Dv8 Covid-19 Guidance
Following the latest Government guidance and to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all staff and students at Dv8 we have put together the following guidance. This guidance is intended for all staff and existing and new students. Dv8 will be regularly reviewing these measures and updating the Risk Assessments to make sure we are taking the right steps to protect our college community.
We have put together some useful links to help you support your young people through this difficult time. While we are encouraging our students to continue with their studies via remote learning we are also aware that this might be difficult for them to do if they are feeling anxious and isolated. We also acknowledge that parents and carers will need support to help keep their young people focused and motivated. Student Services remain available to talk to, if you or your young person would like to talk to us please contact us.
Please click on the links below for further support from these leading mental health organisations.
Mental Health websites
1. A range of activities, games, videos to support wellbeing can be found on the childline website. Just visit their Calm zone to keep your body and mind active.
2. Childline also offers online & text support and has created an online mood journal that gives young people access to confidential 1-2-1 counselling support, and message boards.
3. Self care activities suitable for EHCP learners
https://www.annafreud.org/on-my-mind/self-care/
https://youngminds.org.uk/blog/talking-to-your-child-about-coronavirus/
4. Young Minds provides online/text support to young people and has created a dedicated section on their website about discussing the Coronavirus with your children. There is also a parent support helpline.
5. Advice and guidance for managing wellbeing at home from mental health charity MIND.
6. Self referral for Health in Mind
7. Keep informed – There is unfortunately a lot of fake news being circulated on social media and this can be very confusing for us. Newsbeat creates age appropriate broadcasts that can help young people understand what is happening without sensationalising the topic.
8. Togetherall (formally Big White Wall) – A community led safe space to talk and find support.
Apps
1. Catch It – Free NHS mental health app
2. Stay Alive – The Stay Alive app is a pocket suicide prevention resource for the UK, packed full of useful information to help you stay safe. You can use it if you are having thoughts of suicide or if you are concerned about someone else who may be considering suicide.
3. Calm Harm – App to support with worries around self harming.
4. Blue Ice – App to help manage emotions and reduces to self harm.
Other services
Family Fund – Financial support for low income families with disabled children 17 and under.
Kidscape – Our mission is to provide children, families, carers and professionals with advice, training and practical tools to prevent bullying and protect young lives.
The Bedgebury Foundation’s objective is charitable grant making towards the education of young people (under 25) and adults who teach young people. Due to high demand awards are only available to those who live or have had their secondary education in the Counties of Kent and East Sussex.
Local Services
Many local services are still operating during lockdown and can provide a range of support for young people and their families.
East Sussex
Youth Employability Services 01424 722045
The EFT supports vulnerable children, families and adults by removing barriers, providing intensive 1-1 support and developing their resilience.
Calm Farm 01424 732 327
I-Rock – i-Rock can offer you advice and support on emotional and mental wellbeing, jobs, education and housing.
Holding Space – mental health support for the whole family.
BHT- Hastings Young People Services 01424 435576 – Hastings Young People’s Service is a supported housing project for homeless and vulnerable young people aged between 16 and 25 years old.
Xtrax – Supporting 16-24 year olds with employment, benefits, education, accommodation etc.
Targeted Youth Support Services 01424 724 150 – If you’re aged 11-19 you can use this confidential service when:
you need advice or support about lots of things: sexual and mental health, drugs and alcohol issues, family and relationships, training and education, money
life is difficult for you, and you need a TYS worker to spend time with you and maybe your family (if you choose) to help you find ways to sort things out
you’d like to find out about free activities, sport, groups and courses in your area.
East Sussex 1Space – Information on food bank locations and instructions on how to access.
Brighton & Hove
Brighton and Hove Youth Collective (Advice) – List of local support services.
YMCA E-Wellbeing – Mental Health support by YMCA DLG
YAC (Youth Advice Centre) – Advice on housing, finances, emotional wellbeing and sexual health.
Allsorts – Support and advice for LGBTQ+ issues
Brighton & Hove Wellbeing Service – Referral and support services for mental health.
Right Here – Support advice for mental health. #iamwhole
Survivors Network – Support and advice on sexual abuse.
Brighton & Hove Food Partnership – Directory for all food banks in the local are and advice on food poverty.
West Sussex
Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) – Food bank location advice for West Sussex.
Youth Emotional Support (YES) service – Youth Emotional Support (YES) is a free service for young people aged 11-18 looking for support with their well-being.
Sussex Mental health line – 0300 5000 101 – crisis support
Pathfinder West Sussex – Local directory of mental health services for under 18s
Find It Out centres – Council run advice centres across West Sussex.
Below are some important links to both Dv8 and Government guidance.
Dv8 Covid-19 Home Testing Risk Assessment
We now have access to rapid Lateral Flow testing kits (LFT) for all staff and students. These are to be carried out at home by the individual.
