Latest Covid Welsh Government Guidelines For Single Parents
Updated 26th January 2021
With information continuously changing, including the rules and guidelines around Covid-19, We have collected some useful links and information for single parents in Wales.
Devolution in Wales
This means that some rules are different to the UK Government, Wales has the power to make its own decisions on some laws and policies in wales, including public health. The following link can give you more information on devolution and corona virus in wales.
Wales uses four different alert levels for the corona Virus, the highest and current level is 4. They can also choose to add measures such as the closing schools.
Here are you can find information on all four Covid alert levels for wales:
https://gov.wales/covid-19-alert-levels
At alert level 4 you must:
Follow social distancing rules with people you don’t live with or who are not in your support bubble.
Wear a face covering (if you are able to) in all indoor public places.
Stay at home.
Not create an extended household (single adults or single parents may join with one other household to form an exclusive support bubble).
Meet only the people you live with or your support bubble indoors.
Meet only your household or support bubble in private gardens.
Meet only your household or support bubble outdoors.
Work from home if you can.
Not travel without reasonable excuse.
Not travel internationally without reasonable excuse.
Childcare
Will I still be able to use childcare and play services?
Yes childcare services will still be open, including day care, child minding, sessional, crèche; out of school/holiday provision Flying Start provision. Nannies can also continue to provide childcare. Full or half day activity camps used as childcare can also remain open during school holidays. Children can also continue to attend staffed playwork provision, like open access play sessions.
All childcare and playwork providers, including Flying Start childcare, can remain open and offer their normal services, including provision through the school holidays. This includes childcare and playwork providers operating from school sites, community centres, places of worship, leisure centres and sports venues.
There is guidance to help childcare settings ensure that their services are safe and this is not expected to change immediately, although we will be keeping it under review. Guidance for operating open access play settings remains in place and will not change.
My childcare provider is in a different local authority from the one where we live. Can I travel to access childcare for my child?
Yes, you can travel to provide, access or receive childcare. This includes travelling between Wales and England to access childcare. However, you will need to be mindful of England’s Tier approach and the differences in restrictions between areas in England and the Level 4 restrictions in Wales.
Can I use family or friends as informal childcare?
Yes, but this form of childcare should only be used when no other options are available. Children should not be cared for outside of their home if they are ill, or by anyone who is ill. Adults dropping off children for childcare should not enter someone else’s home.
I have caring responsibilities for somebody I do not live with – can I visit them?
You are allowed to provide care for or to help someone who needs it, such as an older person, a child or a vulnerable adult, even if they are not part of your household or support bubble. You can also visit someone on compassionate grounds if necessary.
When considering whether there is a need to visit someone outside your household or support bubble, especially indoors, you should remember we all have a responsibility to recognise the risks the virus presents to ourselves, our families and friends and our wider communities.
People need to make judgements for themselves about what is reasonable, in line with that overarching principle. Keep in mind that the purpose of the restrictions is to prevent the spreading of the virus, including to those we care about.
Play
Are parks open?
Parks are allowed to remain open for outdoor exercise. You can attend parks with members of your household but you must not arrange to meet with other households.
However, some parts of parks such as sports courts, skate parks, bowling greens and golf courses (including putting, pitch and putt or miniature golf) will be closed.
Operators of parks and playgrounds need to follow existing guidance in order to be open.
Are children’s playgrounds open?
Yes. The benefits of outdoor play to children are significant and keeping parks and playgrounds open supports children’s mental and physical health and wellbeing. Outdoor environments are lower risk in relation to coronavirus transmission.
However, risk cannot be eliminated, and parents and guardians are encouraged to ensure playgrounds do not get too busy, and take responsibility for social distancing, especially for adults and children over 11. In particular, you must not arrange to meet with other households at playgrounds and should not socialise there.
We also encourage frequent handwashing or sanitisation, not eating or drinking in parks, wiping down equipment with your own wipes, and maintaining low numbers within parks and on equipment by taking turns or using parks at less busy times.
Operators of parks and playgrounds need to follow existing guidance in order to be open.
Can children play outside in the street in their neighbourhoods?
Yes, if they do not have access to other outdoor space, if it is safe to do so and if they are supervised appropriately by adults. The benefits of outdoor play to children are significant and being able to play outside supports children’s mental and physical health and wellbeing. Outdoor environments are lower risk in relation to coronavirus transmission.
Children can play outside with members of their own household or support bubble but should not arrange to meet with children from other households. This applies to under 11s as well as to over 11s. Where children are old enough to understand the rules, they should be encouraged to follow them and to avoid mixing with other children outside their household or support bubble.
