Policy reviewed on 14th September 2021

Our policy, practices and procedures will continue to be based on the latest government guidance.

Get Me Out The Four Walls recognises that we provide parents/carers and their children with enjoyable social meets across Norfolk & Suffolk to help reduce social isolation, therefore we have created this Operating Statement to ensure we host meets in a covid secure way.

Get Me Out The Four Walls takes health and safety of our Staff, Volunteers, Parents and Carers, and children seriously. In light of the outbreaks of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), we have put together some information, all of which is based on Public Health England advice.

Get Me Out The Four Walls have put stringent measures in place to ensure parents/carers and their children can meet with others in a safe and positive environment.

Following this advice from government:

https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

We have adopted the following measures in response to the Coronavirus outbreaks:

Online Social Events

  • Our online Daily Debrief sessions held on a weekday evening from 8pm to 9pm ensure that everyone has a chance to socialise and connect with others. A member of the GMOTFW team will be online to monitor the post and interact with parents and carers.
  • Our weekly quiz is held on a Thursday evening via Zoom. 

Face-to-Face Social Meets (Indoor and Outdoor Venues)

Following Government guidance, Face-to-Face social Meets recommenced on 12th April 2021. The following procedures have been implemented to keep everyone safe:

  • All Volunteer Ambassadors/Staff members will undertake a certified COVID-19 Awareness course. They will also receive training on the COVID-19 Risk Assessment before being able to host a social Meet.
  • We will require all parents/carers to book a place onto the social Meet via Eventbrite. There will be a limited number of attendees allowed at each social Meet and may change subject to Government guidelines. Contact details will be kept securely for a period of 21 days for the purposes of track and trace, after which they will be destroyed.
  • Parents/Carers will be asked to not attend a social Meet or Support and Play session if anyone within their household has tested positive within the last 7 days. A tick box on the booking form confirms they understand that they will cancel the booking should someone in their household test positive.
  • When attendees arrive at the social Meet, the parent/carer will be asked again if they, or any member of their household, has tested positive in the last 7 days.
  • All items used during our Support and Play sessions, will be cleaned, and sterilised using a product that is certified to kill 99.9% of germs, such as Dettol Antibacterial Surface Cleaner Spray, or soaked in Milton Sterilising solution.
  • Additional cleaning measures, for all indoor Meets, have been implemented to maintain the highest possible standards of hygiene.
  • All attendees of the social Meet will be shown how to wash hands thoroughly, the need for regular hand washing, where appropriate, and the importance of using and disposing of tissues.
  • GMOTFW will supply all Volunteer Ambassadors/Staff members will their own COVID-19 Essential’s box, which will contain all items needed to ensure a safe social Meet.
  • GMOTFW will supply antibacterial hand-gel to all Volunteer Ambassadors/Staff members, within their COVID-19 Essentials Box. Attendees of the social Meet will be asked to bring their own antibacterial hand-gel along to the meet, if possible. Both Volunteer Ambassadors/Staff members and attendees are to use hand gel at the beginning and the end of the social Meet. Should an attendee not have access to antibacterial hand-gel, Volunteer Ambassadors are to supply a bottle of antibacterial hand-gel to the attendee. This will not be returned to the Volunteer Ambassador, after its use.
  • Attendees are now able to use their own judgement in how much they socially distance from others. However, keeping a sensible distant from anyone who is not in your household or support bubble will help reduce the risk of catching Coronavirus.
  • Individual mats/equipment will be made available to anyone who wishes to remain socially distanced from others.
  • Should any attendee of an event or social Meet begin to show symptoms of a cough/fever or develops a high temperature, they will be asked to leave immediately.
  • Attendees should adhere to a venue’s guidelines surrounding the use of masks. Masks are now optional and will be up to an individual as to whether they wear a mask to our Meets.
  • Additional PPE will be provided for Volunteer Ambassadors/Staff members to wear in the event of having to come into close contact with someone who is not in their household. Disposable gloves and face masks will be included in their COVID-19 Essentials Box.
  • At least one of the hosts at our ‘Support and Play’ Sessions, will have undertaken a full Paediatric First Aid training course, and are aware of the additional risks and procedures in place during the Coronavirus outbreak.

What GMOTFW will do if someone develops symptoms at one of our social events?

  • If anyone becomes unwell or develops any symptoms of COVID-19 during the social meet, they will be asked to leave immediately and advised to follow the staying at home guidance. The area will then be deep cleaned.
  • If they need clinical advice, we will contact NHS111 or in an emergency, or call 999 if they are seriously ill or their life is at risk.
  • If a Volunteer Ambassador/Staff member has helped someone who was taken unwell with COVID-19 symptoms at their social meet, they do not need to go home unless they develop symptoms themselves. They will ensure that they wash their hands thoroughly for 20 seconds after any contact with someone that is unwell and remove and dispose of their PPE.
  • The Volunteer Ambassador/Staff member will inform the Acting Manager, Lucinda Terry, who will contact the attendee, who had fallen ill. They will be asked to request a testing kit to establish whether they have a confirmed case of COVID-19, and report back to GMOTFW with the outcome of their results.
  • If a confirmed case is identified, all attendees of the meet including the Volunteer Ambassador/Staff member will be contacted and informed. As per the current Government guidelines, some individuals will be required to self-isolate at home.

There are some practical steps everyone can take to stop the spread of viruses:

Do

•             Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze

•             Put used tissues in the bin immediately

•             Wash your hands with soap and water often – use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available

•             Avoid close contact with people who are unwell

•             Keep 2 metre distance as per the social distancing guidelines

Don’t

•             Touch your eyes, nose, or mouth if your hands are not clean

We will continue to monitor the situation closely and update our policies when needed.

Safeguarding the health and wellbeing of both Volunteer Ambassadors/Staff members and all attendees of our social Meets is our top priority.