I, and my small (brilliant) team, have spent the last 9 weeks understanding the the details of Coronavirus laws - THE Regulations and the Act and other Regs and various guidance - it can be a minefield. BUT this explicit exemption for young children in Reg 6 DOES NOT EXIST.
We do this because the people we support are at risk of having their rights risked & we know how these laws place them in situations of vulnerability. We've had the most horrendous discussions about people who fear for their disabled children, dying relatives, families torn apart
Legal duties to meet SEND & adult social care have changed, hospital discharge w/out any say over where you are sent is permitted. The support people need has been stripped as part of the Covid-19. AND YET they have self-isolated when needed in the most difficult of circumstances
HUGE conflation between the Regulations and volumes of guidance going on here. It's true that guidance DOES mention recognition that it may be difficult to adhere to guidance when you have children (approx 19M families in UK) This is however 1 part of 1000s of pages of guidance.
It cannot be in doubt that the main principle of the guidance, especially at end March, focused on staying put in one place to self isolate and minimise contact with others when showing symptoms and not travelling. Testing positive is neither here nor there.
Focusing in one part of guidance that supports a particular position. I hazard that I could find at least 5 other sentences that would support a very different approach to self isolating. It does not stack up in the face of the very clear spirit of the guidance.
Re spirit of the law (Regulations), this is why they were introduced:
"preventing, protecting against, controlling or providing a public health response to the incidence or spread of infection or contamination”
I.E. Lockdown & isolation if you present any risk of spreading CV
"preventing, protecting against, controlling or providing a public health response to the incidence or spread of infection or contamination”
I.E. Lockdown & isolation if you present any risk of spreading CV
Can hand on heart say every parent I know, including those with young children, including disabled and immunocompromised children who have spiralled into a world where routine and support has been taken away, understand both the spirit and letter of both the law and guidance
Rationally, but as human beings, how do we answer the coming qus from families at breaking point who apparently could've gone to others? How do we meet the anger and despair of people who have sacrificed so much when we explain the law?
This saga has done so much damage.
This saga has done so much damage.
