Coronavirus (COVID 19): Advisory Sub-Group on Education and Children’s Issues minutes: 11 August 2020

Items and actions

1. The sub-group discussed a range of measures to safeguard senior phase pupils attending college to gain vocational experience.  It was important to recognise the responsibilities of both the students and the institutions and to consider how compliance can be assessed and maximised.  Consideration focused on the implications of delaying college start dates, the prospect of e-learning elements being undertaken within school, the practicalities of adult supervision and the role of “induction packs” and clear communication.

2. The sub-group continued its consideration of the increased risks of transmission of Covid-19 during activities such as physical education, music and drama.  The discussion covered the sliding scale of risk associated with different aspects of these activities.

3. Consideration was given to a series of questions relating to the unregulated children’s sector such as organised indoor play, support for parents with new-born and pre-school children and child contact centres.  The potential risks of children moving between services were noted.  As some of these services are central to adult and children’s health and wellbeing, it was considered necessary to balance the transmission risks with potential wider harm to children and their families by continued closure. 

4. There was a discussion about the process of local outbreak management including contract tracing, incident management team procedures, outbreak management arrangements involving schools, and the relationship between national actions and a local integrated approach. 

5. An ongoing approach to collating recent research evidence was being discussed with Public Health Scotland.  The frequency of sub-group meetings was considered and it was agreed that these might move to a fortnightly cycle.