The Department for Education has issued guidance on managing isolation in children’s homes and other residential education settings in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
The advice, released over the weekend, makes specific provision for social workers being admitted to homes where young people have developed symptoms of Covid-19, should they need to visit to investigate child protection concerns.
However there is no specific guidance on family contact. For children in special schools the guidance says that a decision should be made about whether the child can safely go home to self-isolate.
Children’s home residents should self-isolate “as a household” if a resident shows symptoms, said the briefing note, which also covers boarding schools and university halls of residence.
“[But children’s homes], in contrast with other households, will almost always need to have staff and other professionals arriving and leaving during the period of self-isolation,” it went on. “We also recognise these households, some of which care for some of the most vulnerable children and young people, will need to review visiting guidelines including appropriate risk assessments.”