Webchat with Vicky Ford MP, Minister for Children, Friday 15 May at 2.15pm

[RowanMumsnet]

Hello

We're pleased to announce a webchat about COVID-19 and schools with Vicky Ford, Conservative MP for Chelmsford and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families, at 2.15pm on Friday May 15.

As lots of you will already know, the government has recently announced plans to start sending Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 children, as well as nursery children, back to school and nursery settings from June 1. We know lots of you have questions about this, and about policy and plans for schools and schoolchildren in the COVID era more broadly. Vicky will be coming along to give us the government’s response to your concerns and questions.

Vicky was elected MP for Chelmsford in 2017, and has been Minister for Children since February 2020. Before joining Parliament she was an MEP for the East of England constituency in the European Parliament. In a previous life she worked in finance.

Please join us here on Friday at 2.15pm. If you can’t join us on the day, please post up your question in advance.

As always, please remember our guidelines - one question per user, follow-ups only if there’s time and most questions have been answered, and please keep it civil. Also if one topic is dominating a thread, mods might request that people don't continue to post what's effectively the same question or point. (We may suspend the accounts of anyone who continues after we've posted to ask people to stop, so please take note.) Rest assured we will ALWAYS let the guest know that it's an area of concern to multiple users and will encourage them to engage with those questions.

Many thanks,
MNHQ

[insancerre]

I work in a nursery with children aged from 1 to 4, how can I care for them and practice social distancing?

[Mrshhh]

Hello
How can we be sure children and staff will be safe
What science evidence has led to the decision to open schools and where can we read that guidance
Thanks

[SJPrice]

What’s going to happen over the summer holidays? If schools aren’t fully open, how can holiday clubs run?

[MarshallChase]

As a parent to a year one and nursery child I'm really worried about your plans. My school are measuring classrooms and can only take eight children per the 2m rule but your guidelines released yesterday says they have to offer a full time provision. That means 24 teachers for reception where there used to be six for,year 1 and 6 (two form entry). How is that possible? (Like a PP I would also like to see the report that says it is safe.)

[TeenPlusTwenties]

Will you be pushing for extra funding for pastoral care in schools and CAMHS to support children whose mental health has been impacted by all of this. Given that they were underfunded before if they don't get boosted the country will be storing up longer term issues.

[Covid19Liv]

My younger daughter is in Year 5 and looking at the government's plans it is likely she will be asked to return to school mid-June. She suffers from mild asthma as does her older sister (Year 9) and I also have asthma symptoms after exercise or a cold (I am 45). Can you advise if I should send her to school with the increased risk because of our health problems or are these not severe enough to stop her return to school?

[HangryChip]

Full time working parents with Year 1 and preschooler. The formative years are critical to schooling and frankly mine are suffering benign neglect with stressed parents who have had to take paycuts. It is not sustainable until a cure is found, and would take an immense toll on jobs especially of mothers. However our local school appears to be fighting reopening because it is "not safe".

My question is: Is there recognition distancing measures are not pragmatic especially with younger years and average class sizes of 30, particularly with current facilities and staff numbers? What practical guidance and support is the government providing to schools and in enduring steps are being taken to to reopen? Thank you.

[ilovesooty]

Given the repercussions of the lockdown and the impact on children's and teachers ' mental health, will there be a commitment from central government to invest financially in school counselling services rather than schools being expected to find funding from their already stretched budgets? Will there be a strategy to ensure that such services are available on an equal basis to all?

[Timeforanewname2014]

For mental heath reasons I am keen for my year 6 child to return to school. However having read the more detailed guidelines that were released yesterday I just can't see how schools can meet everything being asked of them. I have so many questions that arise from this document but given that we are only allowed one, Is it the case, as it seems, that the government have purposely put together guidelines that cannot possibly be met by schools so they blame the schools when children can't return?

[CalH1]

My child is having massive issues not being able to socialise (as im sure alot of children are). However he has a fear of getting close to anybody now due to being terrified of getting ill. He already has attachment disorder and trouble with bonding/socialising. I have tried to explain the virus to him in the best way i can and also that there are a lot of people actually surviving the virus, I also try to reasure him the best i can. Im worried about him mental wellbeing during and after the pandemic. Are schools and/or the government going to provide services to help children feel safe again? And possibly deal with any phycological issues they may have because of the pandemic

[JMilo246]

As several teachers died from Covid in April how are you going to make it your number one priority that more don’t die and how will essential PPE be provided?

