APPENDIX 1

Emergency Childcare and Free School Meals Breakfast and Packed Lunch

Emergency Childcare Request

Parents whose work is critical to the COVID-19 response include those who work in health and social care and in other key sectors outlined below. Many parents working in these sectors may be able to ensure their child is kept at home. And every child who can be safely cared for at home should be.

Please, therefore, follow these key principles:

1. If it is at all possible for children to be at home, then they should be.

2. If a child needs specialist support, is vulnerable or has a parent who is a critical

worker, then childcare provision will be available for them.

3. Parents should not rely for childcare upon those who are advised to be in the stringent social distancing category such as grandparents, friends, or family members with underlying conditions.

4. Parents should also do everything they can to ensure children are not mixing socially in a way which can continue to spread the virus. They should observe the same social distancing principles as adults.

5. Residential special schools, boarding schools and special settings continue to care for children wherever possible.

If your work is critical to the COVID-19 response or you work in one of the critical sectors listed below, and you cannot keep your child safe at home then your children will be prioritised for childcare provision. These include:

• Utilities, communication and financial services.
• Transport;
• Public safety and national security;
• Food and other necessary goods;
• Local and national government;
• Key public services;
• Education and childcare;
• Health and social care;

Further details is provided in the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision)

Emergency childcare provision is available for these essential frontline workers during the Coronavirus school closure period.　 This emergency childcare is for children up to the age of 14 years.　

This emergency childcare is available to RCT residents and RCTCBC employees only.

If you are a key frontline worker with a child/children between the ages of 3 to 14 years, please click on the attached link to an e-form https://forms.rctcbc.gov.uk/en/Web/coronaviruschildcare/startnew

and complete the required details.　

Please note that if you have more than one child, a further form will need to be completed and there is a link at the end of the form to enable a further form to be completed.

During the week commencing 23^rd March, the emergency childcare will be offered in your usual school.　 Normal school hours will operate and usual school transport for those who normally receive it will be provided. For week commencing Monday 30th March, emergency childcare will be offered in seven emergency centres Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm for key frontline workers. The Council is exploring future transport arrangements for 3 to 14 year olds from 30^th March onwards for the emergency childcare between normal school hours. The provision for 3 to 14 year olds is being offered in seven school settings throughout the Rhondda Cynon Taf area.

In addition, it is the responsibility of the parents/carers to ensure that if their child is vulnerable due to an underlying medical or health need that they self-isolate their child.

If you are an essential frontline worker with a child/children aged 0-3 years please email　childcareplayemergencyplanning@rctcbc.gov.uk to arrange your support.

Free School Meals Breakfast and Packed Lunch Request

Parents/carers of children who are entitled to free school meals will be able to collect a breakfast and packed lunch from their local primary school during the Coronavirus school closure period.　

The food will be a cold provision which will be packaged for take away and can be collected between 11am and midday each day.　 Each pack will contain a packed lunch for the collection day and breakfast for the following morning.

Please click on the attached link to an e-form https://forms.rctcbc.gov.uk/en/Web/coronavirusfreeschoolmeals/startnew

and complete the required details.

Vulnerable Learners

If your child is deemed to meet vulnerable learner eligibility and you require emergency childcare please complete the attached link. https://forms.rctcbc.gov.uk/en/Web/coronaviruschildcare/startnew

Vulnerable learners include: children with safeguarding and welfare needs, children looked after, young carers and children with children with disabilities. During the week commencing 23^rd March, the emergency childcare will be offered in your usual school.　 Normal school hours will operate and usual school transport for those who normally receive it will be provided. For week commencing Monday 30th March, emergency childcare will be offered in seven emergency centres.　 Provision for vulnerable learners will be for core school hours only. The Council is exploring future transport arrangements for 3 to 14 year olds from 30^th March onwards for the emergency childcare between normal school hours. The provision for 3 to 14 year olds is being offered in seven school settings throughout the Rhondda Cynon Taf area.