This also applies where children are in the same ‘school or class bubble’. This is because play at school is likely to be more controlled and organised with less likelihood of coming into unintended contact with people from outside of the bubble.
https://gov.wales/childcare-and-play-alert-level-4-frequently-asked-questions
For general and other information on Covid alert level 4 in wales see the following link:
https://gov.wales/alert-level-4-frequently-asked-questions
Co-parenting
“You can continue existing arrangements for access and contact if you share parental responsibility for your child with another person, including leaving the local area if needed. Please ensure you follow the guidance on frequent hand washing and do not place others at risk if you or a member of your household is self-isolating.”
— GOV.WALES
How to travel between 2 households
Ideally, each parent should travel by car and avoid forms of public transport. However, If this isn’t an option and public transport has to be used, follow the government social distancing guidelines of maintaining 2 metre distance, wearing masks and washing hands on arrival at home.
Extended households
“Where parental responsibility is shared, existing arrangements can continue and the child can move between both parents, and therefore between both parents’ households”
The child/ren will be considered to be a part of the extended household of the parent that they are with at that time. The child can move freely between households and be a part of both extended households.
https://gov.wales/coronavirus-legislation-and-guidance-law
If someone between the 2 households has Covid-19?
If a child or someone in their household has either symptoms or confirmed Covid-19 they should self isolate and should not be transferred between households. If one parent has symptoms or confirmed Covid-19 and is therefore self isolating, then it is not advised that the child go and spend time with them until the isolation has ended (14 days after symptoms began).
Support Bubbles
I live alone or am a single parent, so I am allowed to form a support bubble – does it have to be with a household in my local area?
There are no rules saying your support bubble has to be with someone in your local authority area, or within any set distance of your home. There are also no rules preventing support bubbles being formed with households outside Wales, and we recognise these may be the right answer for people living close to a border.
We recommend that support bubbles are formed locally wherever possible. In particular, we ask that people think very carefully about possible alternatives before forming support bubbles which would require extensive travel or travel into areas outside Wales with very high incidence rates of coronavirus.
As a single parent you can form ‘support bubbles’ with other households. This means you can:
Spend time with them indoors
Be less than 2 metres apart
Stay overnight at their home
Once you have chosen another household to be part of your bubble you shouldn’t change it, so take some time to consider your choice carefully.
Read more about the rules on social bubbles on gov.uk.
https://gov.wales/alert-level-4-frequently-asked-questions#section-58320
Financial Support
Is there any support available for people experiencing a reduction in income, for example, those on zero hour contracts?
There are a range of financial support options available if you are getting less work or no work because of COVID-19. You may be able to access support through the Discretionary Assistance Fund The Discretionary Assistance Fund provides 2 types of grant that you do not need to pay back. You can also apply for Universal Credit here: https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit
What support is available for self-employed people and freelancers?
Self-employed people may be eligible to claim financial support through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (on GOV.UK).
Freelancers working in cultural and creative sectors are able to apply for the Cultural Recovery Fund.
The Welsh Government is also making available £25m for local authorities to provide a discretionary grant for businesses that are closed or materially impacted.
Coronavirus support for businesses can also be found on the Business Wales website.
I work in a business that will be forced to close down/impacted by these regulations. Is financial support being made available to support my job?
Yes, eligible businesses impacted by COVID-19 should have access to the support available from the UK Government through the existing Job Retention Scheme (on GOV.UK) which will continue until the end of March 2021.
Other funding:
Get financial help to pay your bills during the coronavirus pandemic Financial support to help pay your rent, mortgage or bills if you are currently working, self-employed, ill and cannot work, been made redundant or on furlough.
Self-isolation support scheme You could get a payment of £500 to help with loss of earnings if you’ve been told to self-isolate and cannot work from home.
Get financial or debt advice Services offering free impartial money and debt advice.
Apply for a loan to help pay your rent arrears due to coronavirus You can apply for a Tenancy Saver Loan from a credit union if you’ve not been able to pay your rent due to coronavirus.
Problems paying your mortgage during the coronavirus pandemic What to do if you cannot pay your mortgage, missed a payment or your lender is trying to repossess your home.
Problems paying your rent during the coronavirus pandemic What to do if you are struggling to pay your rent to your landlord, council or housing association and help to pay it.
Check if your employer can get help to keep you employed Find out if you’re eligible, and how much your employer can claim if they put you on temporary leave ('furlough') because of coronavirus.
COVID-19 statutory sick pay enhancement scheme Support for care workers who are required to stay off work due to actual or suspected COVID-19 or because they have to self-isolate.