Concerned Secondary Teacher

[Noble11]

I am a nursery teacher with a young child that does not attend nursery and has always been cared for by family. Under government guidance I cannot mix households, so therefore have no childcare. I have been advised to take unpaid leave and this means halving my wages, not entitled to any benefits either, what protection are you giving childcare staff and teachers in the same position?

[K12306]

Good morning,
Question for Vicky.
As an early years manager how is it we spend years ensuring children’s well-being is paramount, teaching them to share and love one another. Now we are expecting nursery age children to attend nursery with none of this. We will expect them to not hug each other, not share and not be able to mix with other outside of their bubble. How is this Protecting their well-being and how is this even been allowed.

[Blackqueen]

I have seen this morning that maintained sector schools, academies etc are going to get additional funding to cover the additional costs of cleaning, disinfecting and maintaining premises during the pandemic. Once again the early years settings seem to have been forgotten. Our setting is a 60 place Pre-School that has remained open throughout for keyworker and vulnerable children. We can only furlough for 10% of our wage bill, IN TOTAL FOR FOUR months this will equate to approx £6000 (April to July) inclusive) despite that fact that we have lost over £11000 in income during that time We are not eligible for any of the grants as we do not own our building and can’t afford to take loans out. In the last two months alone we have already spent hundreds of pounds on extra paper towels for hand drying, PPE for nappy changing/illness, cleaning cloths and products, wipes and our staff have spent hours cleaning and disinfecting resources at the end of each day. Considering we only have a maximum of 5 children attending at the moment this is only going to get worse in June when more return. With the government completely ignoring our sector and continuing denying that there is any funding shortage in early years despite numerous letters to MPs (no response received), petitions, letters from the EYA, the NDNA, PACEY and others a lot of settings in the non-maintained sector are really struggling. In our case we will run out of money in the autumn (not for profit so not allowed to keep contingency money) as we rely on the summer term income to supplement the autumn term when numbers/income are always lower. Without some financial assistance to help us in the long term we now have 2 options and will have to make a decision very shortly to comply with the legal framework - close completely at the end of August or make 25% of our staff redundant.
Any advice.

[beargrass]

Clarification question for Vicky if possible:

I don't read the guidance as saying that children in nurseries are going to be in nursery with no hugs or affection, or that they will be expected to keep a distance from their friends. This is the basis on which I will be sending DD back on 1 June. But some people do. Could this be clarified? I would class social distancing for 3 and 4 year olds as cruel, and would not want my child to be in a loveless environment.

[Noble11]

We in nursery schools are not allowed to wear PPE unless providing intimate care. We have the same concerns too

[hollandparkeducation]

Do you forsee additional exams such as the 11+ being affected, besides GCSEs and ALevels? As the children have missed term time in school with their teachers is this something that may delay or reshape the exams to come?

[SMaCM]

How can childcare settings be considered when even ministers don't meet together in parliament? Children do not understand social distancing, or hygiene.

[Riven8286]

My 4 year old is due to return to her reception class on 1st June. Please can you give more details on how my daughter and our family in turn will be kept safe. Can you explain the scientific evidence why the youngest children are being sent back to school first and provide concrete evidence that it is safe to do so. Are 4 and 5 year old going to be expected to socially distance? Knowing my 4 year old very well this is entirely impossible and will damage my daughters mental health.

[Racheo35]

What will happen to the many children on the SEN register who need additional support but who are yet to received EHCP assessments? I recently discussed my concerns with my child’s teacher and was told to google activities to do with him. I requested support from the LA SEN team and their response was that they couldn’t offer any support because he didn’t yet have an EHCP. There are many children therefore that will fall through the gaps and will not get support for several months whilst not in school.

[sfeihn]

I'd like to know how the government suggest we keep children safe in special schools. Social distancing will be impossible and impractical, intimate care is a necessity and avoiding body fluids will be impossible. Even a small number of children will require high staffing ratios. The suggestion is we should not wear PPE except as we would under normal circumstances (e.g. intimate care).

[bmcghie]

How safe are schools for EYFS and Year 1 and their teachers?
Why do schools have to change the way the children are being taught (like not being able to share resources) if the Government say it is 100% safe for them?
As they have split the classes in half, it would mean more teachers to teach, how are they able to home school their own class as well as teach all day? Do you think is feasible?

[bmcghie]

Where are the independent scientists that can advise the Government?

[mumsneedwine]

How do I prevent 6 foot teenagers from coughing on me as a laugh ? Not discipline them (bit late then and I can do that). How do we break up a fight at break time ? How do I physically keep them apart if they just won't do it ?

[IHateCoronavirus]

I’d love to know how we prevent eyfs children sharing resources but i’ve already asked my question so I’ll stay quiet