CONTENT
COVID Data
Children and Families update – September 2020
Access Initiative Bids 2020/21
Mental health training grant available for schools and colleges
Primary and Secondary Solar System resources
COVID Data
Applies to-All schools
Please find below the latest Covid data for Halton, together with a message from our Director of Public Health, Eileen O’Meara, which you may wish to cascade across your organisations and networks.
The weekly data is also published in the Covid Data section of our website.
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There have been 55 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Halton residents in the last 7 days (to 8th September)
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Our weekly rate of positive cases has increased but remains lower than other areas in Cheshire & Merseyside and the North West
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In total there have been 804 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Halton residents (to 8th September)
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The percentage of people testing positive has increased during the past week, but is still relatively low compared areas in the North West that have been subject to local lockdowns
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There have been 0 COVID-19 deaths in the week ending 28th August.
In addition, Eileen O’Meara, Director of Public Health has issued the following message to the public:
Since we have been releasing our weekly data, I have been able to report to you that the numbers of cases of Coronavirus in Halton has been low.
However, like areas right across the country, this week we have seen a sharp increase in the number of positive cases in our community.
While the number of cases is still below those in places where local lockdowns have been put in place, the increase is a cause for concern.
Our investigations of the positive cases tells us that small increases are occurring across all age groups and across all areas of the borough.
We have to take action now to put a stop to further increases that could, if left unchecked, take us into a position where local measures would need to be considered.
That is why I am today reminding all Halton residents of how important it is to follow the guidance that is in place to keep you and our community safe.
That means washing your hands regularly.
Wearing a face covering where you are required, including in all shops and on public transport.
Keeping a 2m distance wherever you can.
Getting a test straight away if you have symptoms
And, from Monday 14th September, ensuring that you do not mix socially indoors, or outside in groups of more than six people.
I am also asking local businesses to work with us to ensure that workplaces and venues are Covid-secure and that everything is being done to minimise the risk of spreading the virus.
Doing these things together is the only way we will stop the increases that we are seeing.
Right across Halton, we have all worked really hard to bring this awful virus under control and I know nobody wants to go back to where we were a few months ago, so please follow the guidelines and ensure your friends and families do the same.
Thank you.
Children and Families update – September 2020
Applies to-All schools
As with all agencies and services, Halton Children and Families have experienced a number of challenges over the past 6 months due to the impact of COVID-19. In order to ensure we continue to safeguard children and develop our services to meet the challenges presented to families and the workforce, we have implemented a temporary Duty and Assessment Team (DAT) for a period of 3 – 6 months.
The Duty and Assessment Team consists of 1 Principal Manager; 1 Practice Lead and 5 Social Workers. Cases are allocated to the team from iCART in order for the Single Assessment to be undertaken, those families where it has been identified a support plan is needed, either Child in Need or Child Protection, the case will be transferred to the Child in Needs Teams following the initial multi-agency meeting and the plan has been formulated and in place.
The Duty and Assessment Team have been operational since 10th August 2020, since then feedback has been positive from families, staff and agencies.
There are a number of new social workers within the Child in Need Teams, this is as a result of staff who had planned to leave pre COVID-19 remained, as agreement had been made across neighbouring authorities that staff would not start in their new positions until the end of July. Whilst this was positive at that time, in order to ensure consistency for families, it has meant a number of Social Workers left at the same time to commence in their new roles at the beginning of August.
With regards to changes within the management Team, Catherine Cosgrove (Principal Manager iCART), is now in post as Principal Manager Child in Need – Runcorn. Susan Turner has been seconded to Principal Manager iCART and Katrina Birch, interim Practice Lead iCART.
Attached below are the current team structures for the Temporary Duty and Assessment Team; Child in Need – Runcorn and Child in Need – Widnes – this provides up to date details of workers including names; telephone numbers and email address. Also attached is the up to date structure for iCART with names of workers and the main contact number and email address.
https://schoolcirc.hbcnewsroom.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Child-In-Need-Runcorn-Team-1.docx
https://schoolcirc.hbcnewsroom.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Child-In-Need-Runcorn-Team-2.docx
https://schoolcirc.hbcnewsroom.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Child-In-Need-Widnes-Team-2.docx
https://schoolcirc.hbcnewsroom.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Child-In-Need-Widnes-Team-1.docx
https://schoolcirc.hbcnewsroom.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Duty-and-Assessment-Team.docx
https://schoolcirc.hbcnewsroom.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/iCART-Structure-September-2020.docx
Access Initiative Bids 2020/21
Applies to-Head teachers of all Halton Community & Voluntary Controlled Nursery, Primary, Special Schools & Children’s Centres.
