Shielding policy for children (FOI)

Request

Please can I have sight of the written policy documents, emails or minutes relating to the policy for students who have elderly parents or vulnerable parents (because of healthcare issues) with regard to resolving the conflict between shielding and the return to school, when one policy is to shield the vulnerable, and another is to return to school.

If no such information exists in a written form, please tell me too.

Response

In regard to shielding of vulnerable people, there has been widespread promotion of public health guidance since the first active cases of COVID-19 began to be identified on island in March 2020. There has also been significant promotion of the activity risk guide that was developed and published on www.gov.je and is available in the following link. Article 23 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 has therefore been applied.

Clinically extremely vulnerable or at risk from coronavirus

Advice has been sent through GPs by letter direct to all high-risk Islanders and circulated to key community stakeholders such as the charities that work with them, and so on, as below. The purpose of this advice was to share knowledge and the overarching principles of infection control with regards to Covid-19, for those at higher risk to be able to make bespoke decisions based on individual circumstances.

The below advice has also been given to the helpline to aid in supporting those at higher risk living in shared households who seek additional detailed guidance:

• isolating high risk adult from rest of household if possible (full shielding)

• staying in touch with children by catching up outdoors, for example the garden

• use of masks indoors

• keeping to two metres physical distance

• strict hand hygiene, washing hands regularly, particularly when arriving home

• shower when arriving home and change and wash clothes

• strict sanitising of shared surfaces, touch points and toilet hygiene.

• improve ventilation where possible and when householders in the same room as the high-risk person

It has been well recognised that there are significant educational, developmental and mental health harms from schools being closed, particularly for younger children, and vulnerable children where learning at home is likely to reinforce inequalities, so it is of utmost important that children and young people attend schools. Schools are taking all necessary steps to follow mitigation measures to reduce transmission of virus and follow public health advice to keep children safe.

Article applied

Article 23: Information accessible to applicant by other means

(1) Information is absolutely exempt information if it is reasonably available to the applicant, otherwise than under this law, whether or not free of charge.

(2) A scheduled public authority that refuses an application for the information on this ground must make reasonable efforts to inform the applicant where the applicant may obtain the information available.