Latest Covid-19 Guidance from Education Authorities
This page will be regularly updated with all the latest guidance from EA
Residential and overnight stays in Northern Ireland
From Tuesday 2nd November, EA Youth Service has released proposed easements for the delivery of residential and overnight stays in Northern Ireland. Residential and overnight settings can resume the delivery of services in a stepped up approach.
All residential and overnight providers and visiting groups should follow the guidance onsite as outlined in Coronavirus (COVID-19): Guidance for Schools and Educational Settings in Northern Ireland”.
International Youth Work may also recommence under the new guidance in line with the Education Authority Educational Visits process.
The guidance document can be found at: https://www.eani.org.uk/youth-services-support
From Tuesday 2nd November, EA Youth Service has released proposed easements for the delivery of residential and overnight stays in Northern Ireland. Residential and overnight settings can resume the delivery of services in a stepped up approach.
All residential and overnight providers and visiting groups should follow the guidance onsite as outlined in Coronavirus (COVID-19): Guidance for Schools and Educational Settings in Northern Ireland”.
International Youth Work may also recommence under the new guidance in line with the Education Authority Educational Visits process.
The guidance document can be found at: https://www.eani.org.uk/youth-services-support
| guidance_for_residential_overnight_stays_and_international_education_visits.pdf |
Dear youth organisation,
The Minister of Health has released new correspondence to schools and education settings regarding a change in identifying close contacts in out of school settings. Please see below relevant information for youth settings.
The guidance is provided to align out of school settings, for example youth services, with the new in-school contract tracing arrangements.
New Approach
8) From Monday 4th October 2021 the approach to the identification of school aged children who are close contacts in structured and supervised out-of-school settings will be aligned with the recently introduced more focused intervention in the school setting; that is:
9) The policy will apply to school aged children born on or after 2nd July 2003 to those born on or before 1st July 2017. This will cover all those from the start of compulsory school age in primary one to year 14.
10) The approach for focused intervention will be applied to school aged children in structured and supervised settings where organisers are expected to have mitigations in place. These settings include; registered group childcare providers, further and higher education campuses, sports and dancing activities, youth clubs, Scouts and other uniformed organisations, church and music groups.
11) For less formal out of school activities and settings for example; weddings, social events and parties, given the inherently higher risk nature of these activities and the more relaxed behaviours in these environments, it is appropriate to continue to apply the general contact tracing approach to school aged children and the PHA will make this distinction. This will result in the identification of some school aged children as close contacts in these settings.
12) Similarly, where school aged children have come into contact with a confirmed case of COVID in their place of work (be that full or part-time employment), the standard approach to contact tracing will be applied. This is because young people can be employed in a range of settings with different risk profiles. Again, this will result in some school aged children being identified as close contacts.
13) This risk based settings approach is slightly different to that of the other UK countries, where in general, under 18 year olds are not identified as close contacts outside of household settings. However, based on experience from previous waves of the pandemic in Northern Ireland, we know that a significant number of outbreaks and super-spreading events occurred in entertainment and social settings attended by school aged children and thus this risk based approach is proportionate.
Implementation
14) Every confirmed case of COVID in a child or young person will continue to be contacted by PHA contact tracing services. A risk assessment of the case will be carried out by the contact tracing service and the appropriate approach to the identification and management of close contacts applied, taking account of the settings and all other relevant factors.
15) Based on the assessment of risk, the more focused approach will be taken to the structured and supervised settings described in paragraph eight, while the standard approach to the identification and management of close contacts will continue to be applied to the informal settings and activities such as entertainment and social settings. The standard approach will also be applied if the young person is identified as a close contact in a work setting.
Young People Availing of an Additional Year at School
16) A small number of young people born between July 2002 and July 2003 are availing of an extra year in school. The number of young people in this position is relatively small and all would have had the opportunity to be vaccinated. However, it is important that their needs are considered so they are not disadvantaged in school. Following risk assessment of the settings PHA will determine the approach to use and may apply the more focused approach.
The Covid-19 guidance for Youth Settings can still be found here; https://www.eani.org.uk/youth-services-support
Kind regards,
The Minister of Health has released new correspondence to schools and education settings regarding a change in identifying close contacts in out of school settings. Please see below relevant information for youth settings.
The guidance is provided to align out of school settings, for example youth services, with the new in-school contract tracing arrangements.
