Come along, be informed, have a chat and maybe meet other parents and carers of SEND children!
Are you a parent and/or carer of a child or young person who has special educational needs and/or disabilities or you believe may require additional help? Are you looking for services in your area that can offer extra support for your child as they go through their education journey? Then Ashford Family Hubs would like to invite you to our SEND Information, advice and guidance event for Ashford.
There will be a short presentation at the start to introduce the services in attendance, followed by your opportunity to visit their stalls and find out how they can help.
Refreshments will be available and some toys can be provided in case you need to bring little ones.
16th July 2024 10 am -12 noon or 1 pm – 3 pm
Ashford North Family Hub Mabledon Avenue Ashford TN24 8BJ
While Coronavirus cases are high and rising, everybody needs to continue to act carefully and remain cautious.
Meeting with others
To minimise risk you should minimise the number, proximity and duration of social contacts.
If you can, meet outdoors or, if you’re indoors, think about how you can improve ventilation to letting fresh air in.
Limit the close contact you have with those you do not usually live with, and increase close contact gradually.
Face coverings
The Government expects and recommends that people wear face coverings in crowded areas.
Hygiene
Wash your hands with soap and water or use hand sanitiser regularly throughout the day.
It is particularly important to wash your hands:
after coughing, sneezing and blowing your nose
before you eat or handle food
after coming into contact with surfaces touched by many others, such as handles, handrails and light switches
after coming into contact with shared areas such as kitchens and bathrooms
when you return home
Where possible, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. If you do need to touch your face (for example to put on or take off your face covering), wash or sanitise your hands before and after.
Get tested and self isolate
If you develop COVID-19 symptoms, self-isolate immediately and get a PCR test, even if your symptoms are mild. You should self-isolate at home while you book the test and wait for the results. You must self-isolate if you test positive. Your isolation period includes the day your symptoms started (or the day your test was taken if you do not have symptoms), and the next 10 full days. This is the law.
The most important symptoms of COVID-19 are recent onset of any of the following:
a new continuous cough
a high temperature
a loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia)
Testing twice a week
Around 1 in 3 people with COVID-19 do not have any symptoms. This means they could be spreading the virus without knowing it. Testing twice a week increases the chances of detecting COVID-19 when a person is infectious, helping to make sure you don’t spread COVID-19.
Rapid lateral flow testing is available for free to anybody.
Get vaccinated
All adults in England have now been offered at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccines are safe and effective. They give you the best protection against COVID-19.
If you have not yet received the COVID-19 vaccine, you should get vaccinated. It usually takes around two to three weeks for an antibody response to develop. You need two doses of vaccine for maximum protection against COVID-19.
However, even if you have been fully vaccinated, you could still get COVID-19 and get sick – a recent PHE report shows that around 1 in 5 people who are double-vaccinated are still vulnerable to getting infected with the Delta variant and showing symptoms. You can also still spread COVID-19 to others. We all need to do what we can to reduce the spread of COVID-19 to protect others and to reduce the risk of new variants developing and spreading.
NHS Covid Pass
The NHS Covid Pass allows you to check your Covid status and demonstrate that you are at lower risk of transmitting to others through full vaccination, a recent negative test, or proof of natural immunity.
Do you live, study or work in Beaver? Are you 18 to 25 years old? How can Beaver be made a place where young people can live more healthily and feel safe?
Ashford Community Safety Partnership are looking for young people aged 18 – 25 to take part in a guided community walk around Beaver on 26 June, and share ideas for change.
Join them on Saturday 26 June, 10.15am to 1.15pm South Ashford Baptist Church, 24 Brookfield Road, Ashford,TN23 4EY
You’ll use C3’s CHESS™ App to review local shops, food outlets, amenities and public spaces. The App is easy to use and C3 will show you how. You will collect information about the neighbourhood and the things that make it easier, or harder, for you to live healthily, spend time with friends, and feel safe.
On Saturday 10 July you are invited to a follow up session. They’ll share the CHESS walk results, and help you work together to generate ideas for change and turn these into a community action plan. You’ll also receive a £15 voucher.
To find out more or take part please contact: Alison Oates, Community Safety and Wellbeing Manager, Ashford Borough Council 01233 330 225 csu@ashford.gov.uk
Government guidance remains that you should stay 2 metres apart from anyone who is not in your household or support bubble where possible, or 1 metre with extra precautions in place (such as wearing face coverings) if you cannot stay 2 metres apart.
Meeting Others
Overnight stays
Education
Work and business
You can meet outdoors in groups of up to 30 people. You can meet indoors in groups of up to six people or two households.
You don’t have to stay 2m apart from friends and family, but consider the risks to you and those you are with.
Domestic overnight stays are allowed, in groups of up to six people or 2 households.
