To remind people children live in care homes, not just older people or those with disabilities

[alloutofcareunits]

Just that really. So many threads about how Covid is affecting older people who haven't seen family, people who haven't been able to visit relatives, and people worried about working in schools or care homes (for older people). Children living in homes have had their lives hugely impacted upon by Covid, family visits have been restricted, home contact impacted upon, staff shortages due to staff having to self isolate etc. Staff are also not to wear PPE leaving them vulnerable to catching the virus, zero social distancing, leaving some very worried about passing the virus to their own families. It feels like kids in care are being forgotten about again as I've not seen one news article about it, yet lots of airtime about older peoples homes, hospitals, and children in school

Its awful.

Not a child, but a friend who is in his early thirties lives in a care facility due to a brain injury. He hasn’t seen any of hos family or friends since March.

Alongside children with disabilties, children in care homes have also been denied their usual support network, for many looked after children school was their safe space and often the place of most stability.

Thank you op! It's really making me boil how younger generations are being ignored through all of this. I'm over 50 & I just can't, for the life of me, see why we older people are being prioritised above the young. It makes no sense at all.

That's not really accurate SimonJT, the majority of children in care have been in school all year this year, and all would have been entitled to a place in school (even in the first lockdown). There have been particular challenges for children in care this year - especially around family contact and delayed decisions about permanency - but lack of school attendance isn't one of them.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention OP. You're quite right, this has been off everyone's radars. So much attention shone on care homes. Probably rightly so. But it's the balance isn't it? One side of the story seemingly ignored

@wherethewildthingis

That's not really accurate SimonJT, the majority of children in care have been in school all year this year, and all would have been entitled to a place in school (even in the first lockdown). There have been particular challenges for children in care this year - especially around family contact and delayed decisions about permanency - but lack of school attendance isn't one of them.

School as a safe space has not continued though, for children in care and care leavers a dramatic change in a safe space can be incredibly traumatic. Reduced contact with identified safe adults can cause significant emotional regression in children who have suffered trauma.

Children in care are not living in care homes, usually. The regulations are different and visiting, family contact and school are not only allowed, but encouraged. There are arrangements for PPE, self isolation and managing behaviour where children won’t comply with guidance. The risks are significantly lower than in a care home.

They aren’t forgotten. They are not subject to the same restrictions as the elderly and disabled adults living in care homes.

@SimonJT I'm assuming you work in a childrens care home which hasn't continued to send children to school; is there a reason for that? I worked in a childrens care home until very recently and we (along with the 6 other care homes that the company owns throughout the country) have sent the children to school throughout the pandemic.

Simon I am not really clear what you mean but don't want to derail the thread. Certainly for most children in care school has continued this year, very close to normal. Care leavers are not at school?
Agree completely that loss of safe space is traumatic but I don't see that has happened in respect of schools?

A government’s main aim is to get re-elected. The government must think of its voters. Children can’t vote.
Case in point: triple locked pensions vs deep cuts in the funding of education.

During this pandemic, the elderly have categorically been prioritised over the young, ie those that will carry the burden of it for generations. Quite why the country isn’t out —rioting— protesting is beyond me.

@wherethewildthingis

Simon I am not really clear what you mean but don't want to derail the thread. Certainly for most children in care school has continued this year, very close to normal. Care leavers are not at school? Agree completely that loss of safe space is traumatic but I don't see that has happened in respect of schools?

But school was not at all normal over lockdown. Lots of traumatised children really can’t cope when there are significant changes in a safe place.

For many LAC going to school during lockdown would have been worse than staying at home with carers or in their usual care facility.

I think OP is talking about children in care homes who do not go to school due to their disabilities, not looked after children who simply live in care?

During this pandemic, the elderly have categorically been prioritised over the young

Tell that to those in care homes who've been under house arrest for ten months. Who watched friends die up close during the first few months as it ravaged through care homes due to Govt sending untested people into them.from hospital. Who've seen no one except through a window for most of the year. Who still have no idea when they will be vaccinated. To the families who've seen their relatives via window visits deteriorate because of lack of contact.

