Are your beavers/cubs/rainbows/brownies back yet?

[Flump9]

Are they back yet and do they have to social distance?

@InMySpareTime

Leaders choice, one of the cub packs is back meeting outdoors, the other cub pack is waiting for social distancing to end. Scouts and Beavers will meet sometime in June, outdoors only, Explorers went back in May. The reason The Scout Association is tougher on outdoors and Social Distancing than school rules is because groups (especially in urban areas) cover several schools and year group bubbles, so an outbreak from a Scout meeting could close 7 or 8 different school bubbles.

DH's troop has at least 5 school and 4 years. I am not sure how many school bubbles it comes out at, but its a lot. More than 7 or 8.

Its was one of the few things that the kids can do for well over a month.

There were quite a few kids who had issues that had arisen at home during lockdown so the group leaders were all very conscious about getting things up and running for the kids as much as humanly possible.

There is one kid who isn't doing face to face still. They were signposted to other groups which were continuing online only activities (and had agreed to welcome them) and given details of what the groups were doing in person. They've not been heard from in weeks. There is a limit as to how much can be done - there wasn't demand for zoom meetings after they returned.

DH managed to get his first vaccine slightly early which was good, but i believe all the other leaders had their first doses in late march / early april anyway.

As for social distancing. Dh enforces it but admits he hasn't eyes in the back of his head and if he's dealing with safety for stuff like fire, thats his priority. Thats part of the reason he's keeping them all outside even though they could go in. Its also spring/summer so scouts SHOULD be outside 90% of the time anyway.

Kids are loving it but have been utterly feral.

My kids have been back for weeks now!

Had an adventure day out.

There is a risk assessment and its all outside. They no longer need to have split groups. We just wrap them up well when it's wet & muddy but they were doing that in December too

The leaders do try and enforce social distancing and but kids will be kids.

I am not at all worried though. Its outside, it's well run and kids need it.

I am so grateful they are back and also owe a huge debt of gratitude to all our leaders who have kept it going and put so much into the Zoom sessions too throughout the pandemic.

Dd1 joined rainbows last year has yet to attend a session though. No idea when they are back face to face either.

@Flump9

We've been told they will be outside and need to strictly social distance. So outside the gates the current rules in England mean they can hug their friends but they have to be 2m apart when they're in cubs. I think it must have come from head office but i don't understand the reasoning. Social distancing from the leaders I can understand but not the kids.

Yes its come from head office. All the leaders I know think its stupid too, but what can we do 🤷‍♀️

[quote underneaththeash]@Reachersloveinterest we ignore it too - we "do " the UMA/skill builders but only in a very general sense.

I don't some of the topics covered are suitable for a youth group.[/quote]
We do the UMAs and skills builder but heavily tweaked to make them more fun. Luckily I only work a few hours a week and enjoy planning, so it's easy for me, but if you're a busy working parent it's not great. It also helps that I know the cards really well so if I see a fun activity I can say "oh that would cover X UMA" and claim the minutes.

I imagine a Brownie/ Guide unit where they follow the cards to the letter would be pretty dull.

My brownie is back in outdoor meeting when weather permits and they have enough leaders. Not sure about social distancing. Don't think so. Otherwise they do zoom and have been doing that since last year.

Beavers are outdoors and have been back since April.

Rainbows are not running online or in person.

My Brownies are staying back next week. The church we meet at have asked us to stay outside for this term as they can't guarantee cleaning before the playgroup the following morning. Girlguiding are strict about everyone social distancing, so all our games and activities will take that into account. There are girls from 3 different schools in our pack, so social distancing seems sensible.

Dd2's guides isn't back yet, because their leaders have both been ill, so guides isn't their top priority.