Schools, colleges and universities fully open.
Regular testing provided
You should continue to work from home if you can.
Retail and personal care
Bars, Pubs and Restaurants
Accommodation
Leisure and sporting facilities
Open.
Open.
Groups of up to six people or two households allowed indoors.
Groups of up to 30 allowed outdoors
All holiday accommodation open, including hotels, hostels and B&Bs
Open indoors and outdoors, including gyms, indoor sports facilities, swimming pools, saunas and steam rooms.
Organised sport and group exercises allowed.
Entertainment
Large Events
Residential Care
Shielding
Open indoors and outdoors, including cinemas, bowling alleys, zoos and theme parks.
Events, including live performances, business events and sporting events can proceed with capacity limits, indoors and outdoors.
People who live in a care home can have ‘low risk’ visits out of the home without the need to isolate when they get back.
Residents can also name up to five visitors.
If you are clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) you do not need to shield, but should continue to take extra precautions such as shopping at quieter times of the day. You can follow the same advice on meeting friends and family as everyone else
Domestic travel
Overseas travel
Places of Worship
Weddings and Funerals
Travel safely. Plan ahead and avoid the busiest times and routes if you can
Check whether your destination is on the red, amber or green list. You should not travel to red and amber countries. If you are travelling to a green country, check the rules in your destination as testing or quarantine requirements may be in place.
Open. You can attend in groups of 6 people or 2 households
Weddings, receptions, life events and wakes can take place with up to 30 attendees, indoors in a COVID-Secure venue, or outdoors.
No limit on funeral attendees, subject to how many the venue can safely accommodate with social distancing.
You must not socialise indoors except with your household or support bubble. You can meet outdoors, including in gardens, in groups of six people or two households.
Domestic overnight stays are allowed, but you must only stay with members of your household or support bubble.
Early years settings, schools and colleges are open for all students. Students on practical university courses can return. Students and staff will be regularly tested. Other Higher Education students should continue to learn remotely.
You should work from home if you can.
Retail and personal care
Bars, Pubs and Restaurants
Accommodation
Leisure and sporting facilities
All retail open. Hairdressers, beauty and nail salons open.
Open outdoors for groups of six people or two households. Those that serve alcohol must provide table service. Closed indoors.
Campsites and self-contained holiday accommodation open for visits with your household or support bubble only. Hotels, hostels and B&Bs closed.
Gyms, indoor sports facilities and spas open for use on your own or with your own household or support bubble. Saunas and steam rooms closed.
Entertainment
Public Buildings
Residential Care
Shielding
Outdoor settings and attractions, such as zoos and theme parks open for visits of two households, or in a group of up to six people. Drive-in-events open for visits with your household or support bubble. Indoor entertainment closed.
Libraries and community centres open
People who live in a care home in England will be allowed two named regular indoor visitors.
Clinically extremely vulnerable people in England are no longer advised to shield, but should continue taking extra precautions such as minimising social interactions and shopping at quieter times of the day.
Domestic travel
Overseas travel
Places of Worship
Weddings and Funerals
You should minimise travel as much as possible. Avoid the busiest times and routes – plan your journey and what you need at your destination ahead of time
You must not go on holiday abroad. You could be fined £5,000 for travelling abroad without a legally permitted reason.
Places of worship open and communal worship is permitted, but you must not mix indoors with anyone outside your household or support bubble.
Funerals can continue with up to 30 attendees. Weddings, outdoor receptions, and commemorative events such as wakes can take place with up to 15 attendees (in premises that are permitted to open).
Over 70s and shielded patients encouraged to book now
Anyone aged 70 and over or on the Shielded Patients List (because they are clinically extremely vulnerable) who has not yet had a first dose vaccine can use the National Booking System to book an appointment. You do not need a letter from the NHS.
Members of the public not in these groups still need to wait for a letter.
You can book for yourself or on behalf of a relative. The person being vaccinated will need to be registered with a GP. You’ll need the name, date of birth and home postcode of the person being vaccinated. The person’s NHS number is helpful but not essential.
You can use the national booking service to arrange an appointment at one of three large vaccination centres or seven community pharmacy-led services in the county.
The nearest vaccination centre is in Folkestone
Pharmacy services are running in:
New Romney Pharmacy, vaccinations at New Romney Old School
Pharmacy2U, Maidstone, vaccinations at Odeon Cinema, Lockmeadow.
There is no restriction on where you live, you can book at any of these sites if slots are available.
If you can’t book online, you can call 119 free of charge, anytime between 7am and 11pm seven days-a-week. British Sign Language, text relay and interpreter services are available.
GP-run vaccine services and housebound visits
The national booking service cannot make appointments for GP services or home visits.
GPs and their teams continue to invite people to local vaccination services and are prioritising going out to housebound patients who haven’t already been vaccinated.