Please ensure that if you child is vulnerable and has significant medical and health needs that your child is self-isolated. Please see the attached link for further details. https://phw.nhs.wales/topics/latest-information-on-novel-coronavirus-covid-19/guidance-on-social-distancing-for-everyone-in-the-uk-and-protecting-older-people-and-vulnerable-adults/

Yesterday, the Minister for Education announced the decision to bring forward the Easter break for learners. 

However, school buildings should remain open, and will be expected to provide an important role going forward. We expect that Head Teachers will be in school next week and school staff should expect to continue to work, having regard to the latest advice on social distancing and self-isolation.

We expect Local Authorities to use their powers to direct activity in schools and make best use of the resources available. 

In these challenging times, schools will become an essential part of the effort to respond to the huge challenge of COVID-19. Schools and school staff will be central to keeping the NHS running as well as other services which are vital to how we live. 

We will shortly be publishing a set of frequently asked questions on the Education:Coronavirus webpage with key guidance, which will be regularly updated.

Our priorities for ongoing provision in schools, which we would like Local Authorities and Head Teacher to focus on, are: 

• For learners eligible for free school meals, putting in place short term measures to ensure their needs can be met in a flexible way  

• Securing appropriate provision for vulnerable learners

• Identifying children of people involved in the immediate response to the coronavirus outbreakand making provision available  

In all of these areas, we intend to work with local authorities to put in place longer term and resilient arrangements.

We will continue to provide updates to you.  

Sources of general guidance

Welsh Government coronavirus website:
https://gov.wales/coronavirus-covid19

Welsh Government guidance for educational settings:

https://gov.wales/education-coronavirus

COVID-19: travel guidance for the education sector:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-covid-19/covid-19-travel-guidance-for-the-education-sector

Guidance on social distancing:  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people/guidance-on-social-distancing-for-everyone-in-the-uk-and-protecting-older-people-and-vulnerable-adults

Public Health England and Public Health Wales websites 

https://phw.nhs.wales/topics/latest-information-on-novel-coronavirus-covid-19/

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/public-health-england

Follow us on Twitter @WG_Education or www.facebook.com/educationwales

https://www.asthma.org.uk/advice/inhaler-videos/

Many people are raising concerns about Covid-19 if they suffer from Asthma, watch these short videos to learn how to use your inhaler properly and better manage your respiratory symptoms https://www.asthma.org.uk/advice/inhaler-videos/

Improve your inhaler technique in just three minutes!

https://hwb.gov.wales/distance-learning

Distance learning can be delivered through a range of the Hwb tools, which are available to all maintained schools in Wales. These tools will allow teachers and learners with suitable internet connected devices to continue their classroom activities outside of school as required.

Core Hwb tools that support distance learning include:

Office 365 including Microsoft Teams

Minecraft: Education Edition

G Suite for Education including Google Classroom

Just2easy

Stay safe – message from Kirsty Williams, Minister for Education

Today, Kirsty Williams, the Minister for Education, called for everyone’s help to slow down the spread of coronavirus in Wales. 　The clear message to all childcare and education settings it that they should remain open at this stage. These decisions are based on the latest scientific evidence.

We recognise new guidance on Coronavirus that members of the public should stay at home for seven days if they　develop either a high temperature or a new continuous cough has the potential to cause staffing pressures on schools and public bodies.

We are postponing Welsh Government education conferences due to take place before Easter, as not to cause unnecessary staffing pressures on schools and to allow teaching staff to focus on health and well-being of children. We are keeping this position under review, and the latest advice will be communicated to teachers and parents through the usual channels.

Coronavirus: travel guidance for education settings and students

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has advised schools, colleges and universities against international travel, including school trips overseas.　

Advice and guidance to educational settings is being updated on a regular basis to reflect current advice

Latest advice on assessments and exams from Qualifications Wales　

For the latest information　please visit the Qualifications Wales website

Digital distance learning page live on Hwb

We want schools to remain open, but they can start to prepare in case they need to close by using the Hwb platform and the updated advice on distance learning.

