Dear Colleagues,
A short introduction from me again this week given how much there is to cover in today's update. I would just like to reiterate my thanks to you all for your continued hard work and resilience in what are testing times for us all.
Best Wishes,
Dan Barton
Assistant Director - Education and Skills
|
The government have announced that this autumn, all children aged 12 to 15 years are being offered the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccination. The expectation is that the vaccination programme will be delivered primarily within schools but there might be certain areas or certain schools where this is not possible.
How vaccination in schools will work
Like all school-based vaccination programmes, the vaccines will be administered by healthcare staff working closely with the school and following the usual approach to school-based immunisation.
The School Aged Immunisation Service (SAIS) will be the primary provider of the vaccination programme for healthy 12 to 15 year olds and will be legally responsible for the delivery of the vaccine.
SAIS will be contractually responsible for the service, as they are for other school vaccination programmes.
How parent or guardian consent will be obtained
For those aged 12 to 15 years consent will be sought by the SAIS from the parent or person with parental responsibility in the same way as for any other school vaccination programme.
Schools will have 3 primary roles which will be familiar to them from other vaccination programmes:
- To provide information to their SAIS provider on which children on their roll are eligible for the vaccine
- To share the information leaflet, consent form and invitation letter supplied by the SAIS team with parents and children
- To provide the space within school, and the time away from the timetable, to enable vaccinations to take place
We have received the promised national documentation around consent. This is not fit for purpose. We are in the process of finalising an appropriate document and will share this with you tomorrow (Friday).
Update from the Assistant Director of Nursing at NCIC
‘By now you should all have had contact from the immunisation team booking time in the schools for us to deliver the programme, we will need the usual facilities and space you provide for our other vaccination sessions and in addition space where children can wait for 15 minutes after they have had their injection.
The sessions will be run by either our immunisation clinical leads or our public health nurses but the vaccinators will be from our colleagues in primary care and from the community hubs; this might include community pharmacists, ambulance and fire brigade staff. All staff will be DBS checked and have all of the training required to safely administer vaccines to children.
We will provide the information and consent forms to send to parents tomorrow (Friday) and would be really grateful if you could print the forms that are returned to you, which we will collect from the schools. We are only accepting parental consent, so any child wishing to consent for themselves will be directed to their GP or local vaccination hub.
Please note there will be no change to the arrangements we have made with you regarding the nasal flu programme.
Thank you very much for all your help and support, if you have any queries please do get in touch.’
Lyn Durrant
Assistant Director of Nursing at NCIC
Liability
Cumbria County Council is aware that some schools have received letters/emails threatening legal action linked to the roll out of Covid vaccines for 12-15- year-old students on school sites. The government has published guidance, making clear that this will be a School Aged Immunisation Service (SAIS) programme and that they will be legally responsible for the delivery of the vaccine. The guidance also makes clear that issues around consent will be addressed by the NHS staff who are trained to assess competence, rather than school staff.
Read the guidance currently available here
Site Security
The recent decision by the Government to offer coronavirus vaccines to 12 to 15 year olds is likely to create some opposition from various groups of individuals who are generally against the delivery of the vaccine to all age groups.
The roll out is expected to start as early as next week. Parental consent is required for the immunisations, but sadly this has not stopped groups of protesters gathering outside schools to express their opinions and there have been several reports of protests in national media over recent weeks.
The Police and other agencies have made preparations to respond if and when such protests occur outside any of our schools in Cumbria.
A guidance document about how to contact the police in the event of anti-vaccination protest outside of schools can be found here (this is applicable to the whole of Cumbria footprint)
What to do to prepare for potential protests outside school
We are asking you to review your site security risk assessments to identify any significant risks or weaknesses in your existing risk assessments and consider what if any additional proportionate, preventive actions you might need to take.
Points to consider are:
- Is your perimeter secure?
- Is your external environment secure?
- Are your buildings secure?
- Do you have a security lockdown procedure?
