Sources: Home Office, Welsh Government, Scottish Government
Date: 29 March – 02 April 2020

The Home Office has published guidance highlighting help and support available to victims of domestic abuse during the coronavirus outbreak in England. The Welsh Government has announced a range of measures to help those at risk, especially those who may find it hard to seek help if they are isolated at home with a violent or abusive partner. The Scottish Government has made funds available to Scottish Women’s Aid and Rape Crisis Scotland to ensure that access to these services is maintained during the crisis.

Read the guidance for England: Coronavirus (COVID-19): support for victims of domestic abuse
Read the press release for Wales: Support for victims of domestic abuse
Read the news story for Scotland:Support for victims of domestic violence during COVID-19 outbreak

Sources: Department for Education, Department of Education, Scottish Government, Welsh Government
Date: 24 March 2020 – 03 April 2020

The Department for Education (DfE) in England, The Department of Education in Northern Ireland, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government have all published guidance on maintaining social distancing in education settings that are providing care to vulnerable children and the children of key workers.

Read the guidance for England: Coronavirus (COVID-19): implementing social distancing in education and childcare settings
Read the guidance for Northern Ireland:Implementing social distancing in education settings in NI: coronavirus (Covid-19)
Read the guidance for Scotland:Coronavirus (COVID-19): social distancing in education and childcare settings
Read the guidance for Wales: Health and well-being for school staff and learners: coronavirus

Source: Thinkuknow
Date: 02 April 2020

The National Crime Agency (NCA) CEOP command has launched a campaign to help keep children safe online during the coronavirus pandemic. The #OnlineSafetyAtHome campaign contains home activity packs with 15-minute activities for parents and carers to do with their children using CEOP’s Thinkuknow educational resources. New activities will be launched fortnightly. The NCA has warned of a spike in online child sex offending during the coronavirus crisis, with latest figures indicating that there are at least 300,000 people in the UK posing a sexual threat to children. An article in the Guardian reports on NSPCC concerns that a shortage of moderators who combat sexual abuse online combined with children spending more time on the internet at home has created a “perfect storm” for abusers to take advantage of the pandemic.

Read the Thinkuknow news story and download the packs: Home activity packs (PDF)
Read the NCA news story:Law enforcement in coronavirus online safety push as National Crime Agency reveals 300,000 in UK pose sexual threat to children
Read the Guardian news story: Coronavirus lockdown raises risk of online child abuse, charity says

With schools across the UK closing due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, professionals need guidance on how best to support and protect children and young people.

This briefing pulls together key safeguarding guidance from all four UK nations on how to keep children safe during the pandemic. It answers frequently asked questions including:

• who has to go to school?
• how should attendance be monitored?
• what happens if nominated child protection leads need to self-isolate or become ill?
• what should schools do about free school meals?
• what happens with families who have contact arrangements or where parents are separated?

Link to the full document:

Source: NSPCC https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/media/1993/coronavirus-briefing-safeguarding-guidance-and-information.pdf