Guidance for Single Parent Households

The advise we give single parent households must be reviewed. I am suggesting that single parents are able to nominate 1 to 2 other individuals-- aunts & uncles, godparents, a close friend, who is allowed into their home for the purpose of helping support the family OR is able to take the child out for exercise/so the parents can go on exercise as an individual.

We are asking some parents to work and school their child, at home, by themselves day in and day out without any physical time away from their children to rest, shop, etc. For some this has always been untenable and for others this is becoming increasingly untenable and the mental health and wellbeing effects of this, as well as ability to do the job that is needed to pay the bills, becomes more difficult. One could argue detrimentally more harmful than potentially contracting coronavirus as a healthy person.

Families with children with ASN, particularly those unseen to most which are emotional wellbeing based are not being adequately supported at this time. Not all councils have managed equitable provision in these areas and I have been made aware of situations were the provision for 'key worker' care is not suitable to a child's ASN as the children are being looked after by a rotation of unfamiliar, non-trained staff, all day in an after school club style setting. This is unacceptable and single parents should have the choice of a nominated person or two to support them.