Manchester and Liverpool Mayors issue a word of caution as
'R' rate rises.
METRO Mayor’s Steve
Rotheram and Andy Burnham have said that they feel the
Government that it is too soon to ease the lockdown in the North
West. Today they are warning that it appears the North West
'R' rate is back above 1. Steve Rotheram said:- "Please
take every precaution possible to keep yourself and loved ones
safe."
Supporting children through Father’s Day when their important
father figure has died
WITH almost 40,000 COVID-19
associated UK deaths, many children will be facing their 1st
Father's Day without their Dad; and many more without their
Grandad. Meanwhile, bereaved families are unable to mark the day
with usual rituals, such as extended family get together, due to
lockdown restrictions. While Father's Day is a wonderful day of
celebration for many; a day to recognise Fatherhood, to thank
our Dads for all they do for us, and make them feel special and
loved; it can be a very painful time for children and their
families when Dad has died. Marketing goes mad and the barrage
of adverts reminding us to buy cards and gifts provide painful
reminders of what is missing. School and Nursery activities
might include making Dad 'something special,' and meanwhile,
friends and peers may be unable to relate. All such things can
make a child's grief feel even more powerful and isolating.
13 year old, Lottie, was 3 years old when her Dad died. 5 weeks
ago marked the 10th Anniversary of his death, just a day before
her Grandpa died from Covid-19:- "I don't really remember
much of Father's Day when I was younger. But as I started to
understand and grieve, I remember feeling torn, because when I
was at primary School we would make gifts for Father's Day and I
never really knew who to give mine to. Should I give it to my
stepDad, my grandpa, or should I make something to remind me of
my Dad? And when we did do things at School or at clubs, I
always felt sad because everyone else had their Dad and I
didn't."
Winston's Wish ambassador, Mark Lemon, was 12 when his Father
was murdered:- "I will never forget that heart sinking
feeling when the Teachers sent me home from School, knowing
something terrible had happened. I will never forget the Police
cars and the sound of my sister crying. When my mum told me Dad
had died, I just remember thinking, 'I will never see my Dad
again. I will never play football with him again. I will never
hold his hand again. He was my role model and he was gone and
there was just this massive void. 1 minute I was sat at the
kitchen table with him, and the next it was just me and an empty
chair. For many years I wouldn't even think about Father's Day,
I wouldn't even acknowledge it."
According to the childhood bereavement charity, Winston's Wish,
this year's Father's Day may be particularly challenging for
many grieving families, as mortality rates have increased
anxieties and fears, and social distancing rules restrict normal
activities, rituals and routines. Calls into its helpline
include those who are struggling with grief in lockdown, as well
as from families facing their 1st Father's Day without Dad as a
result of Covid-19.
"Under normal circumstances, poignant special occasions such as
Father's Day are already so painful for grieving children and
families, when a parent has died, but this year it has been made
all the more complicated by COVID-19. Lots of children and young
people are telling us that their feelings have been amplified by
the isolation lockdown has caused. Some say they have felt more
hesitant to talk about difficult things, as they have no escape
from the situation if they want it to stop thinking about it.
For some children and young people, social distancing and
lockdown restrictions will stop them doing the rituals and plans
that they do every Father's Day. For others, some of whom have
been bereaved by COVID-19, this is their 1st Father's Day
without their Dad and they are unsure what would feel right for
them to mark the day. These are difficult times, but there are
some important ways adults can support grieving children and
young people through Father's Day in lockdown." explains
Annie Anderton, a senior bereavement practitioner at Winston's
Wish.
The
advice from Winston's Wish is as follows:-
» Acknowledge the existence of
Father's Day...
One of the main things that children and young people tell us is
that it is much easier for them if the important adults in their
lives; parents, grandparents, teachers or adult friends; mention
the fact that it is Father's Day and that this might be a
difficult time of year. They are not likely to have missed the
fact that Father's Day is coming up and by talking about it with
them, we let them know that we are able, and willing, to talk
about it and enable them to talk about it too.
» Ask the child what they want to do...
At Winston's Wish, we always advocate for the child or young
person's voice to be heard. Choices about Father's Day are no
different. Some will want to mark it publically, some will want
to do something privately and some will want to pretend the day
doesn't exist.
Some children and young people will want to send gifts and cards
to other important men in their lives while some will want to
give gifts and cards to their remaining parent who is doing the
job of both parents
The most important thing is not to assume you know what they
will want. What they did last year might be exactly what they
want to do again - or they may want to do something completely
different.
»
Listen...
Listening to a child or young person is one of the most powerful
ways you can support them around Father's Day. It's an occasion
that can bring some powerful feelings. Feelings of isolation
because they feel like they are the only 1 whose Dad has died.
Feelings of anger and jealousy towards others who have their
Fathers. Feeling a great sense of sadness and loss, as they are
reminded that their Dad has died. They may want to talk about
this or they may try to tell us things through their behaviour:
be mindful that children may become more withdrawn or short
tempered and they may find separating from their remaining
parent difficult.
