Coronavirus / Covid-19 Risk Assessments
Advice and Guidance
What to do if your child has symptoms of coronavirus
The main symptoms of coronavirus are:
a high temperature
a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot, for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
a loss or change to sense of smell or taste – this means they cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal
Use the 111 online coronavirus service if your child is 5 or over. Call 111 if they’re under 5.
What to do if your child seems very unwell
Children and babies will still get illnesses that can make them very unwell quickly. It’s important to get medical help if you need it.
Urgent advice: Call 111 or your GP surgery if your child:
has a temperature of 38C or higher, or you think they have a fever
has other signs of illness, such as a rash, as well as a high temperature (fever)
has a high temperature that’s lasted for 5 days or more
does not want to eat, or is not their usual self and you’re worried
has a high temperature that does not come down with paracetamol
is dehydrated – for example, nappies are not very wet, sunken eyes, and no tears when they’re crying
NHS Test and Trace service
The NHS Test and Trace service will form a central part of the government’s coronavirus recovery strategy.
Anyone who tests positive for coronavirus will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace and will need to share information about their recent interactions.
People identified as having been in close contact with someone who has a positive test must follow the guidance given by the NHS.
Department for Education coronavirus helpline
The Department for Education coronavirus helpline is available to answer questions about COVID-19 relating to education. Staff, parents/carers and young people can contact this helpline as follows:
Phone: 0800 046 8687
If you work in a school, please have your unique reference number (URN or UK PRN) available when calling the helpline.
Collection of guidance for educational settings on GOV.
Schools_COVID-19_operational_guidance_-_February_2022
Handwashing advice
It is essential that everyone washes their hands more often, using soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Hand washing with soap employs mechanical action that loosens bacteria and viruses from the skin, rinsing them into the drain. Drying hands afterwards makes the skin less hospitable to the virus. Hand sanitiser can be effective if soap is not available or the situation makes using soap less feasible (i.e. when outside) but using hand sanitiser provides none of the virus-destroying friction that rubbing your hands together and rinsing with water provides.
We’re here to help
Please get in touch if you have concerns / worries.
Our Pastoral care/ Inclusion Team (Tracey, Natalie and Marcia) are based in the Rainbow Room. They would be delighted to help you, especially in relation to your child’s education, behaviour and well being.
Their role in school is to provide support, advice and information on a range of issues, such as:
Signposting how and where you can get support
Working with pupils to improve self esteem and build confidence
Liaising with external services such as housing and Social Care
Giving advice and support in promoting positive behaviour at home
They will be in the playground every morning and afternoon, please feel free to come and have a chat with her or ring the school office to make an appointment.
Emotional and Physical Wellbeing
The impact of the pandemic on our wellbeing is something that many of us are thinking about at this time. Feeling anxious or worried about our own health or that of family members, or finding it difficult to deal with daily life and the impact of coronavirus is understandable. Help and advice is available in many forms should you need it.
In these challenging times being able to take care of ourselves and look after our own mental well-being is important. These NHS 5 steps offer us ideas to help us think about ways to improve this:
1. Connect
There is strong evidence that indicates that feeling close to, and valued by, other people is a fundamental human need and one that contributes to us functioning well in the world. Social relationships are critical for promoting wellbeing. So, with this in mind, do something different today and make a connection with someone. Talk instead of texting. Speak to someone new. Ask how someone is and listen carefully to their response
2. Be Active
Try to do some regular physical activity. Exercise is associated with promoting well-being and lower rates of depression and anxiety across all age groups. Find out more about how to get active with the NHS.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
Take the stairs not the lift.
Walk to or from work or walk at lunchtime.
Do some ‘easy exercise’, like stretching, when you get up in the morning.
3. Take notice
Remind yourself to ‘take notice’. This can strengthen and broaden awareness. Studies have shown that being aware of what is taking place in the present directly enhances your well-being. Take some time to enjoy the moment and the environment around you. Here are a few ideas:
Get a new plant
Have a tidy up day
Take notice of how your colleagues are feeling or what they are wearing
4. Learn
Continued learning through life enhances self-esteem and encourages social interaction and a more active life. Why not learn something new today? Here are a few more ideas:
Find out something new about someone you know
Read the news
Set up a book club
Do a crossword or Sudoku
Research something you’ve always wondered about
Learn a new word or a ew language
5. Give
Participation in social and community life has attracted a lot of attention in the field of wellbeing research. Research has shown that committing an act of kindness once a week over a six-week period is associated with an increase in wellbeing. Get giving!
Managing your children’s worries and anxieties:
It is normal during these uncertain times for children, young people and parents to be anxious. If you don’t want to seek professional guidance at this time you might like to read these tips on ways to manage your child’s worries and anxieties:
Talk to your child
about it and how they are feeling. Keep explanations age appropriate. Reassure them it okay to feel how they are feeling.
Limit coronavirus media.
We need to understand what is happening in the country and how current rules might affect us. However, seeing or hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can extend our worries. The Child Mind Institute can offer some tips.
Develop new coping skills
like mindfulness and breathing exercises. Chill Panda is for children and adults who want to learn how to manage stress and worry and feel better. The service offers a host of breathing and other relaxation exercise videos.
Worry times and worry bag
offer children an opportunity for you to set aside time in the day to discuss their worries or to pop them in a bag to be discussed at an appropriate time. Methods such as these give children an opportunity to reduce the amount of time they worry whilst at the same time give the child confidence that their worries will be addressed.
Provide routines
so that your child has a structure to help them cope with the ongoing changes. Have fun with games and play. Everyone has had to come to terms with a different way to live daily life but we still need to have fun with each other and spend quality time together.
Focus on the positive things.
Children and parents have made huge adjustments and learnt to cope with many unexpected changes. Remind your child of all the good, practical steps they are taking to stay safe
The World Health Organisation has a useful story book to help children cope with aspects of the pandemic
Managing worries and anxieties
However, despite these tips many of us do still have worries and anxieties at this difficult time. Luckily, there are many organisations and resources that can help children, young people and families to look after their wellbeing. The following support groups vary according to the age group the service suits. The important thing is to talk to a professional – if you are struggling. Hopefully the following links will be helpful to our Pakeman school community at this time:
Islington Social, Emotional, Mental Health (SEMH) Services are operating virtually and available to support any young person in the borough of Islington who may be displaying difficulties with their emotional wellbeing and/or mental health. Referrals can be made if you click the link which will connect you with the relevant service.
Coping with illness and bereavement
If someone in the family becomes unwell with coronavirus and your child is feeling worried, let them know they can talk to you. Talk to them about the fact that there are many experienced doctors, nurses and scientists around the world working hard to help all the people who are unwell with the virus.
Child Bereavement UK has useful advice, when you can’t visit someone who is ill.
The current situation has been particularly difficult for families coping with bereavement. The following two organisations are available should anyone wish to contact them:
Cruse offers bereavement support and has a Freephone National Helpline 0808 808 1677
The Childhood Bereavement Network has useful information about supporting bereaved children at this time.