Food Parcels and Emergency Support
If you are in need of a food parcel, Single Parents Wellbeing can provide help. Please email rachel@singleparentswellbeing.com
The Children in Need offer Emergency Essential and use the Family Fund Business Services to administer grants. They work with local organisations to reach families who are in need of support. For more information about eligibility and how to apply for a grant, please contact Family Fund Business Services at emergencyessentials@familyfundservices.co.uk
Find more information on other support including accessing technology for education at: https://www.bbcchildreninneed.co.uk/grants/emergency-essentials/
You may be eligible for free school meals, apply here: https://gov.wales/find-out-about-free-school-meals-during-coronavirus-outbreak
Mental Health
Here are some helpful sources of advice for help with your wellbeing:
Every Mind Matters by the NHS has advice on looking after you and your family’s wellbeing during the coronavirus situation.
Mind has has advice on looking after your wellbeing during the pandemic.
The Help Hub is a group of qualified therapists who are giving their time freely to help people in your situation. You can book a 20 minute chat on Skype, FaceTime or on the telephone.
The Mental Health Foundation has a section on How to look after your mental health during the coronavirus outbreak | Mental Health Foundation
You can also access free online mental health courses with the NHS:
Court Orders and The Law
Sophie Lougher, Family Law Solicitor gave her advice:
Since the outbreak of Coronavirus, there has been great uncertainty as to what people can or cannot do, as government guidelines have varied across the UK. That being said, very early on, the government issued guidance on contact arrangements for separated parents, stating ‘Where parents do not live in the same household, children under 18 can be moved between their parents’ homes’. This guidance has been upheld throughout lockdown, and therefore separated parents should ensure that all contact arrangements between their children and the non-resident parent is upheld. The only arguable exception to this rule would be if anyone in either parents’ household or extended household have symptoms of Coronavirus. Where this is the case, all people within this ‘bubble’ should endeavour to get tested and self-isolate until they receive the results. If the results are negative, then isolation is not necessary and contact should resume immediately; however, if any of the results are positive, the children should remain with the parent they are with for 14 days. At the end of this period, any child arrangements should resume as they were immediately prior to isolation.
As contact between children and their parents is considered to be so important in the eyes of the law, travel, physical contact between parents and any overnight stays to facilitate this is considered to be essential; although if the 2 metre distancing rule could be upheld, parties should adhere to this at handovers. Therefore, even now parts of the country are going back down into lockdown, contact between children and their parents should continue, irrespective of where the parents live, as long as everyone in each parent’s bubble is adhering to the rules and no-one is symptomatic, there is no justification for contact being prevented. Obviously everyone’s circumstances are different and therefore, if you still have questions or concerns after reading this, it is advisable to obtain specific legal advice.
sophie.lougher@zeusfamilylaw.com
https://www.zeusfamilylaw.com/
The Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, advises:
The general guidance for single parents who have children that travel between 2 households is:
“Where parents do not live in the same household, children under 18 can be moved between their parents’ homes” (CTJ)
If you have sufficient concerns for the safety if your children
Make a sensible assessment of the circumstances:
What is the child’s current health?
What is the risk of infection?
Are there any recognised vulnerable individuals in either households?
Where possible:
Try and get something agreed and contact adapted and varied in the best interests of the child and whilst still trying to maintain contact between both parents.
Try and get this agreed and noted down via text, email etc
Where parents do not agree to vary the arrangements
If a parent is sufficiently concerned, and they can evidence that contact would go against current Public Health Wales/ England advice:
Then that parent may exercise their parental responsibility and vary the arrangement to one that they consider to be safe.
Try to see if there is another way that contact can happen, including temporary adjustments of plans.
The Family Court will look at whether each parent acted reasonably and sensibly in the light of the official Gov advice and guidelines.
If you have a Child Arrangement Order in place and you stop contact without good reason, you could be in breach of that order.
“The key message should be that, where Coronavirus restrictions cause the letter of a court order to be varied, the spirit of the order should nevertheless be delivered by making safe alternative arrangements for the child.”
(The Rt. Hon. Sir Andrew McFarlane: President of the Family Division and Head of Family Justice)
Courts and Tribunals Judiciary- Coronavirus crisis guidance on compliance with Family Court
Safeguarding
If you're worried about your child's safety during contact, call NSPCA on 0808 800 5000 or email help@nspcc.org.uk for advice.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse by parent you have a contact arrangement with then here are some organisations that are here to help and support you:
Find your local information and support service in Wales for domestic abuse here
There are also further links on SPW here.
If there is an emergency don’t hesitate to contact 999.
If you have any useful information that you would like us to share or add to this then get in touch.
Useful links:
https://www.cafcass.gov.uk/covid-19/advice-for-parents-and-carers-on-covid-19/
https://gov.wales/coronavirus-regulations-guidance
https://phw.nhs.wales/topics/latest-information-on-novel-coronavirus-covid-19/
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/support-for-parents/separation-and-divorce/
Why not have a look at our Resources Page with lots more information and support during Covid.
This blog was written by Julie Green who is part of the Advisory Group at SPW.