By simply listening to what the child or young person is telling
you, you are in fact providing them with something really
healing and powerful. You are telling them that their feelings
are normal and that you can tolerate them. Listening really is a
super power!
» Be creative...
In this time of social distancing and restricted activities, it
can be hard to know what to do on Father's Day. Where you once
went to their favourite pub or restaurant, all you can now do is
stand outside. It's time to get creative! With the help of the
child/children or young person / people, maybe come up with what
you would ideally like to do and then creatively think about
what you could do instead. Here are a few suggestions to get you
started:-
► Want to go to their favourite food place? Why not try and
recreate it at home.
► Want to release a balloon with a message? Why not think about
them and blow bubbles.
► Want to visit a place they liked? Why not see if you can
virtually visit it on Google Maps Street View.
► Want to write them a card and put it on the grave? Why not
write it and keep it in your memory box.
► Want to spend it with another family? Why not have a Zoom get
together where you talk about them.
Lottie, now 13, says:- "Now that I am older, Father's Day
is a day to remember lots of people; my Dad and my Stepdad (who
has
been amazing to me), and now also my Grandpa. This is my 1st
Father's Day without him. But the day is no longer sad and more
of what it should be; a celebration of the Father figures in my
life. I have a rock, which I have been painting ever since the
1st Father's Day without my Dad, and every year on Father's Day
I add another layer in memory of him."
Mark, now 41, is married with 2 beautiful children and has
become a successful Children's Author, Grief Podcaster and
Ambassador for Winston's Wish:- "When I became a Dad
myself, that's when Father's Day meant something again; in a
nice way that I enjoy. It's a bit like those other key dates
across the year, like the day that he died; they're points where
I take an opportunity and space to reflect on him and remember
him. I try not to view it negatively, but it is hard. It's hard
when you see all the Father's Day adverts and emails coming in.
It can also be a positive time for reflection though. I like to
spend time with my children on Father's Day and just reflect -
and he is always present, always relevant, of course. To any
child facing Father's Day without their Dad, 1stly I'd say it's
ok to feel sad. It's ok to feel all the emotions you're feeling.
It's ok to smile and remember your Father. The great times that
you had together. Just have a moment of reflection: sit down
and, if you've got a memory box, just get out something that was
theirs and that you used to remember them using; a smell, his
aftershave or something like that. Just take that space. On the
day before just say to yourself, 'ok tomorrow I'm going to take
time just to sit down with his things.' If you haven't got
anything, then just use the memory in your head and have a bit
of peace and remember. And talk to someone. If you've got
someone there that you can talk to, your mum or your Grandma,
don't be afraid to open up. 9 times out of 10, when you open it
up and you talk to someone else, and share how you're feeling,
then it's like a weight off your mind. What's important is that
children and young people (and adults) struggling with grief
know that, although you will always miss that special person,
you can go on to live a positive life after the death of a loved
one."
For more advice and guidance on how best to support grieving
children and young people:- 'Winston's Wish has a
Freephone National Helpline,' staffed by fully trained
bereavement practitioners, which is available, between 9am and
5pm, Monday to Friday. Freephone National Helpline:-
08088020021.
You can find a wide range of free resources on:-
WinstonsWish.Org, which is
kept up to date with the latest advice and guidance around
issues affecting bereaved children and families.
Social Care providers face over
₤6BN
in extra Covid-19 costs
PROVIDERS of adult
social care services may face more than ₤6.6 billion in extra
costs due to the Coronavirus crisis by the end of September this
year, stark new analysis commissioned by Councils and Social
Care Directors reveals. Maintaining safe staffing levels and
providing personal protective equipment (PPE) are the biggest
drivers of these extra financial pressures, as well as the need
for enhanced cleaning of Care Homes and other care settings, the
figures show. Councils and social care providers are struggling
to meet these escalating costs, while seeing their income levels
fall. While extra funding has helped so far, this still falls
far short of what is expected to be needed in the coming weeks
and months ahead. The Local Government Association (LGA) and
Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS),
working with the Care Providers Alliance, commissioned Laing
Buisson to produce the analysis to help give the Department of
Health and Social Care a detailed estimate of the potential
future costs facing this vital sector. It is also in everyone’s
interest to know what these pressures are, which affect
Councils, providers and Central Government, but most importantly
the safety and wellbeing of the people who use and work in this
essential services.
The joint analysis in
summary, for the months April to September 2020, includes:-
► Providers (Care Homes, home care
agencies and supported living providers) face potential
increased staffing costs of ₤1.018 billion, due mainly to having
to maintain safe staffing levels while staff are ill or self
isolating.
► PPE costs will total ₤4.179 billion
if detailed guidance is followed on its use and if some current
costs of PPE continue.
► There are a further nearly ₤700
million of extra costs around enhanced cleaning of Care Homes
and increased overheads.