It has been reported that whilst most of the protests have been peaceful, some students have been upset and un-nerved by the situation, it may therefore be useful if you have an alternative exit that they could use to avoid having to pass the protestors or consider other methods of making sure they can leave the premises safely.
If you have any questions please contact the health and safety mailbox healthandsafety@cumbria.gov.uk
Join Cumbria Outdoors for an unforgettable experience of gentry and servant life, sports, mining, felt making, Christmas tree decorating, carol singing and much more in a unique three-day residential course, held at Hawse End Centre.
Cumbria Outdoors are now taking bookings for the current Autumn Term – available dates start from Monday 22nd November 2021.
Prices start from £179 per pupil (based on 20 pupils and 2 free staff places). This all-inclusive rate includes transport to and from school.
For more details and/or to make a booking please call 01768 812280 or email Cumbriaoutdoors.enquiries@cumbria.gov.uk
|
Birth to 5 Matters
Birth to 5 Matters have released a selection of videos and articles to support the implementation of the revised EYFS. Available to access here
Briefing paper 13: Personal, Social and Emotional Development’ (PSED) and the Revised EYFS
This briefing paper focuses on the changes to PSED in the revised framework and the non-statutory guidance. PSED is one of the prime areas of development which forms solid foundations for all learning to then develop. The prime areas play a significant role in encouraging children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning. They are a driving force behind helping children as they form nurturing attachments, learn to self-regulate their emotions and thrive in their day-to-day life.
Briefing paper 13 : Personal, Social and Emotional Development’ (PSED) and the Revised EYFS
Parent’s information guide on the Revised EYFS
The Early Years Team have produced a guide on the Revised EYFS for parents which settings and schools can share explaining:
- What the EYFS is.
- What the learning and development requirements are
- What the changes are to the revised EYFS?
- What the changes mean for parents and carers
- How parents and carers can help their child at home
Home Learning
Chat, Play, Share
This week our focus is on the rhyme 'Mary, Mary, quite contrary'. Please share with parents to support home learning around the development of speech, language and communication.
Chat Play Share: Mary, Mary, quite contrary
For a range of fun activity ideas for children and families, please share What Can I Do This Week? This week's activities all involve treasure . Remember that the activities contained in this communication are for the week starting next Monday.
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Early Years Training
The Early Years Team are offering a range of courses which you can now book via School Development or through SLA online.
Early Years training booked through School Development
The Early Years Team will also be providing the following training and networks throughout 2021/22. Please look out for more information about these training courses and networks through our Early Years comms/school’s comms, via email or through the school portal. These courses will be administrated by LIS Business Support or the Early Years Team.
Overview of training and networks
SLA online user guide
Co-production
Co-production, according to Contact, the national charity for families with disabled children, is when parents and professionals work together, recognising each other's expert knowledge, to design, develop and improve services for disabled children in the local area.
Co-production of services by including parents and carers, can often take longer, and be messier, but the benefits for all involved are multiple.
We are excited to share that we have the opportunity to work with Contact in Cumbria to improve co-production with families. Contact will be running three 2.5 hour workshops (online) in October, December and February, to a limited number of participants. The first date is Wednesday 6th October 10 – 12.30.
If you are interested in being part of this training to learn about co-production in the early years, please let Katie Clarke know as soon as possible – katie.clarke@cumbria.gov.uk This will compliment work done with the SEND partnership around whole setting review and the Level 3 SENCO training, but is open to all settings.
We would also like to involve parents and carers of children with additional needs – please share this flyer with your families.
Healthy Families Cumbria Pledge
The next Healthy Families Cumbria Pledge panel meeting will be held in October. Please submit any completed workbooks to HFCPledge@cumbria.gov.uk by Tuesday 28th September.
We now have 22 early years providers in Cumbria who have signed up to the pledge and we hope this number will continue to grow. Let's all pledge to support our young children and families to be healthy and happy.
For up to date information and a link to the workbook, please visit our website.
Link to the Healthy Families Cumbria Pledge website
|