Please find below instructions and guidance on how this must be carried out. We will be begin distributing the tests w/c 19th April 2021 with the process to be in practice w/c 26th April 2021.
Distribution of test kits
The test kits for students will be distributed by the Centre Coordinators w/c 19th April. They will be handed out in class, along with printed instructions. The Centre Coordinators will provide a brief explanation on the process and simple demonstration.
You will be given either;
- 1 box of 7 tests or,
- 2 boxes of 3 tests.
This should be enough for three and a half weeks. If you run out of tests before this time please see the Centre Coordinator in the centre office.
Testing is not mandatory and you will not be stopped from attending college if you do not participate in the regular rapid testing. You will only be asked to self-isolate and book a PCR test, in line with Government guidance, if you experience symptoms.
How to take the test
All testing should be carried out twice weekly on the following days of the week:
- Sunday night/ Monday morning
- Wednesday night/ Thursday morning
The tests should always be 3-4 days apart. If you intend to carry out the test in the morning before college please make sure you give yourself enough time so you are not late for lessons.
You will be provided with full instructions when you collect your kit but here are the simplified 4 steps for rapid testing provided by the NHS.
For more formats of the guidance please see below.
How to report the results
When you have your result please make sure you report it to the NHS by going to http://gov.uk/report-covid19-result.
You must then report the result to Dv8 by either emailing the centre coordinators in the evening or calling the office the morning you are due to come in.
Please watch this video which explains how to read your test result.
If you test positive
- You, and your household and support bubble, must self isolate following Government guidelines
- You must not come into any of the college buildings
- You should book a PCR test
If you test negative
- You can attend college as normal
If you have an invalid test
- You should test again carefully following the instructions
Further testing for households and bubbles
Please see the guidance here for how to access testing for your whole household and bubble.
Important documentation and information
Booking Service now online for 16 and 17 year olds
The Department of Health and Social Care announced on Friday (24 September 2021) that all 16 and 17 year olds can now book their first COVID-19 vaccination appointment online.
If you are aged 16 or over you can now:
- book your COVID-19 vaccination appointments online for an appointment at a vaccination centre or pharmacy
- find a walk-in COVID-19 vaccination site to get vaccinated without needing an appointment.
- be offered a second dose of the Pfizer vaccine at least 12 weeks after their first dose or 12 weeks following a positive COVID-19 test result – whichever is later.
If you cannot book appointments online, you can call 119 free of charge. You can speak to a translator if you need to.
See the NHS website for more information.
At Dv8 we are promoting safe working practices for staff and students by ensuring that all staff are aware of, have read and understand their role within the Dv8 Charter.
We are putting in place some protective measures in the centres which will help us all ensure ours and others safety.
These include:
- Please do not come to any Dv8 sites if you are experiencing any of the identified symptoms of COVID-19
- Regularly washing your hands for 20 seconds
- Using the sanitation stations situated around the centres
- All staff, students and visitors will have their temperature taken before entering the building. If you show a high temperature you will be sent home
- We are asking all staff and students to wear masks in small, busy or communal spaces and classrooms – spare masks are available for all around the centres
- We ask that all staff and students carry out a lateral flow test twice weekly and report the results to NHS test and trace
Below are the rooms that will be used for the isolation of staff and students who experience symptoms whilst at Dv8. The below named members of staff will be
Centre | Designated Rooms | Designated Staff |
Brighton | 1-2-1 Room – First floor Staff Room – Ground floor | Kerri Jones Hannah Sapsford James Sharpe (Principal) |
Bexhill | 1-2-1 Room – Ground floor | Hannah Sapsford Shani Rogers Dave Pine James Sharpe (Principal) |
If you do fall ill whilst at college/ work in the centres, a member of the designated staff (above) will stay with you and support you until we can get you home safely. They will be dressed in appropriate PPE and may look different to how you normally see them. Below is an example of what they may look like.
When using the centres and facilities all have a responsibility to ensure that the spaces they have used are cleaned after use.
|
Who |
What |
|
Students |
Will be responsible for wiping down their keyboards, mice and equipment at the end of their session with an anti-bacterial wipe. |
|
Tutors |
Will be responsible for their classrooms. This involves wiping down all touch points, keyboards, mice and equipment with an anti-bacterial wipe. |
|
Centre Coordinators |
Will be responsible for wiping down all touch points in the communal spaces and Centre Offices with anti-bacterial wipes. |
|
All staff |
Will be responsible for wiping down their workspaces, equipment and any touch points in the office/ workspace they are in. |
All staff and students will be required to complete a Personal Covid-19 Action Plan, prior to the start of term or within a week of their start date. In this plan they must inform us of the following:
- If they are shielding or living with someone who is shielding
- If they have any underlying health conditions that Dv8 needs to be aware of
- Who we should call if they fall ill whilst in the Dv8 centres
- How they plan to get home safely to isolate if they fall ill in the Dv8 centres
For staff any issues or concerns raised from these plans can be discussed with their line manager or the Operations Manager.