If people over 70 or clinically extremely vulnerable, who have not yet had a first dose Covid-19 vaccine, want to use GP services they should now contact their GP practice.
Members of the public not in these groups still need to wait to be contacted. Please do not call your GP practice at this stage.
All those 70 years of age and over and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals
Kent and Medway CCG expect all people in these groups to have been invited to be vaccinated by 15th February 2020.
The full Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) list of priory groups is is on gov.uk
How do I make an appointment for my vaccination?
Do not contact NHS or your GP to ask for a vaccination, they should contact you. If you are over 70 years of age and have not been invited by 15th February contact your GP then (please remember that your GP surgery is very busy use the contact methods given on their website).
Where are vaccinations being given?
In Ashford urban area vaccinations are currently being given at:
St, Stephens Medical Centre for patients of the Ashford Medical Partnership: Willesborough Health Centre, Singleton Health Centre and St Stephens Health Centre
Musgrove Park Medical Centre, Ashford foe patients of Ashford Stour PCN: Hollington Surgery, Kingsnorth Medical Practice, New Hayesbank Surgery, Sellindge Surgery, Sydenham House Medical Centre and Wye Surgery and
Only visit a vaccination centre if you have an appointment. there is no walk-in service at any centre.
If you are undergoing treatment at another hospital you may be invited to be vaccinated at that hospital. If this involves a substantial journey you can ask to be vaccinated at a local centre.
How will I get the vaccine if I am housebound?
If you are known to be housebound through illness or disability you will be contacted to arrange your vaccination at home, either through your GP or Kent Community Health Foundation NHS Trust (KCHFT).
At the vaccination centre
Ensure you are wearing a clean face mask.
Do not arrive before the time given on your appointment.
Please attend alone unless you are unable to.
Follow instructions given on your invitation or at the centre regarding announcing your arrival.
You may have to wait – please maintain social distancing from other patients.
Before being vaccinated you should be asked some questions about your medical history or to allow the vaccinator to access your medical records.
After vaccination you will be given a card with information about your vaccination. It is important to keep this card.
You should be given an appointment for your second vaccination within 12 weeks of your first.
You should wait at the vaccination centre, as instructed, for 15 minutes after your vaccination.
After vaccination
You must continue to follow current regulations and advice related to Covid-19, i.e.:
Hands: wash your hands regularly
Face: wear a face covering inside shops and other buildings to which the public have access
Space: maintain 2m distance from people not in your household
If you have a high temperature you may have coronavirus or another infection.
Front line workers
All front line health and social care workers should be invited for a vaccination by their employer.
Agency workers on a long term deployment should be vaccinated through the organisation they are working for.
Agency workers on short term deployments should be have their vaccination arranged by their agency.
If you are working directly on the front line in health or social care and have not be invited for vaccination, contact the organisation through which you are working first or KMCCG.
KMCCG are consulting with the government regarding including other key workers in a priority group.
Action Fraud, the national reporting centre for fraud and cyber crime, has received a number of reports in relation to the COVID-19 vaccine.
Pauline Smith, Head of Action Fraud, said: “The vaccine is a crucial tool in fighting the coronavirus and keeping people safe. Thankfully, the number of reports into Action Fraud are relatively low but we have seen an increase in the last two months, particularly around scam text messages.
If you receive an email, text message or phone call purporting to be from the NHS and you are asked to provide financial details, this is a scam.”
Action Fraud has received reports from members of the public who have been sent text messages claiming to be from the NHS, offering them the opportunity to sign up for the vaccine. The texts ask the recipient to click on a link which takes them to an online form where they are prompted to input personal and financial details. In some cases the online form has looked very similar to the real NHS website.
How to protect yourself:
In the UK, coronavirus vaccines will only be available via the National Health Services of England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland. You can be contacted by the NHS, your employer, a GP surgery or pharmacy local to you, to receive your vaccine. Remember, the vaccine is free of charge. At no point will you be asked to pay.
The NHS will never ask you for your bank account or card details.
The NHS will never ask you for your PIN or banking password.
The NHS will never arrive unannounced at your home to administer the vaccine.
The NHS will never ask you to prove your identity by sending copies of personal documents such as your passport, driving licence, bills or pay slips.
Do not try to book a vaccination if you have not received a letter.
Covid-19 scams
Watch out for other Covid-19 related scams. Visit our Covid-19 scam post
Report Fraud
If you receive a call you believe to be fraudulent, hang up. If you are suspicious about an email you have received, forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk. Suspicious text messages should be forwarded to the number 7726 which is free of charge.
If you believe you are the victim of a fraud, please report this to Action Fraud as soon as possible by calling 0300 123 2040 or visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk.
