Disability Social Care 0 - 25 coronavirus information

• You can contact your worker or team by phone or email in the usual way.
• Our social workers and child practitioners are doing face-to-face visits to see children, families and young people
• Our teams have access to PPE (personal protective equipment) and will continue to use it.
• Our teams will follow guidance about staying at home if thy are unwell should that be needed.
• If you or a member of your household are showing signs or symptoms of coronavirus, or have been told to stay at home, please let your social worker or child practitioner know.
• We are continuing to work over the phone and also using video calls as well as face to face contact
• Our Early Help Coordinators will agree and review short breaks plans with young people and parents/carers using a combination of virtual and face to face contact and will aim to see young people at least once a year.

• If you feel your family need support during any period of needing to stay at home due to COVID-19 please contact your social care lead worker to discuss
• Please note that some options for support may vary depending on where the support is normally provided as there will be different safety considerations in different settings
• We will keep in regular contact but please do get in touch with your lead social care worker at any time.
• If your child has been told to stay at home they should do so whether or not they have symptoms themselves. Please let support providers and your lead social care worker know as soon as possible so that we can plan with you accordingly.

• CamPlay holiday and other clubs are now running. CamPlay have been in touch with everyone who goes to a club to let them know the arrangements for their particular club.
• Workers will continue to wear the PPE needed for the support being provided and the location.
• Workers have access to regular testing and will follow guidance to stay at home should that be needed.
• If your child has any symptoms of COVID-19 they should not come to their club until their period of isolation is over.

The Community Support Service is working flexibly to provide support sessions and are planning with families how best to do that.

• The Community Support Service is now providing all planned support sessions and continues to plan with families about how best to do that for them.
• Workers will continue to wear the PPE needed for the support they are providing and location. They are not able to provide support without the correct PPE
• If your regular worker is not available to work we will be in contact with you individually to make a plan.

• The number of children who can stay at the children’s homes has increased, although there are still occasions when we may need to make changes for COVID-19 reasons. 
• We continue to prioritise support for children who are in our care full time.
• Workers are continuing to wear the PPE needed for the support they are providing and location. They are not able to provide support without the correct PPE.
• Workers will follow the guidance and stay at home as needed if they have symptoms of COVID-19
• If children have symptoms of COIVD-19 please follow the guidance to stay at home and let us know.

• Link foster continue to be cautious given the vulnerable nature of the children they care for and are encouraged to take twice weekly lateral flow tests.
• Families should not use Link Short Breaks if a child or any member of their household is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.
• We aim to provide planned support whenever possible but please be aware that things may change at short notice in order to follow COVID-19 guidelines for children, families and workers and we therefore ask for families’ understanding if short notice changes are necessary.

• All Direct Payments continue to be paid as usual. The temporary amendments to our Direct Payment guidance so that you can spend them a bit more flexibly will continue for the time being. This is due to the continuing impact of COVID-19. We are also aware that the availability of other services you may have purchased with your Direct Payment may still be reduced. We will keep this under review.
• Please contact your Social Worker, Child Practitioner or Early Help Co-ordinator if you would like to discuss how you use your Direct Payment during this period. Any changes will need to be in line with your child or young person’s support plan and outcomes. Changes will need to be affordable within your current agreed budget and will need to be balanced with other things agreed in the plan.

• If you use your Direct Payment to employ a worker/s you will need to continue to pay them according to the contract you have with them, regardless of whether you do not wish them to work or if they are unwell.
• PeoplePlus provide independent specialist advice and support about employing workers with Direct Payments and they will be able to advise you. You can contact them on 0330 123 2815 or by email. ilscambridgeshire@peopleplus.co.uk and they will be happy to advise. Please note that they will be able to offer advice even if you do not use their payroll service.

• It is your responsibility as an employer to ensure your workers have what they need.
• You can find the most up to date government guidance on PPE for direct payment workers.
• PPE will continue to be provided free for the health and social care workforce, which includes direct payment workers. Requests can now be made using the new PPE Portal. This is a website which organises PPE to be sent to an address of your choice. This includes to a home address for a PA or unpaid carer. Find out more about the government's PPE portal and get access to the PPE Portal.