• Poster / flyer aimed at children and young people (PDF)
• Guidance for young people (PDF)
• Kooth - free, safe and anonymous online mental health support
• Camden Rise - young people's emotional wellbeing 

Childline has created a new web page with information for children and young people about coronavirus. The page includes information about: 

• what coronavirus is
• where children and young people can find help if they are worried
• coping if they are staying at home
• what to do if they are feeling unwell

Young people can visit these 'Keep calm, stay connected, be safe' web pages.  

Children and young people's mental health charity, Young Minds, has also produced this blog. What to do if you’re anxious about coronavirus

During lockdown, primary and secondary schools, as well as further education colleges, have remained closed, except for vulnerable children. Children with at least one parent or carer who is a critical worker can also attend.

However, from Monday, 8 March all schools and colleges will reopen for face-to-face learning.

The Council, Camden Learning and Public Health are working closely with Camden schools to ensure they are supported and ready to reopen fully for all pupils. 

All schools will update their risk assessments to ensure the necessary safety measures are in place to keep pupils and staff as safe as possible. 

Your child’s school will be in contact with you about their arrangements. There is more information for parents and carers below on what full reopening from 8 March means: 

• Schools and colleges to reopen to all pupils from 8 March - DfE press release (22/2/21)
• Factsheet for parents on COVID-19 testing in secondary schools and F.E. Colleges (26/2/21)

Children who have been advised to self-isolate at home should do so for 10 days (see also our absence guide for parents and carers below).

Early years and childcare services, including children's centres, nurseries and childminders remain open, though places will be prioritised for vulnerable children and children of critical workers.

Further information and advice for parents:

• Keeping safe at school: guide for parents - A4 poster / flyer (note: this will be updated shortly)
• COVID-19 absences from school - guide for parents and carers (note: this will be updated shortly)
• Camden early years and children's centre services

Department for Education helpline

Schools, colleges or nurseries can contact the Department for Education coronavirus helpline on 0800 046 8687. Lines are open Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6pm, and Saturday to Sunday, 10am to 6pm.

Local contact email address for public health advice

Education and childcare staff can also contact our local public health teams via their email inbox, which is monitored 24/7: email your enquiry.
 

Awarding of GCSEs, A-levels and other qualifications in summer 2021

Students will receive grades awarded and determined by teachers, with pupils only assessed on what they have been taught, the Education Secretary announced on 25 February.

Teachers will be able to draw on a range of evidence when determining grades, including the optional use of questions provided by exam boards, as well as mock exams, coursework, or other work completed as part of a pupil’s course, such as essays or in-class tests. No algorithm will be used.

Teachers will submit grades to exam boards by 18 June, allowing as much teaching time as possible before teachers make their assessments.

Results days for GCSE, A levels and some vocational qualifications will take place in the week of 9 August – moved forward from the week of the 23 August. These earlier dates provide additional time for appeals to be completed, so students reliant on those outcomes to achieve their university offer have the best chance of accessing a place.

To support teachers in making their judgements, exam boards will provide detailed guidance before the end of the spring term. Find out more here.

More information and support:

• National exam results helpline
• Advice and support - Camden Careers and Connexions service
• Kickstart Scheme - six-month placements for 16 to 24 year olds
• Camden Apprenticeships
• Camden Sixth Forms and Colleges

During the current national lockdown, youth workers are in touch with their young people and have announced a 'virtual' online programme of activities and support on Camden Rise website.

Our Careers and Connexions service is still running a virtual drop-in service. This is while their office at the Crowndale Centre remains closed. The virtual drop-in is open by telephone every day, Monday to Friday, from 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm. 

You can chat over the phone to a Connexions careers adviser and get advice on training, education, jobs, and apprenticeships. 

• Call 020 7974 7252 or you can email us at connexions@camden.gov.uk

For young people's mental and emotional wellbeing support, visit the Camden Rise website.

Or if you need any other advice and support, call our Camden Youth Helpline on 020 7974 6200, Monday to Friday, 12noon to 6pm.

The play provision in Camden is run by community and voluntary organisations. These are funded by the Council, to provide after-school clubs and holiday play schemes for children aged four to 12. It includes specialist services for vulnerable children, young people and their families with varying needs.

After-school provision from January 2021

Providers are currently following Public Health guidance and offering provision to referred vulnerable children and children of critical workers attending their linked schools. They will run on the basis of bubbles of 15, keeping children from one school together in a single bubble wherever possible and only mixing children from different schools where absolutely necessary to provide a service. Play providers are in contact with their link schools to confirm each centre’s arrangements.

Holiday play schemes from January 2021

Providers will be following Public Health guidance regarding how they operate. Provision over February half-term 2021 is likely to be available to referred vulnerable children and children of critical workers attending linked schools. We await further Government guidance and will update this page when this guidance is published.

• Find out more and see a list of play schemes near you here
• For more activities and support for children and young people in Camden, visit the Camden Rise website

Children and young people’s NHS services in north London have been reviewed. This is to ensure the best emergency and planned care during the pandemic and throughout the winter. This is when pressure on local hospitals grows.

Emergency and inpatient services for children and young people have already temporarily closed at:

• University College London Hospitals

• the Royal Free Hospital.

This means you might need to go to a different hospital in an emergency or for a planned appointment. Children and young people’s emergency services remain open at Barnet Hospital, the Whittington Hospital and the North Middlesex University Hospital.

There are children and young people’s emergency departments at:

• Whittington Hospital
• Barnet Hospital
• North Middlesex University Hospital
• St Mary’s Hospital
• Royal London Hospital.

Please call 111 for advice on the most appropriate place for care. For life-threatening emergencies call 999 immediately. 

University College London Hospitals and the Royal Free Hospital remain open for adult patients.

Find out more:

• Visit the North London Partners in Health and Care website
• View or download a flyer / poster here