed youth organisations, supplementary schools, private language schools and religious settings offering education.
Indoor and outdoor provisions for children and young people are no longer restricted depending on the reason for attending, meaning out of school services taking place indoors are now open to all children and young people.
Government guidance published on 7 April advises providers to work with parents and schools to ensure children can be kept “with other children from the same bubble they are in during the school day”.
Where this is not possible, providers are being asked to group children with other members of the same school or with siblings from the same household.
While groups of any size are permitted for activities taking place outdoors, children unable to remain within their school bubble should be limited to groups of 15, accompanied by at least one staff member.
Parents and carers are not permitted to attend out of school activities unless it is essential, and live performances including dance, music and drama remain on hold until the introduction of stage three set to be introduced no earlier than 17 May.
For children in Year Seven and above, face coverings must still be worn outside of the classroom, and are recommended in classrooms “unless social distancing can be maintained”.
Youth services
In consultation with Public Health England and the Health and Safety Executive, The National Youth Agency (NYA) - the professional statutory and regulatory body for youth work in England - has developed specific guidance for the youth sector.
According to NYA guidance, the law applies differently to young people over and under the age of 18, depending on whether their birthday fell before 31 August 2020.
For under 18s there is no maximum bubble size for youth services provided either indoors or outdoors. Providers should, however, consider how to minimise risk by keeping groups of young people to a manageable number and adhere to social distancing and face covering guidelines.
For those over the age of 18, ‘support groups’ for vulnerable young people should meet indoors or outdoors in groups of no more than 15, accompanied by carers, volunteers and staff members.
Support groups are by invitation only and are provided to young people who are defined as vulnerable by their local authority.
According to the NYA, outdoor provision must comply with the rule of six including workers and volunteers “when not part of a support group (detached or adhoc delivery)”.
Online and digital, outdoor detached and 1-2-1 provision will still be provided to all young people as restrictions continue to lift.
Leigh Middleton, chief executive of the NYA, said: “As restrictions are lifted, there is a collective need to re-engage and open-up activities for all young people.
“We cannot be complacent with the vaccine roll-out which does not yet include most young people, and warnings from scientists of a likely Covid third wave. Perhaps the biggest challenge will be for youth work that supports young people post-18 years of age.
"There should be no cliff-edge of provision or services, especially for those transitioning into adulthood, some of whom have suffered the most during Covid and those formative years. Many young people over 18 need access to youth work, but the rules and guidance and lack of resources make this challenging for the youth sector.”
Sports
All outdoor sports facilities, such as tennis courts, sports pitches, outdoor skateparks and outdoor swimming pools can reopen, and organised outdoor sport and physical activity for adults and children are now exempt from legal gathering limits.
Latest guidance states that face coverings for those over the age of 11 do not need to be worn inside in situations where they might “impact on the ability to take part in exercise or strenuous activity”.
Further guidance
Children are recommended to use services local to their home or school, and are being discouraged from mixing with different peer groups.
Guidance states that rather than use public transport, children should be taken to out of school settings in a private car unless they are able to walk or cycle.
As of 1 April, children and young people classified as clinically extremely vulnerable can attend out of school settings where eligible, as well as those whose parents are clinically extremely vulnerable.