Parent network update 20th November 20

This is a smaller update this week and we hope that your families are coping as well as possible during this second lockdown.

Five items this week:   AGP guidance, ADHD Foundation booklet on NICE guidance, Children’s health services in Herts, Bereavement Guides and feedback from July health survey.

AGP (aerosol generated procedures) guidance finally published

This guidance applies to a limited group of children and young people who have complex health needs where AGP applies.
This guidance has been in the pipeline since last term and now following collaboration with Public Health England the Department for Education have reviewed and updated the guidance aerosol generating procedures (AGPs) in education and children’s social care settings. During this process, DfE and PHE worked with an expert group including NHS England, senior clinicians, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, the Royal College of Nurses and SEND sector organisations including special schools, to reach a consensus based on current evidence and good practice.
This revised guidance has sought to balance the need for children and young people requiring AGPs to be in their school or college whilst ensuring that the safety of all staff and pupils has been considered.
This guidance should be adapted to meet these individual circumstances, focusing on collaboration between education and care settings, families, local authorities and health providers. It is important that settings and services continue to communicate clearly with parents on progress so that children, young people and learners who need AGPs can be supported to return to their setting

ADHD Foundation booklet about the NICE Guidelines on ADHD.

This is a free downloadable booklet looking at the NICE guidelines for ADHD for children and adults.
https://www.adhdfoundation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/ADHD-NICE-Guidelines-Patient-Booklet.pdf

Update on children’s health services during the winter period in Herts

We are very pleased to report that, following national guidance from Public Health England and direction from local health leaders, those working in children’s community health services such as Health Visiting, School Nurses, specialist nurses and therapists are not to be re-deployed to other roles in the health service as part of the response to winter Covid 19 cases.
It has been recognised that withdrawing some of these services earlier in the pandemic has had a significant negative effect on families.

Bereavement guides

These are free Hertfordshire guides on bereavement that may be of help to some families in these challenging times. There are versions for adults, parents and carers and young people.  There is also an easy read version for adults and young people with additional needs.
The guides can be viewed or downloaded from www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/coronavirusbereavement

Feedback on the health survey for parents of young people in mainstream school run by the NDTi – National Development Team for Inclusion.

Back in July of this year HPCI worked with NDTi to support their work on improving health outcomes in young people with learning disabilities who attend mainstream schools as they can be missing out on things such as the annual health check (from age 14).

NDTi has asked us to pass on their thanks to those parents that completed the survey and how impressed they were with the level of response from HPCI parents.  45 Hertfordshire parents responded to the survey giving their views about what information on preventative health they currently received and how this could be improved in the future. Over half went on to read through the Keeping Healthy document and give their views on the content and format of this.  A summary of key findings from parents’ feedback (which is too long to include here) is available from our Coordinator. The final report will be available shortly and HPCI will receive a copy.