You must stay at home. The single most important action we can all take is to stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives.
You should follow this guidance immediately. The law will be updated to reflect these new rules.
Stay at home
Meeting Others
Exercise
You must not leave, or be outside of your home or garden, except for a very limited set of exemptions e.g. to shop for basic necessities, exercise, go to work if you cannot do so from home, or to escape risk of harm.
You cannot leave your home to meet socially with anyone, except with your household or support bubble (if eligible to form one). Stay 2 metres apart from anyone not in your household or support bubble.
You may exercise on your own, with your household or support bubble, or with one person from another household (when on your own). Stay 2 metres apart from anyone not in your household or support bubble.
Retail
Personal Care
Leisure and Sporting Facilities
Essential shops can open. Non-essential retail must close and can only run click-andcollect and delivery
Closed
Closed, with limited exceptions.
Bars, Pubs and Restaurants
Work and Business
Education
Hospitality closed aside from sales by takeaway (until 11pm), click-and-collect, drive-through or delivery. Alcohol cannot be purchased through takeaway or click-and-collect from hospitality venues.
Everyone must work from home unless they are unable to do so.
Early years settings open. Primary and secondary schools and colleges move to remote provision except for vulnerable children and children of critical workers. Most university students to move to remote learning.
Travelling
Accommodation
Overnight Stays
You must stay at home. If you do leave home for a very limited set of exemptions, you should stay local in the village, town, or part of the city where you live where possible. Do not travel abroad unless an exemption applies.
Closed (with limited exceptions)
You must not stay overnight away from home. Limited exceptions apply e.g. to stay with your support bubble.
Entertainment
Places of Worship
Weddings and Funerals
Closed
Places of worship can remain open and communal worship is permitted, but you must not mix with those outside your household or support bubble
Funerals of up to 30 people permitted. Weddings up to 6 people permitted in exceptional circumstances. Wakes and other linked ceremonial events of up to 6 permitted.
Medical
Clinically Extremely Vulnerable
Care Home Visits
You can leave home for a medical reason, including to get a COVID-19 test, for medical appointments and emergencies.
Shielding reintroduced across England. You should not travel to work, school, college or university and should limit the time you spend outside the home. You should only go out for medical appointments, exercise or if it is essential.
Visits can take place with arrangements such as substantial screens, visiting pods, or behind windows. Close-contact indoor visits are not allowed. No visits will be permitted in the event of an outbreak but end of life visits are permitted in all circumstances.
Harm and compassionate visits
Animal welfare
You can leave home to be with someone who is giving birth, to avoid injury or illness or to escape risk of harm (such as domestic abuse).
you can leave home for animal welfare reasons, such as to attend veterinary services for advice or treatment.
The whole of Kent is now under the new Tier 4 (Stay at Home) Coronavirus rules.
You must stay at home other than for specified reasons.
The restrictions apply throughout the the Christmas period. You cannot participate in a Christmas Bubble.
Meeting Friends and Family
Work and Business
Education
No household mixing, aside from support bubbles and two people meeting in public outdoor spaces
Everyone must work from home unless they are unable to do so.
Early years settings, schools, colleges and universities open during term time. Registered childcare, other supervised activities for childcare purposes, and childcare bubbles permitted
Exercise
Retail
Personal Care
You can leave your home to exercise by yourself, with your household or support bubble, or with one person from another household. Outdoor sport allowed but gatherings limit applies except for youth and disabled sport.
Essential shops can open. Non-essential retail must close and can only open for click-and-collect and delivery.
Closed
Bars, Pubs and Restaurants
Indoor Leisure
Entertainment
Hospitality closed, aside from sales by takeaway, drive-through or delivery.
Closed
Indoor entertainment closed. Some outdoor attractions may remain open.
Travelling
Accommodation
Overnight Stays
You must stay at home and only travel for work, education or other legally permitted reasons. if you must travel, you should stay local, and reduce the number of journeys you make. You must not leave a Tier 4 area or stay overnight away from home. Residents in Tiers 1 — 3 should not enter ‘Fer 4 areas. Do not travel abroad if you live in a Tier 4 area unless an exemption applies.
Closed (with limited exceptions)
You must not stay overnight away from home. Limited exceptions apply.
Places of Worship
Weddings and Funerals
Open for private prayer and communal worship, but cannot interact with anyone outside household or support bubble.
Funerals of up to 30 people permitted Wakes and other linked ceremonial events can continue in a group of up to six. Weddings of up to six can continue in exceptional circumstances.
Residential Care
Clinically Extremely Vulnerable
You can visit relatives in care homes with COVID-secure arrangements such as substantial screens, visiting pods, and window visits.
The Clinically Extremely Vuinerable are advised to stay at home as much as possible, except to go outdoors for exercise or to attend health appointments.