New Approach
8) From Monday 4th October 2021 the approach to the identification of school aged children who are close contacts in structured and supervised out-of-school settings will be aligned with the recently introduced more focused intervention in the school setting; that is:
- The identification and management of school aged children as close contacts will focus on those with the highest risk of transmission from the positive case. The definition being used by PHA is those children who have prolonged household exposure or who have stayed overnight or had intimate contact or had person care provided by a confirmed case. These school aged children will be asked to self-isolate and book a PCR test;
- Other children in the setting who do not meet the level of contact set out above may receive a ‘warn and inform’ notification from the setting.
9) The policy will apply to school aged children born on or after 2nd July 2003 to those born on or before 1st July 2017. This will cover all those from the start of compulsory school age in primary one to year 14.
10) The approach for focused intervention will be applied to school aged children in structured and supervised settings where organisers are expected to have mitigations in place. These settings include; registered group childcare providers, further and higher education campuses, sports and dancing activities, youth clubs, Scouts and other uniformed organisations, church and music groups.
11) For less formal out of school activities and settings for example; weddings, social events and parties, given the inherently higher risk nature of these activities and the more relaxed behaviours in these environments, it is appropriate to continue to apply the general contact tracing approach to school aged children and the PHA will make this distinction. This will result in the identification of some school aged children as close contacts in these settings.
12) Similarly, where school aged children have come into contact with a confirmed case of COVID in their place of work (be that full or part-time employment), the standard approach to contact tracing will be applied. This is because young people can be employed in a range of settings with different risk profiles. Again, this will result in some school aged children being identified as close contacts.
13) This risk based settings approach is slightly different to that of the other UK countries, where in general, under 18 year olds are not identified as close contacts outside of household settings. However, based on experience from previous waves of the pandemic in Northern Ireland, we know that a significant number of outbreaks and super-spreading events occurred in entertainment and social settings attended by school aged children and thus this risk based approach is proportionate.
Implementation
14) Every confirmed case of COVID in a child or young person will continue to be contacted by PHA contact tracing services. A risk assessment of the case will be carried out by the contact tracing service and the appropriate approach to the identification and management of close contacts applied, taking account of the settings and all other relevant factors.
15) Based on the assessment of risk, the more focused approach will be taken to the structured and supervised settings described in paragraph eight, while the standard approach to the identification and management of close contacts will continue to be applied to the informal settings and activities such as entertainment and social settings. The standard approach will also be applied if the young person is identified as a close contact in a work setting.
Young People Availing of an Additional Year at School
16) A small number of young people born between July 2002 and July 2003 are availing of an extra year in school. The number of young people in this position is relatively small and all would have had the opportunity to be vaccinated. However, it is important that their needs are considered so they are not disadvantaged in school. Following risk assessment of the settings PHA will determine the approach to use and may apply the more focused approach.
The Covid-19 guidance for Youth Settings can still be found here; https://www.eani.org.uk/youth-services-support
Kind regards,
Dear Youth Organisation,
From Wednesday 1st September, Youth Services will operate under the Department of Education: Guidance for Schools and Education Settings in Northern Ireland.
This guidance is now the main reference document for the delivery of youth work in the context of Covid-19. For brevity, within the document the terms schools, pupils and teachers are used. These should be read on the same context as youth work settings, such as youth centres/projects, children and young people and youth work staff/volunteers.
Please see below a link to a webpage where we have highlighted key information for youth settings however for the full details please visit the DE guidance document.
https://www.eani.org.uk/youth-services-support
Kind regards,
Youth Operations Office
Youth Service, Youth Operations
Children and Young People’s Services
Education Authority
From Wednesday 1st September, Youth Services will operate under the Department of Education: Guidance for Schools and Education Settings in Northern Ireland.
This guidance is now the main reference document for the delivery of youth work in the context of Covid-19. For brevity, within the document the terms schools, pupils and teachers are used. These should be read on the same context as youth work settings, such as youth centres/projects, children and young people and youth work staff/volunteers.
Please see below a link to a webpage where we have highlighted key information for youth settings however for the full details please visit the DE guidance document.
https://www.eani.org.uk/youth-services-support
Kind regards,
Youth Operations Office
Youth Service, Youth Operations
Children and Young People’s Services
Education Authority
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