Children with Down Syndrome - Family Agreement - Advice and Guidance
National Guidance
Government guidance released on Wednesday 4th November 2020 advises that adults with Down Syndrome have now been added to the ‘Clinically Extremely Vulnerable’ category and should therefore remain at home during the national lockdown. Whilst we understand this guidance is for adults, the information will be valuable to help your thinking in coming to a decision. You may wish to seek further advice or support from a specialist or clinician.
Review the document in full by clicking here.
Government Legislation (2020 No. 1200, Public Health England)
The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England)
Within this document, it states that there are exceptions to leaving the home that include, ‘for the purposes of education or training’ and for ‘respite care being provided for a vulnerable person or for a person with a disability’.
Review the document in full by clicking here.
Carol Boys, Chief Executive, Down's Syndrome Association writes,
"The advice for people on the clinically extremely vulnerable list as we go into a national lockdown in England may not be called 'shielding' anymore but it is almost as sever as shielding was in the spring. The fact that the guidance is advisory rather than mandatory also seems to have been lost in translation. There is no clarity about how the 'guidance' should be implemented."
Minister Ford's letter to the SEND sector 9th November 2020
“The DHSC guidance for clinically extremely vulnerable children is not compulsory, although parents are strongly advised to follow the guidance in order to keep their child safe. However, in some exceptional circumstances, parents whose children are clinically extremely vulnerable may need to balance the health risk with the wider implications associated with the child or young person not attending their usual education setting and accessing the support that would normally be delivered through this placement. This may be based on the level of support that a child or young person needs, their ability to access remote education and additional services such as therapies, and the impact on wellbeing for the wider family of their child being at home full time. In these circumstances, parents, education settings, health professionals and local authorities should work together to agree the best arrangement for that individual child or young person and their family to ensure that they continue to receive the support they need.”
Review the letter in full by clicking on the link below.
For further advice and support, please visit National Down Syndrome Society by clicking on the following link https://www.ndss.org/