Status – Action/Response required by Friday 2nd October 2020
Schools are invited to bid for capital funding for projects which will improve the physical environment of school buildings or access to the curriculum.
Please refer to attached letter & bid form for further details.
Mental health training grant available for schools and colleges
Applies to-All schools
To help primary, secondary and further education settings to be more resilient to the mental health implications of the pandemic, the Root Of It have announced that registered schools and colleges in the UK can apply for a grant covering 60% of the cost of mental health training for their staff.
In the first round of grants, launched in September, only 200 grants are available to cover 60% of the cost towards four levels of online mental health training:
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National Educational Leader in Mental Health accreditation for a senior member of school or college staff on mental health ethos and culture for staff (and in turn pupils);
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Designated Mental Health Leader training for a key member of staff to coordinate mental health provision for pupils;
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Children and Young Person’s Mentor Qualifications to develop staff trained to assess social and emotional difficulties, plus deliver individual and group interventions;
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Mental health awareness courses on the impact of the pandemic for all staff to access, covering topics like self-resilience and supporting pupils.
The global pandemic has had an impact on the mental wellbeing of staff and students alike and there can be no denying that this will have a profound impact on mental health difficulties. As such, the Root Of It, through the Mental Health Awareness Programme have secured 200 grants that mean settings only need to contribute £999 + VAT towards the comprehensive award-winning training package
For more details or to apply for the £1650 grant, please go to
https://mentalhealthawarenessprogramme.com/reducing-the-impact-of-mental-health-problems-after-the-pandemic/
If you have any questions or would like to know more, please contact Richard Curtis on richard.curtis@rootofit.com.
Primary and Secondary Solar System resources
Applies to-All schools
The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) operates world-class research facilities, supports scientists and engineers across the globe, funds researchers in universities and provides strategic scientific advice to government. Laboratory is a STFC Laboratoy.
The councils engagement team offers a wide range of support for teachers, scientists and communicators to facilitate greater engagement with STFC science and includes astronomy, space science , particle and nuclear physics.
They produce a wide range of free publications; from magazines and reports right through to top quality scientific teaching resources suitable for use in schools.
Included in these publications is ‘Hands-on Universe’ which is a space curriculum pack for students aged 7 to 11. The resource pack consists of six information strands including the Night Sky, the Sun, the Moon, the Solar System, Telescopes and Space. These strands are split down into two sections: ‘Discover’ (which consists of background knowledge) and ‘Explore’ (which contains activities for the students to try out in the classroom or at home).
Alongside this we have Hands on Universe age 5-7, Hands on the Moon and the Little Book of Space Rocks. All up to date, high quality, fun packed and educational resources put together by top experts across the UK.
If you would like to place an order please contact wendy.cotterill@stfc.ac.uk
STFC are recording bespoke astronomy based sessions with primary teachers so that they can roll a video out in their own time in class or send to any children that may be working at home due to COVID-19 restrictions.
To give you a flavor of this engagement please take a look at here:
<https://www.ogdentrust.com/about-us/news/showcasing-science>
https://twitter.com/Year6LuntsHeath/status/1272842787298381824>
STFC have just completed this recording with Halton Libraries and they will be launching it in the October half term on their Facebook page. We can also adapt this outreach by connecting with the schools live rather than pre-recorded depending on the platform they are allowed to use to connect with externals.
STFC are also supporting secondary schools with work experience online talks and are shaping new workshops and masterclasses that will be rolled out over the coming months.
Wendy Cotterill from STFC at Daresbury Laboratories is looking for a small focus group of year 10/11 science teachers. The reason she would like their support is to roll out a curriculum based plastics and polymers talk delivered by a highly regarded speaker called Professor Averil MacDonald. She needs a small number of teachers to advise on the best way/time to do it, so if you are interested, email Wendy at her email above and of course the talk would be delivered to their school.