COVID-19 - FAQs, guidance, support and resources

Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can't do

• National lockdown: stay at home - You must stay at home. This is the single most important action we can all take to protect the NHS and save lives. You must not leave your home unless necessary. Stay 2 metres apart from anyone not in your household or bubble. Find out what you can and cannot do

Information for Slough residents

• Please go to our coronavirus pages for the latest guidance, how services are affected, and what help is available.
• Shielding - If you are clinically extremely vulnerable, you are advised to shield during this national lockdown. This means you should stay at home as much as possible, however we do encourage you to safely go outside for regular exercise and you continue to attend a medical appointment. Don’t be nervous to reach out to friends, families and neighbours for support at this time for help picking up food, medication or keeping in touch more regularly.
  You can access priority shopping slots to seven national supermarkets at National Shielding Service Support System (NSSS) here: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus-shielding-support or you can also request for a support call from our community response team. When you register for priority food delivery slots, please remember:This system can take up to seven days to connect your priority slot request with supermarkets you have accounts with, you must use the same email address to register on the NSSS and on supermarket registration. Without this you will not be given priority, we recommend that you register across multiple supermarkets online to ensure you can access a slot. If you need urgent support you can contact One Slough on 01753 944198 Monday to Friday from 9am – 4pm or through the support form here: https://oneslough.org.uk/covid19/
• Council warns of text message vaccination scam - Slough Borough Council is warning residents about a text message scam pretending to be from the NHS asking people to ‘sign up’ to get the covid vaccine.The link in the text message sends the receiver through to an ‘application form’ which requests personal information and bank card details in order to register for the vaccine.No one is required to register for the covid vaccination programme – people eligible for the vaccine will be contacted by their GP surgery when it is their turn.
• Vaccinations - The national vaccination programme is continuing. When it is your time to receive the vaccine, you will receive an invitation to come forward and for most people this will be a letter, either from their GP or the national NHS. This letter will include all the information you will need to book appointments, including your NHS number. Please do not contact the NHS to get an appointment until you get this letter.
• Public Health Slough have created a FAQ guide  on Covid-19 vaccination and a checklist of what people should do before sharing content online
  If you want more information about the vaccine, how vaccines work and why it is important please visit our public health website. 
• Slough Borough Council launches UK’s first local Covid-19 Dashboard
• Public Health England provides guidance on what to do if you or someone in your household has symptoms of coronavirus or has been told they have coronavirus after having a test. The guidance is available in the 'Downloads' section.
• Public Health Slough have put together a webpage which will give you some key ways that you can reduce your risk from Coronavirus and it's associated complications. The post lockdown pathway is available in the 'Downloads' section.
• Telephone support, Call Centre - The One Slough partnership has opened up a new call centre to ensure all Slough residents can get the support they need during this difficult time. The number to contact is 01753 944198 and will be staffed on Monday to Friday from 9.00 – 16.00 and at the weekend from 10.00 – 15.00. Alternatively, residents can still register on-line at www.sloughcvs.org/covid19 . The call centre is for residents who are isolated and lonely or need essentials, such as a hot cooked meal or food supplies. This includes residents who are at high risk including people over 70 years old or with underlying health conditions and should be protecting themselves by staying at home.
• Mass rapid testing for residents, even if they do not have covid symptoms, is rolling out from Wednesday (13 January) the council has announced
• The covid-19 testing centre at Montem, Slough, is no longer accepting drop ins by car; only people with an appointment will be given a test.  We are also aware of an apparent shortage of appointments using the national system; the advice from government is to keep trying but to apply for a test if you have symptoms of covid-19. To make an appointment we advise calling 119 or https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
• Government launches Coronavirus Information Service on WhatsApp - The UK Government has today launched a GOV.UK Coronavirus Information service on WhatsApp. The new free to use service aims to provide official, trustworthy and timely information and advice about coronavirus (COVID-19), and will further reduce the burden on NHS services.
• NHS Test and Trace - Designated businesses and organisations, including hospitality, close contact services, community centres and leisure venues are legally required to log details of customers, visitors and staff for NHS Test and Trace. For further information on NHS Test and Trace, please see www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-test-and-trace-how-it-works To download the NHS Test and Trace app see https://covid19.nhs.uk/
• Local Covid-19 contact tracing launched - A Slough-based contact tracing system for people who test positive for Covid-19 has been launched by the council and public health. The Slough system is to back up the national test and trace system and is staffed by local council staff and specially trained volunteers already working together as part of the #OneSlough partnership responding to the pandemic. The telephone support service will be operating five days a week with calls to people who have tested positive for Covid-19 coming from a local Slough (01753) number.
• #OneSlough Community Champions - Slough residents and workers can sign up as #OneSlough Community Champions and become part of a network who receive regular trusted updates and advice which can be passed on to family, friends and neighbours  to keep Slough safe. To sign up, go to https://oneslough.org.uk/champions/ 
• Slough Job Centre Plus - In line with Government advice, to help protect our customers and colleagues, from 24 March Slough Job Centre Plus will be temporarily closed. You can access support online http://www.dwp.gov.uk/ where telephone services are also listed (or for UC customers, through your account). Jobcentre Plus:  Telephone: 0800 055 6688, Textphone: 0800 023 4888 , Universal Credit helpline -  Telephone: 0800 328 5644, In an emergency only call 01753 615676 or 01753 615634 (you will receive a call back immediately to  minimise the cost to you). If you need referral to a Foodbank, please ring on the above number.