In total, these amount to
₤6.606 billion in potential extra costs. The costs include those
incurred by providers of services to those who fund their own
support, as well as to those providing services that are funded
by Local Authorities and Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG's);
with an initial estimate is that ₤2.6 billion of the cost
pressures relate to self funders and CCG's and ₤3.3 billion to
Local Authorities. There may be a further financial pressure of
lost revenue of ₤714 million.
Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing
Board, said:- "These figures highlight the sheer scale of
the financial pressures facing Councils and their social care
provider partners as we look to get through the next few weeks
and months of this Coronavirus crisis. People who use and work
in social care are at the heart of our concerns about this. This
analysis needs to spark a fundamental debate about the ability
of the care market to respond to the pandemic and what more can
be done to support it. Providers are doing an incredible job in
the most testing of circumstances. Councils are working closely
with providers to support their financial resilience. Of the
₤3.2 billion of emergency funding given to Councils to deal with
the immediate impact of the pandemic across all local services,
40 per cent has been allocated to adult social care. We look
forward to working with Government on finding a solution to the
immediate pressures facing the sector, including a significant
further injection of funding, as well as agreeing a long term,
sustainable funding settlement for social care once this current
crisis is over."
James Bullion, President of ADASS, said:- "The Covid-19
pandemic has demonstrated that social care is essential to the
fabric of our society. Social care colleagues and providers have
played a pivotal role in ensuring that those of us with care and
support needs continue to get the care we need to live our
lives. This analysis underlines the huge financial pressures
being faced by social care providers. Without the right levels
of funding and support, providers will no longer be sustainable;
safety will be compromised; quality of care will suffer; and
people with care and support needs left unsupported. The
Government’s number one priority must be to protect social
care."
Responding to an Age UK report
on the extra costs faced by some care home residents for
providing their care during the Coronavirus pandemic, Cllr Ian
Hudspeth, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s
Community Wellbeing Board, said:- "Every part of the care
and support sector is under intense pressure due to the current
crisis and Councils are doing all they can to support providers
through this, including through extra financial support. People
living in Care Homes should not be penalised in this way and the
cross subsidy of fees by self funders is `1 of the unfair
aspects of the current system, which must be addressed as part
of the long term reform of social care. We know that care
providers are facing extra costs during this time and we have
worked closely with them since the beginning of the pandemic to
understand what they are. The vast majority of Councils have
helped providers with these extra costs to the best of their
ability, considering all of the evidence. Emergency funds
provided by Government so far have been helpful, but our new
joint research with the Association of Directors of Adult Social
Services shows that there is still a very significant shortfall
anticipated by the end of September this year. Although Councils
have no direct responsibility to provide extra funding for those
who are arranging and funding their own care, in practice many
Councils have been looking at how they can help, especially for
care homes who take Council funded residents alongside self
funders."
Prime Minister Boris
Johnson closes the Global Vaccine Summit #GVS2020s
Total UK cases
COVID-19 cases - update for Liverpool City Region and
surroundings
THE total number of UK
Coronavirus (COVID-19) infections that have been laboratory
confirmed, within the UK, has risen by 1,650 cases and the total
number now stand at 283,311, that includes tests carried out by
commercial partners which are not included in the 4 National
totals.
Daily number of COVID-19 associated UK fatalities added to the
total, was sadly reported to be 357 according to the Department
of Health.
The total number of deaths of people who have had a positive
test result confirmed by a Public Health or NHS laboratory is
40,261.
In England, there are a total of 154,258 confirmed cases.
North West - total of 26,054 confirmed cases. The number of
laboratory confirmed cases within the following Local
Authorities, in and around the Liverpool City Region are as
follows:-
► Liverpool, 1,635 confirmed cases.
► Sefton, 940 confirmed cases.
► Wirral, 1,310 confirmed cases.
► St. Helens, 752 confirmed cases.
► Halton, 407 confirmed cases.
► Lancashire, 3,685 confirmed cases.
► Cheshire West and Chester, 1,169 confirmed cases.
► Cheshire East, 1,255 confirmed cases.
► Manchester, 1,612 confirmed cases.
► Stockport, 1,054 confirmed cases.
► Trafford, 837 confirmed cases.
► Wigan, 1,213 confirmed cases.
► Bolton, 1,032 confirmed cases.
► Rochdale, 822 confirmed cases.
► Bury, 774 confirmed cases.
► Tameside, 761 confirmed cases.
► Oldham, 1,095 confirmed cases.
► Blackburn with Darwen, 416 confirmed cases.
These stats are according to Public Health England as of
05/06/2020. Last updated 4.05pm GMT. UK total includes cases
detected through:- "Pillar 2" testing (tests carried out by
commercial partners) and therefore does not equate to the sum of
the 4 countries' counts, which only include:- "Pillar 1" (tests
carried out by NHS / PHE / Devolved Administration Labs)..
UK total includes cases detected through:- "Pillar 2" testing
(tests carried out by commercial partners) and therefore does
not equate to the sum of the 4 countries' counts, which only
include:- "Pillar 1" (tests carried out by NHS / PHE / Devolved
Administration Labs).
UK Government Coronavirus Press
Conference on 5 June 2020 Video