COVID-19 Information

Information, Signposting and Resources

Due to the coronavirus outbreak we are following government guidance around social distancing. 

All of Parentsactive activities are now being conducted virtually to ensure the safety of families and staff. 

Please do check out our Events page for details of our upcoming virtual meetings happening via Zoom. If you are unable to connect through this means and do need further support or guidance please contact us via email, WhatsApp or through our Facebook page.

Below you will find details of useful information and useful resources in relation to the COVID-19 outbreak. If you have resources and information which you feel would be useful share here, do get in contact. 

We also recommend that you have a look at the Local Offer web page from Hammersmith and Fulham council which provides further beneficial information and links to many other resources. 

Information and general guidance: 

If you need medical help, please use the NHS 111 website. Use the 111 online coronavirus service if you have either:
a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual). These are the main symptoms of coronavirus. This will link to a Coronavirus symptom checker.  If you are concerned about a baby or child please see the NHS advice here.  Only call 111 if you cannot get help online. 

Government guidelines on what you can and can’t do during the lock-down can be found here.

Shielding letters
If you have a shielding letter from the Government, follow the advice as best as possible, do contact the Stephen Wiltshire Centre or social services if your child or you has to but are unable to. If you feel you have been wrongly sent the letter, you can call your GP and ask for advice. If you feel you should have got a Shielding letter from the Government but did not receive one call your GP again or call Stephen Wiltshire centre on 0208 7534 443 for advice.

Signposting:

 
H&F CAN (Community Aid Network) offers support to residents who don’t have friends or family close by to help them. Our task force of volunteers will help those most in need at the time of their greatest need.
Do you need urgent support with food, medicines, loneliness and isolation?
Or are you worried about a friend, neighbour or relative?
Freephone: 0800 1456095 (9am to 7pm)
Email: can@lbhf.gov.uk

Citizens Advice Hammersmith and Fulham – Free and confidential advice on benefits, debt, employment and housing. Click here for their poster and contact information.

The Children’s Complex Care and Speech and Language Therapy Administration Hub can be contacted on 020 7266 8777. This phone line will be open 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week during the current situation. This is not an emergency number but is a single point of contact for Speech, Occupational therapy and nursing services as individual numbers are not being used, so if anyone wants to be referred or anyone already known to those services wants to speak to those services please contact that number.
For Adults (young adults and above) please call the learning disability team for further advice on 0208 753 1900.

Conversations Matter is a telephone support service for older and disabled adults as well as for unpaid carers. The service is for any adult with care and support needs. You don’t need to be receiving care from us to be able to use this service.
Telephone: 020 8753 2770     Email: conversationsmatter@lbhf.gov.uk https://www.lbhf.gov.uk/coronavirus-covid-19/conversations-matter

CAMHS (Hammersmith and Fulham) www.westlondoncamhs.nhs.uk can be contacted on 0208 483 1979 and wlm-tr.hfcamhs@nhs.net 

Acorn to Oak Education is a social enterprise supporting parents of SEND learners and is offering free calls to our parent advice line for those with a child with SEND. Wherever we can we signpost to free services for legal and other support. Calls are 45 minutes long and can be booked online from this page: https://acorntooakeducation.org/our-services-advice-and-support/

 
Resources:
A downloadable copy of a blank hospital passport can be found here. This is for children and adults with autism and learning disabilities for hospital admission in the current emergency situation. Please be aware that due to hospital staff being redeployed not all will be aware to ask for the form – we recommend that you present it whether requested or not.
 
The University of Glasgow, with assistance from colleagues at Lancaster University,  the University of Oxford and the University of Warwick, have published a series of guided self-help booklets developed to support people with mild to moderate learning/intellectual disabilities during the COVID-19 outbreak.