Information for families:

Childcare:

• A list of childcare settings, in Slough is available on the Family Information Service website.
• Help paying for childcare can be found on www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Education:

• All schools are now closed and operating a remote learning system for all pupils – other than those of key worker parents or who are vulnerable.
  A lot of the remote learning systems rely on laptops or smart phones – but if you are in a position where there are fewer bits of relevant kit than there are family members who need it or access to the internet is spotty, the BBC is running a series of lessons on the television. From next week, the BBC will run a three-block of primary school programming on CBBC from 9am – including BBC Live Lessons and BBC Bitesize Daily, as well as other educational programming such as Our School and Celebrity Supply Teacher. BBC Two will provide at least two hours of content each weekday for secondary students to support the GCSE curriculum. Bitesize Daily primary and secondary will also air every day on BBC Red Button as well as episodes being available on demand on BBC iPlayer.
• CoursesOnline covers how to balance working from home whilst looking after kids. It touches on aspects such as how to plan your schedule, how to keep the kids active and engaged, and some resources which can be used to aid in their learning so that they miss out on as little as possible whilst things are still so up in the air.

Housing and Finance:

• Slough Family Information Service provides guidance and support with benefits, finance, debt, loans.
• Thames Water offers information on financial support available during the Covid 19 outbreak.
• The government provides guidance for landlords, tenants and local authorities on COVID-19 and renting

Mental health and wellbeing:

• COVID-19: guidance for the public on mental health and wellbeing provides advice and information on how to look after your mental health and wellbeing during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
• Coping Guides - To support children, young people and families wellbeing during COVID19, East Berkshire CCG has  produced a number of guides pulling together the best resources and to support self-help, the guides are available for download on the East Berkshire CCG website- https://www.eastberkshireccg.nhs.uk/our-work/coping-guides/
• The Reading Agency provides a list of books available as a free download, that help children stay safe, calm, connected and hopeful during the Covid-19 crisis. The list is available in the Downloads section.
• Slough Public Health  ‘Health at Home’ platform is a bespoke online resource with guidance and advice on how people can look after themselves whilst spending time in isolation due to the new coronavirus restrictions.

Resources for young people and parents:

Children and young people may be experiencing a variety of feelings in response to the COVID-19 outbreak such as anxiety, stress or low mood. It is important to understand that these are normal responses to an abnormal situation. There is a large amount of mental health support available for children and young people as detailed below.

