Council’s support for schools during pandemic

HOW SCHOOLS, staff, pupils and parents can be supported by Wokingham Borough Council was raised by Cllr Prue Bray.

She said “the turmoil (caused by the pandemic) is likely to continue for some time”.

“We have yet to seewhat the impact of lockdown has been on children’s mental health and on other issues which affect them, such as domestic violence, and families with significantly reduced incomes as a result of job loss or pay reductions.”

Responding, councillor UllaKarin Clark, the executive member for children’s services, said: “We have continued to work with schools and academies throughout the pandemic, providing advice, guidance and support in the light of national guidance as well as local learning.

“This has included daily communication to all school senior leaders and key stakeholders, and bespoke responses where there have been issues or concerns related to potential outbreaks.

“We have worked closely with the Department for Education to inform and fully understand national policy in the changing context to which you refer, and have had a close relationship with Public Health.”

She pledged that the council would continue to engage with schools on coronavirus-related issues, and would offer support through the usage of the catch up premium and national tutoring scheme announced by the Government.

“We will be making best use of the additional resources we will be receiving in respect of supporting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing, and reorganising service delivery to support children back to school and back to class-based learning,” she said.

Cllr Bray pressed for more details on the capacity for the borough’s mental health services.

Cllr Clark promised that there would continue to be support and hoped that online services would be used by children and young adults.

In a second question, the provision for hot meals in schools was raised by Cllr Caroline Smith.

Cllr Clark said that health and safety issues meant that delivering hot meals to classrooms was a risk, and that caterers are having to get used to new ways of working.

“This may mean at this time that for some schools the offer continues to be a sandwich style option as has been the offer throughout the pandemic,” she said.

“We recognise that for many children, access to a hot meal is important and we are working with (council contractor) Caterlink to ensure a return to hot meal provision as soon as is possible, and no later than October half term.”