Is it safe to send my child to school?
Health and wellbeing of our children and young people is a national priority and there is a fine balance to be struck between protecting communities from Covid-19 infection while providing ongoing safe education.
The risk to children themselves of becoming severely ill from Covid-19 is very low. Senior clinicians advise that school is the best place for children to be and that they should continue to go to school (unless they are classed as extremely clinically vulnerable or need to self-isolate or are unwell).
Public Health England conducted a study of more than one million children attending pre-school and primary school in England; just 70 children were infected with Covid-19. It was concluded therefore that children were more likely to acquire Covid-19 infection outside school settings than in schools. This is what we also see in local incidents’ investigation.
Schools have implemented a range of protective measures to make them safe and all schools have undertaken a Covid-19 secure risk assessment — this may be available on their website or by directly contacting them.
Why does my child need to follow national lockdown guidance and not visit friends outside of school when they see them inside school?
While children will be able to see their classmates at school, this is because schools have specific Covid-19 secure safety measures in place to minimise the risk of transmission.
Inside schools and Covid-19 secure childcare, children and young people must follow the Covid-19 secure measures the schools and venues have in place and children who are old enough should still socially distance as much as possible. This is also covered by Health and Safety Executive legislation.
There are no equivalent measures and assurances being put in place in private households and, although most people do follow infection control measures, it is not always consistent.
What happens if there is a case of Covid-19 in my child’s school?
If there is a confirmed case of Covid-19 in your child’s school, the school will be supported to identify all those who have been in close contact with the person with confirmed Covid-19, as they may be at risk of being infected.
All those children, young people and staff identified to be at risk will be asked to self-isolate for 14 days since last in contact with the infected person. Even if children, young people and staff get tested negative within the isolation period, isolation still needs to continue, as they may become infectious and/or ill at any time during that period.
Every scenario is different and that’s why sometimes only a few children are sent home, sometimes it is the whole support bubble and sometimes the whole year or even school, in special circumstances.
These decisions are based on detailed risk-assessments carried out by school and supported by public health professionals. We always strive to minimise risks and exclude only those students who are at risk.
If your child is asked to self-isolate, your school will inform you immediately and provide you with a letter with further advice. The length of time that your child needs to self-isolate for will be explained in the letter. Unless your child develops Covid-19 symptoms or tests positive for Covid-19, the rest of your household will not need to self-isolate (unless there is another reason for your household to self-isolate, eg another household member with symptoms).
Please note that your school has been given the authority to advise your child to self-isolate by the London Coronavirus Response Cell, which is part of the Test and Trace service, so you must follow the guidance in the letter they provide, even if NHS Test and Trace does not contact you directly.
Can my children attend after-school clubs or extra-curricular activities during the current national restrictions?
The government has advised that only education and childcare facilities can remain open. Education facilities include schools, early years settings, further education facilities and higher education.
This will not normally include extra-curricular activity providers who are not childcare providers; to be classified as a school a provider must be registered with the Department of Education as a school and have a Department of Education school number.
Out-of-school activities may continue to operate if their primary purpose is providing registered childcare, or where they are offering other childcare activities, where this is reasonably necessary to enable parents to work (or search for work) or undertake training or education. Out-of-school activities may continue to operate for the purposes of respite care, including for vulnerable children.
Out-of-school activities that are primarily used by home-educating parents as part of their arrangements for their child to receive a suitable full-time education may also continue to operate for the duration of the national restrictions.
Youth support services, including one-to-one youth work and support groups, may also continue to operate. Other after-school clubs and extra-curricular activity providers will not be able to operate.
Dr Tamara Djuretic is director of public health and prevention for Barnet Council