• It can be confusing to know what to do when you are unwell during the coronavirus outbreak. Remember that the NHS is still providing safe care. GP practices and hospitals have made changes to help reduce the risk of infection. Please follow government guidance - keep washing your hands regularly, wear a face covering in enclosed spaces and maintain social distancing. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCP) have published advice for young people signposting when and where they should seek help during the coronavirus pandemic. The advice is specific to each of the four nations and is available on Coronavirus-poster-young-people-2020-England.pdf (rcpch.ac.uk)
• AnDy Clinic provides Top tips to support children and young people with their worries and anxiety - Emerging Minds
• Kooth is still available online, the service is still fully operational.
• Youth Counselling -   https://number22.org/
• Talking Therapies do have online support via Silver Cloud (which is CBT online) and young people age 17 + can access this. To access the service, people can self-refer or ask your healthcare professional to refer you. Phone number  0300 365 2000 Email address  talkingtherapies@berkshire.nhs.uk.
• Young Minds provides information on looking after your mental health and talking to your child about coronavirus. They have a national helpline for parents free Mon-Fri from 9.30am to 4pm.
• Slough Public Health have some great information on health at home and mental health. 
• Anna Freud Centre have put  together a document Supporting schools & colleges: A guide to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of pupils and students during periods of disruption they have also developed three videos, one for school staff, one for parents and one for children and young people. https://www.annafreud.org/parents-and-carers/ provides guidance on supporting the mental health of babies, young children and their families.
• Good ideas to promote coping skills (positive psychology) is on https://www.actionforhappiness.org/media/863032/coping_calendar.jpg
• MindEd - a free educational resource with materials on stress, fear, trauma and bereavement. Content includes death and loss  (for parents and carers with Easy Read PDF); loss and grief (for professionals including teachers); and trauma and coping (for parents and carers with Easy Read PDF)
• Good Thinking digital mental wellbeing resource for London, which breaks down advice for children and young people by specific groups
• Place 2 Be on improving children’s mental health.
• The Childhood Bereavement Network includes content specific to COVID-19.
• Local NHS mental health crisis support lines (for all ages) can be found via a simple age and postcode search here.
• The Government’s online educational resources for home education with a section on mental wellbeing.
• PHE’s guidance on supporting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing
• Virtual Oak National Academy for reception – Year 10 pupils, which offers daily online lessons, a weekly assembly with a pastoral focus and extra-curricular activities to help families maintain a routine at home (NB. intended to complement, not replace, existing schools’ online learning offers)
• BBC Education online learning content, also for reception to Year 10 pupils, to support home learning, with weekly wellbeing tips provided via their social media pages.
• The Think Ninja app has been made freely available to young people (aged 10-18 year olds) across the UK and updated with specific mental health and wellbeing content related to the pandemic.
• MindEd, Anna Freud or Place 2 Be webpages and the Starline parent helpline for home learning.
• Rise Above is a website co-created and produced by young people to help build resilience and support good mental health in those aged 10 to 16. The content has been adapted to the pandemic and includes new mental health content based on insights from young people who are learning from home.
• Every Mind Matters includes an online tool and email journey to support everyone to feel more confident in taking action to look after their mental health and wellbeing. It also includes a section for parents and carers on looking after children and young people during the pandemic.
• Children and young people who are caring for someone with a mental illness can self-refer to the NHS Volunteer Responders programme using this link if they are having issues shopping for food or picking up prescriptions.
• Children and young people can access free confidential support anytime from voluntary and community sector organisations by texting SHOUT to 85258, calling Childline on 0800 1111 or the Mix on 0808 808 4994.  For support with an eating disorder, children and young people can ring Beat’s Youthline on 0808 801 0711.
• Local mental health crisis support lines (for all ages) can be found via a simple age and postcode search.
• Child safety online - Childline offers advice that can help you to keep safe and to know what to do when things go wrong. From setting up parental controls to advice on sexting, online games and video apps, NSCPCC offers advice for parents on online safety. Think U Know offers simple 15 minute activities you can do with your family to support their online safety at home.

Relationships, Domestic Abuse:

• Advice on how to handle arguments is available from Relate
• A reminder of the resources from OnePlusOne. For relationship support and to use the forums: ClickRelationships.org
• Social distancing and self-isolation advice from Young Minds (for young people and parents of teenagers)
• Coronavirus guidance on vulnerable children and young people from DfE and PHE
• The Reducing Parenting Conflict programme offers information on stages and changes in relationships, conflict styles and better communication techniques.
• Domestic Abuse - National Helpline: 0808 2000 247, In Slough (Hestia): 01753 477352. Child abuse and neglect - National helpline: 0800 11 11. In Slough (Slough Childrens Services Trust) : 01753 875362. Adult and elder abuse - National helpline: tel: 08088088141. In Slough:(Slough Borough Council Adult social care services): 01753 475111. If you think there has been a crime but it is not an emergency, call the Police on 101.
• Domestic Abuse will NOT be Tolerated! - Thames Valley Police wants to remind the public that the force will never tolerate domestic abuse. They  are available 24/7 to provide help and support. In an emergency, people should always call 999. If you can’t speak, call 999 and then dial 55. This is called the Silent Solution, and the call taker will sensitively manage the police response.  
• Silent Solution for Domestic Abuse - Threatened and need police assistance but unable to speak? DON'T WORRY, POLICE HELP IS AVAILABLE 24/7. 1. Call 999 2. Listen to the questions from the 999 operator 3. Respond by coughing or tapping the handset if you can 4. Listen for the prompt then PRESS 55. Pressing 55 when promoted.