@CherryRoulade I'm referring to children who do live in a care home rather than foster care. Not children with disabilities but those who have been removed from their families due to safeguarding concerns

Sorry OP I totally misunderstood.

@wherethewildthingis @SimonJT most of our children attend alternative provisions, some of which were suspended as risk assessments were not adequate. Some training providers for those over 16 also suspended training courses leaving 17 year olds in care with no placement and nowhere to be during the day. Some of the young people I have been caring for have not observed the guidance and have socialised with friends regardless leaving staff and residents at risk. As for PPE, we have hand sanitiser but aren't allowed to wear masks/gloves

@Santaisreel no problem the fact you thought I meant children with disabilities shows that most people aren't aware of the many children who do live in care homes due to safeguarding reasons

[quote alloutofcareunits]@CherryRoulade I'm referring to children who do live in a care home rather than foster care. Not children with disabilities but those who have been removed from their families due to safeguarding concerns [/quote]
well you proved my point op. that people living in care homes that are not worthy of thinking about.
maybe you should have been clearer. I will ask for my post to be deleted.

@CherryRoulade I'm not sure why you've taken offence at my reply I'm not in any way trying to argue with you, I agree I was just making the point that care homes include children without disabilities but who can't live at home due to safeguarding reasons. Sorry if I offended you in any way

I don’t understand the point of these threads
We all know that immense suffering has been generated
The list is long
I’m just not clear on what’s going to change by reminding us of this

[quote alloutofcareunits]@CherryRoulade I'm referring to children who do live in a care home rather than foster care. Not children with disabilities but those who have been removed from their families due to safeguarding concerns [/quote]
No they are children's homes, not care homes which come under different legislation and Covid19 guidance. The rules are very different and they are not in the news because of this.
Children in care homes are considered as being part of a household but retain the right/requirement to go to school and to have parental access.

Not offended at all but just wanted to be clear children's homes and care homes are very different beasts,

@CherryRoulade good point, I just used the term care home as it is the term more generally used. Guidance has been extremely vague and actual government guidance on managing the situation specifically for Children's Homes was only released in the last month, most have been muddling through doing their best since March

I actually wrote to my MP regarding this very subject during the summer.

Our dd is now almost 27 but went to special needs boarding school between the ages of 8 and 19. (Absolutely necessary at the time as her challenging and autistic behaviours were so severe, the SN day schools couldn't cope with her. 😢). It did prove to be the best decision as the school had direct contact with some excellent paediatric neurologists who eventually found the correct combination of meds' which enabled her to be toilet trained and calmed her considerably over many years.

However, I know had our dd still been at the same boarding school we would have been barred from visiting. I honestly don't know how our dd would have coped as she was used to seeing us every weekend and we are extremely close. Thankfully she now has her own apartment with it's own entrance in a small supported living centre which is close to home. We couldn't see her for 16 weeks during the first lockdown - absolute hell - but now we are her official "Support bubble" and can visit as normal so long as we use Ppe and have a temperature check upon arrival.

I often think about the disabled youngsters in residential care and especially those who don't have the capacity to understand. These youngsters and their families MUST be given much more priority with regards to vaccines. I dread to think what these youngsters and their families are suffering. 😢 OP is correct in stating that so little attention has been given to those who fall into this category. 😡

CherryRoulade My son is a 19 year old in supported living. I haven't been allowed in his home since February due to covid rules. I can only see him for socially distanced walks now. Yes, it has had a huge impact on him and us. Christmas was a ten minute visit in the freezing cold garden. Many care companies have adopted the same rules as those for care homes for the elderly. If I had decided to bring my son home for Xmas, he would have been forced to isolate in his room for two weeks afterwards. You clearly have no idea about this area.