For students any issues or concerns raised from these plans can be discussed with the Student Services or Centre Coordinators who can help and support you.
If you or a member of your household falls under the clinically vulnerable list please follow the current Government guidance stated here.
It is critical to the safety of all staff and students that these reporting procedures are closely followed in a timely manner.
For students
|
1. If you are in the centres you must inform your tutor or nearest member of staff immediately if: If you are experiencing symptoms (High temperature – A new or continuous cough – A loss or change to your sense of smell or taste). You will need to wait in the designated isolation room whilst your action plan is put in place, so we are able to get you home safely to self-isolate. A member of staff (dressed in PPE) will stay with you till you are sent home. ** Once you are home you must book a test through the NHS website and self-isolate (along with anyone you live with or is in your support bubble) until you receive a result. 2. Once you have taken the test: – If you test positive you must self-isolate for 10 days (and anyone you live with or is in your support bubble). – If you test negative, you do not need to self-isolate. More information on test results is available via the link above. ** You must communicate with the Centre Coordinators with any updates so we can support you. If you are well enough you can continue your learning remotely. 3. You must also inform the Centre Coordinators as soon as possible if: – Someone you live with or is in your support bubble has symptoms or has tested positive for Coronavirus. – You are told, through the NHS Test and Trace service that you have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for the virus. ** You must self-isolate for 10 days if you are not double vaccinated or under 18 years and 6 months – If you are double vaccinated you don’t need to isolate but you must test with LFT kits everyday for 7 days. |
As soon as Dv8 becomes aware of anyone, staff or student, testing positive for coronavirus we will contact the DfE helpline and await further guidance from them.
Contingency Framework: education and childcare settings (excluding universities)
Dv8 Academic Business Continuity Plan
Should there be a significant escalation of control systems, either locally or nationally, which requires a closure of the centres, we shall put into action the following procedure;
- Senior management will meet urgently to establish the next steps in regards to online delivery and support for staff and students.
- All staff and students in the building will be informed of the closure by the Senior and Centre teams.
- Where appropriate, parents will be called and texted to inform them of the closure
- Students will be sent home with standardised information about online and remote learning and important support contacts.
- Learning Support and Student Services will work with the Centre Coordinators to ensure all students have a safe route home and, where appropriate, have transport arranged.
- Staff will be sent home.
- Information to go out to all students, parents/ carers and staff about the next steps.
- Website will continuously be updated as and when new information is available.
Dv8 COVID-19 FAQ
What has been put in place to ensure the safety of students and staff?
We understand that returning to college in September can be a source of worry and anxiety for students, parents and staff. The safety of all who come to Dv8 is our top priority and we have put a number of measures in place in order to ensure this. Some of these include:
– Ensuring everyone on our sites regularly washes or sanitises their hands. We have installed numerous hand sanitiser stations to support this
– Regular cleaning of any surfaces that are frequently touched throughout the college day
– Promoting the Government’s safer travel guidance
– Recommending all students and staff to wear face coverings in busy, small and communal spaces
Our full guidance is available to view above.
How are classes going to be taught this term?
All delivery is now in person. This may be subject to change pending any local or national guidance updates. We will always keep our students and parents updated as early as possible of changes to delivery.
If someone in my class experiences symptoms whilst at college do I have to stay in the class?
The class will carry on as normal but all students and staff must be alert to any symptoms. If you develop symptoms at home you must book a test and inform us of the results.
Can I wear a mask around the college?
Face coverings are now a personal choice. We do, however, recommend that all staff and students wear one in all corridors and communal areas if you are able. Please be aware that teaching and support staff may be wearing face shields and masks in the classroom. We ensure that all choices are respected.
I’m feeling very anxious about coming to college, what can I do?
If you are feeling anxious or worried about returning to college please come and talk to your student services coordinator/ tutor. We will work with you to ensure you feel safe and comfortable.
What happens if there is a local lockdown or another national lockdown?
If the Government decides that there is to be a lockdown (whether it is local or national) that affects either centre we are prepared to move to a full online delivery model.
We will also be working closely with the local authorities to ensure that the guidance given out by Government is closely followed and carried out.
Who should I get in touch with if I have to self isolate?
If you need to self isolate you should contact the centre coordinator in the first instance:
For Brighton – Kerri.Jones@dv8sussex.com / 01273 550432
For Bexhill – Shani.Rogers@dv8sussex.com / 01424 213890
They will provide support and refer you to your curriculum teams who can organise your remote learning.
If you have a question which is not answered here, please email the Operations Manager via the email address below
Hannah.Sapsford@dv8sussex.com