Support for families with a child with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

• Special Voices offer “coffee days” in a different way while social distancing is in place & hope you will join virtually with Zoom.
• Parenting Special Children free online workshops to support parents of children with SEND - Click here
• National Autistic Society – information, advice, resources - https://www.autism.org.uk/services/helplines/coronavirus/resources/information.aspx
• Autism Berkshire online services - http://www.autismberkshire.org.uk/coronavirus-support-from-autism-berkshire/
• Contact For Families of disabled children advice - https://www.contact.org.uk/advice-and-support/covid-19/
• East Berkshire CCG provide top tips for ADHD and autistic children returning to school.
• Visit https://www.rhymingmultisensorystories.com/ for multisensory stories and poems that are adapted to meet a range of abilities from curious preschoolers to adolescents with complex needs, helping individuals to understand the world and connecting them to topics, culture and literacy in a way that is meaningful to their lives.

• The Little Book of Sunshine offers lots of practical and useful advice and aims to help children and young people by sharing lots of tips on how to deal with many problems, such as anxiety, stress, body image, relationships and anger. It also includes information about where to get help when they need it. Now more than ever, anyone can sometimes feel down, worried or anxious because of a variety of situations like lockdown, school, family or friends. The #littlebluebookofsunshine explains some of the things teenagers can do right now to feel better, and who to turn to if things feel too much. The booklet is also now available in Apple Books and will be available on google books too in new year. Further information and download links are available on our website here: Mental wellbeing children and young people - East Berkshire Clinical Commissioning Group (eastberkshireccg.nhs.uk) 

Other resources:

• COVID 19: Support for Children and Families in Slough  - Contact details of some specific services that you may find useful. Available from the downloads section.
• Slough Early Years Prevention Service has gathered a number of resources and links to things to do while you are at home. Click here for details. For free storybook and activities, visit https://www.earlyyearsstorybox.com/corona/ , learn about geography and animals on www.kids.nationalgeographic.com 
• Support for families with children 0-5yrs old - The Early Years sector has produced this guide EYFS Bursts for Learning 0-5 with contributions from Children’s Centres and Maintained Nursery schools to support you and your child during the Covid-19 lockdown period and beyond. The guide offers a burst of teaching ideas to ensure continuity of the EYFS curriculum.
• https://www.annafreud.org/early-years/early-years-in-mind/ provides guidance on supporting the mental health of babies, young children and their families.
• My name is Coronavirus is a short book to support and reassure children under 7.
• The Play Scotland Home play pack providing information on : #101waystoplay, A balanced diet of play, Loose parts play, Play in and around the home, Digital play, Helpful resources is available in the downloads section.
• mayathon is a new, free app to help people feel healthier happier and more connected. Buddy-up virtually with a friend and support each other to do 26 minutes exercise a day.
• StarLine is a parent helpline for home learning advice direct from qualified teachers and parenting and education experts.
• ParentInfo offers fun online activities your child can enjoy during lockdown which will also help boost their digital resilience, Dove's self esteem videos, information on what parents need to know about June school reopenings 
• Virtual Oak National Academy for reception – Year 10 pupils offers daily online lessons. BBC Education online learning content, also for reception to Year 10 pupils offers support to home learning.
• Information, guidance and support is also available for parents/carers of children who are learning at home.  
• https://www.facebook.com/edumateuk/ is a homeschooling Facebook page to support parents who are homeschooling. This is completely free and designed to support parents and pupils and even schools. 
• The latest guidance from the department to support schools around reopening is available here.  This is in addition to a planning guide for primary schools to support them as pupils return.  
• Read the Government’s guidance for schools and colleges on keeping children and young people safe during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
• Click here for ten top tips for returning to school post COVID - 19.
• COVID-19 A quick guide for parents/carers if your child has symptoms is available in the downloads section.
• Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlcz2q7TaJA for information and advice on water and window safety over the summer.
• Advice for parents when your child is unwell or injured during the COVID-19 lockdown is available here
• Advice for parents and families with a child in the care system Family Rights Group - Offer a free and confidential telephone and digital advice service providing legal and practical advice to families. https://www.frg.org.uk/ 
• The Lucy Faithfull Foundation website provides information on support offered to protect children from sexual abuse.
• Visit Alcohol Change UK's information and advice hub for up to date information and advice on alcohol during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
• Green Doctors are expert energy advisers who help London and Slough residents save money and improve energy efficiency in the home. Click here for information on FREE pre-booked phone consultations as a response to the Covid-19 outbreak.
• Breavement support services and resources are available on Slough Family Information Service website.
• COVID - 19, Government guidance on vulnerable children and young people provides information for children supported by children's social care system, Children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP), Children in Alternative Provision (AP) settings.
• Doctors of the World website offers information on Coronavirus latest NHS guidelines, translated in 34 languages.