Anti-bullying guidance

Whilst COVID-19 appears to have originated in China, we need to tackle the incorrect impression that Chinese people are more likely to be spreading Coronavirus. We all need to work collectively to reinforce this message and challenge negative attitudes and behaviours, where they occur, that underpin this misconception. The Welsh Government suite of guidance ‘Rights, respect, equality’ provides statutory guidance and advice to help address and prevent all forms bullying in education settings in Wales, including racist bullying. We expect all education settings and education services to make sure all pupils and staff are properly supported and respected.

Latest advice on Coronavirus from Welsh Government: https://gov.wales/coronavirus

13/03/20

Dear Parent/Carer

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

I am writing to advise you that all Rhondda Cynon Taf schools are provided with regular updates in relation to Coronavirus (COVID-19) developments which are always informed by Welsh Government and Public Health Wales guidance.

As you will be aware Coronavirus is a type of virus. As a group, Coronaviruses are common across the world and COVID -19 is a new strain of Coronavirus first identified in Wuhan City, China in December 2019. The situation in relation to the virus continues to change on a daily basis. In summary, the current advice relating to travellers returning from overseas is broken down into two categories: :

1. Category 1 - travellers should immediately self-isolate, even if asymptomatic (no visible signs of illness), and call NHS Direct (Wales) to inform of any recent travel.
2. Category 2 - travellers do not need to undertake any special measures, but if they develop symptoms they should self-isolate and call NHS Direct (Wales).

In terms of the above categories, these relate to the following countries:

1. Category 1 - countries are currently; Wuhan city and Hubei province (China), Iran, Daegu or Cheongdo (Republic of Korea) and Italy*.
2. Category 2 - countries are currently; Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam.

* Travelers who returned from areas of Northern Italy that were under containment measures (see map link below) between 19 February and 8 March 2020 should self-isolate for 14 days. If they develop symptoms they should contact the NHS Direct Wales on 111.

Any Travelers who returned from the rest of Italy before 9 March 2020 do not need to undertake any special measures, but if they develop symptoms they should self-isolate and call the NHS Direct Wales on 111.

The following link will allow people to identify whether they are in category 1 or 2 more easily:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-specified-countries-and-areas/covid-19-specified-countries-and-areas-with-implications-for-returning-travellers-or-visitors-arriving-in-the-uk

The incubation period of the virus is between 2 and 14 days. This means that if a person remains well 14 days after contact with someone with a confirmed Coronavirus, they have not been infected.

Travellers returning from other countries, including France, currently do not need take any special measures although people are encouraged to check the information on the Public Health Wales website as it is updated daily.

The government announced on the 12 March 2020 that all overseas education trips for children under the age of 18 should not take place until further notice.　 For further information, please check the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website as this specifically deals with travel advice and restrictions at

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/foreign-commonwealth-office. In the event of a school trip being cancelled due to travel restrictions being imposed, further advice will be provided by the schools as and when appropriate.

What are the symptoms of Novel Coronavirus?

Symptoms are similar to other respiratory viruses such as the flu. These may include:

• • Fever.
  • Shortness of breath
  • Cough

Generally, these infections can cause more severe symptoms in people with weakened immune systems, older people and those with long-term conditions like diabetes, cancer and chronic lung disease. There is no evidence that children are more affected than other age groups and presently there have been very few cases reported in children.

In order to minimise risks to your child, please encourage good hygiene and frequent hand washing. Washing hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is recommended. The use of an alcohol-based hand sanitiser that contains at least 60% alcohol is recommended if soap and water are not available.

It would also be helpful if you could encourage your child to

• cover any coughs or sneezes with a tissue, throw the tissue in the bin, and then wash their hands immediately
• avoid close contact with people who are unwell
• avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands

Updated advice provided on the 12 March 2020 suggests that schools should remain open. However, if a child or adult develops a new cough and a mild temperature they should self-isolate for a 7 day period. If you require any further information or assistance please call NHS Direct Wales on 0845 46 47 or 111.

More detailed advice is however provided on the Public Health Wales website at:

https://phw.nhs.wales/topics/latest-information-on-novel-coronavirus-covid-19/guidance-for-schools-advice-for-parents-or-carers/

I hope that this letter provides the necessary reassurances that schools are receiving appropriate advice in relation to this matter.

Yours sincerely

Gaynor Davies

Director of Education and Inclusion Services