COVID-19 previous updates - 1 April

1 April 2020

Domestic abuse services | Guidance for care of the deceased | Free School Meals voucher scheme | Support for rough sleepers

Domestic abuse services

As advice remains to stay at home, we know some people will be feeling scared about the prospect of themselves or loved ones being at home with abusive partners or relatives.

The Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Team at Haringey Council want to reassure all Haringey residents that there is help available. Our Domestic Abuse and VAWG service providers have worked hard to adapt their services to ensure they are able to continue during this time. These services can help provide emotional support, provide immediate safety planning whilst in your home, and can discuss with you your options for seeking safer accommodation.

If you or someone you know is worried about Domestic Abuse, you can call the Haringey Helpline for help and advice on 0300 012 0213, Monday to Friday between 10am - 5:30pm excluding bank holidays. 

If it is unsafe for you to speak on the phone, you can email on HaringeyIDVA@niaendingviolence.org.uk

If you would like to talk outside of these times, you can call the National Domestic Abuse Helpline at any time on 0808 2000 247. If you are in immediate danger, you should always call the police on 999. 

Guidance for care of the deceased

National guidance has been published for care of the deceased with suspected or confirmed coronavirus.

Although this is a difficult topic, this information is designed to help to ensure that members of the funeral, pathology and other related professions can keep themselves safe and prevent the risk of infection from COVID-19 when they are in contact with the deceased.

The guidance will also advise mourners to safely organise and attend funerals and ensure a safe distance of at least two metres can be maintained between individuals.

Advice is that only members of the deceased person’s household or close family members should attend funerals and associated mourning rituals. Any individual displaying symptoms of coronavirus should not attend.

• For all the latest information please visit the government website (external link)

Free School Meals voucher scheme for kids staying at home

A national voucher scheme has been introduced by the Government that will allow children eligible for free school meals to still access that provision while they stay at home.

While schools are closed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), every eligible child can now be provided with a £15 weekly shopping voucher by their school to spend at supermarkets.

Where it’s no longer possible for schools to provide meals for collection or delivery, they can now provide these vouchers to families either electronically or – for those without internet access – as a gift card.

The vouchers can be spent at a range of shops, including Asda, M&S, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose.

For further information, see the Government’s guidance on free school meals (external link).

Schools in the borough should now be making arrangements to provide these vouchers to eligible children. 

However, in the unlikely event that your child is eligible for free school meals and isn’t currently receiving them, please email us at: fsm@haringey.gov.uk

Support for rough sleepers

We know people rough sleeping are especially vulnerable to the worst effects of COVID-19 and our primary concern is to secure accommodation for everybody who is rough sleeping, where they can self-isolate.

A multi-agency team made up of Homes for Haringey, Haringey Council and Street Outreach services has successfully accommodated 65 people in the last week alone.

From supported housing and night shelters to our Covid-19 control room, for information on how our rough sleeping and homelessness services are operating at the moment, please see our Homelessness and rough sleeping page.

Mulberry Junction, our new dedicated resource centre in Tottenham for single people affected by or at risk of homelessness, will close its on-site service today (Wednesday 1 April). We will then begin a telephone and delivery service providing support to guests who are currently rough sleeping or who have been placed in temporary accommodation due to the COVID-19 situation.

If you are working with someone who is rough sleeping or will be rough sleeping tonight, please contact Mulberry Junction on 020 8489 4727 or email mulberry.junction@haringey.gov.uk

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Previous updates:

• 31 March:
  • Calling all businesses - donations needed! | Leader’s letter to residents | Food takeaway and delivery guidance | Business grants update | Mental health support | Dogs on leads
• 30 March:
  • Social distancing in parks | Tottenham & Wood Green Cemeteries | Bury Road car park
• 29 March:
  • Kooth – wellbeing support for children and young people
• 28 March:
  • Waste collection services update | Mall Wood Green car park now free
• 27 March:
  • Social distancing | Proud to care | Access to food in Haringey | Increase in military vehicles visible in London | Home moves put on hold | Haringey claps our NHS and social care staff | Shielding the most clinically vulnerable from coronavirus
• 26 March:
  • Changes to parking restrictions | Coronavirus Scams | Bruce Grove Youthspace | Keep your distance
• 25 March:
  • Using public transport | Business closures enforcement | Parking changes - update | Managing the impact on Community Organisations
• 24 March:
  • Reuse and Recycling Centres | Price hiking | New rules on social distancing | Translations of Government advice and guidance | Previous updates
• 23 March:
  • Wood Green Library and Customer Service Centre | Parks | Waste | Stop all unnecessary travel | Library closures | Parking restrictions
• 22 March:
  • S-cool online resources for remote learning
• 21 March:
  • Marcus Garvey Customer Services Centre and Library | Changes to parking restrictions
• 20 March:
  • Haringey parks | Support for businesses | Update from London Fire Brigade Haringey | Cancellation of marriage appointments | ‘Key Workers’ list published | Free School Meals
• 19 March:
  • Social distancing | Schools | Transport | Museum and Archives | Energy industry support
• 18 March:
  • Schools | Business support | Service update
• 17 March:
  • Government advice to stop spreading the virus | What to do if you feel unwell
• 4 and 13 March:
  • What can I do?

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