Coronavirus/COVID-19 Advice, Help & Support
Useful information for individuals and families can be found here - page further down the screen for other helpful information.
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Financial & Food Support
The coronavirus emergency has put considerable pressure on families due to curtailed incomes as businesses suspend trading. The following are worth considering if times are tight:
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Maidenhead Foodshare
Information from the food bank, explaining how they can help families at this time
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RBWM: Council Tax Hardship Fund
This is a maximum of £150 one-off payment for the year 2020/21, or less, where the outstanding Council Tax liability is less.
Supporting parents and carers through disruption
This video provides guidance to parents and carers about how they can help children and young people manage their mental health and wellbeing during any disruption caused by the Coronavirus.
Coronavirus Support Networks
The following links will help you identify ways you can support others as well as being supported:
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COVID-19 GET SUPPORT
The purpose of this form is to collect your contact details so we can help connect you to support from a volunteer in your community. We also ask some other questions to find out more about the kind of help you need.
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COVID-19 VOLUNTEER NOW
The purpose of this form is to collect your contact details so we can help connect people in communities. We also ask some other questions to find out more about the kind of help you can give.
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Brett Foundation - Support for Self-Isolating Families
An important message to let you know that the Brett Foundation has set up a support network for any families that are in self-isolation and need help. They can collect shopping, prescriptions, and zoom telephone/video sessions to help combat loneliness. They will host coffee sessions and bingo remotely. For families who normally have free school meals, they can arrange ‘meals on wheels’ to help these families during this difficult period
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NSPCC
If you’re worried about the safety of another child in our community, call the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000. Or call the police on 999 if you think a child is in immediate danger.
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Rotary Club Maidenhead
If you are in isolation, just don’t want to leave the house or would like to volunteer to help, Rotary in Maidenhead is here for you.
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Paul Hay - PCLS Training: Useful Links and Videos
Our children will never know a world without the Internet. Paul Hay delivers key messages for the safe use of the Internet and recently ran a briefing in school for parents and carers. This website will help parents focus on their children's online safety, a significant factor when considering the home-learning environment.
Talking to Children about the Coronavirus
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Child Bereavement UK
We help children and young people (up to age 25), parents, and families, to rebuild their lives when a child grieves or when a child dies. We also provide training to professionals, equipping them to provide the best possible care to bereaved families.
Supporting children through difficult times
A short guidance film.
All Saints Church, Boyne Hill
Fr. Jeremy has asked for any prayer intentions which people in his congregation will be asked to pray for in their homes. He is also setting up pastoral teams to stay connected with vulnerable people, particularly those that live alone. If you discover particular worries or concerns let him and his team know. Click here for a link to the church website. Fr Jeremy also publishes a regular blog, the details of which are immediately below.
Government Information
The following links take you to relevant Government webpages:
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Coronavirus (COVID-19): what you need to do
Only go outside for food, health reasons or work (where this absolutely cannot be done from home); Stay 2 metres (6ft) away from other people; Wash your hands as soon as you get home
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Public Health Matters
The official blog of Public Health England, providing expert insight on the organisation's work and all aspects of public health, including the coronavirus emergency.
Department for Education coronavirus helpline
The Department for Education coronavirus helpline is available to answer questions about COVID-19 relating to education and children’s social care. School staff, parents and young people can contact this helpline as follows:
Phone: 0800 046 8687
Opening hours: 8am to 6pm (Monday to Friday), 10am to 4pm (Saturday to Sunday)
Other Help, Support & Advice
Life in the 21st-century can be tough, especially when there are children to bring up alongside all of life's other issues. This page is devoted to bringing you the help and support you may need to get through from time-to-time. One starting point could be to ask for support from RBWM's Early Help Hub:
Managing transition to secondary schools
Emotional Help For Parents
No 22 Parent Support Group
ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) Awareness
Exposure to an ACE can result in childhood trauma. Exposure to multiple ACEs can have life-long detrimental effects if not identified and supported. This Thames Valley Police video explains ACEs. Please speak to a Designated Safeguarding Leader (DSL) in School or contact the police directly.
Follow Thames Valley Police on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ThamesVP
Like them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thamesvp
Visit their website: https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/
Digital Safety & Wellbeing
Vodafone have produced some excellent resources to support parents and carers in ensuring their children's safety and wellbeing in the digital age. Their Digital Parenting resources can be found here. A separate link is below together with PDF copies of their latest Digital Parenting magazine and #Goldilocks, a fun retelling of the classic fairytale for the modern age.
Family Problems
Various support groups are available to help families with problems, including those offering Family Mediation, details of which follow:
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Thames Valley Family Mediation
Thames Valley Family Mediation has been consistently delivering excellence in family mediation for more than 30 years. Bursaries are available to offer free or subsidised places to parents on low incomes or receiving income-related benefits.
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Family Friends
Family Friends provide short term support to families who are facing difficult times and enable them to get back on their feet. Our help is free, confidential and open to any family living in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead with a child aged 0 – 13 years and up to 18 years for Armed Service families.
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Re:Charge R&R
A registered charity, Re:Charge R&R (Restore & Revive) work with families in Maidenhead community with weekly drop-in sessions at Larchfield, Furze Platt and Maidenhead town centre. The services helps with parenting, stress and difficulties with home life.
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Family Links: Parents
Find out how to join a parent group; explore free downloads with practical tips and ideas for parents, and find contact details for organisations offering help and support for children and families.
Help Paying for Childcare
There are a variety of schemes available to help pay for childcare costs. Please see the leaflet below and visit the childcarechoices.gov.uk website for more information.
Help Paying for Childcare Leaflet
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Child Care Choices
Government help with childcare costs for parents. Whether you have toddlers or teens, you could get support.
Special Educational Needs Support:
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The Autism Group
Free parent support and social groups, parent training sessions and a home visit service for residents in the Boroughs of Windsor and Maidenhead, Slough and Bracknell.
Mental Health Support for Adults & Children:
Mental Health - Let's Talk the Talk
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Heads Together: Mentally Healthy Schools
Mentally Healthy Schools brings together quality-assured information, advice and resources to help primary schools understand and promote children’s mental health and wellbeing. Our aim is to increase staff awareness, knowledge and confidence to help support pupils.
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Talking Therapies
Problems such as anxiety, depression, stress and phobias are very common. Talking Therapies is a friendly and approachable service that helps people with these problems. You can refer yourself to Talking Therapies now, or ask your GP or healthcare Professional to refer you.
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Moodzone - NHS Choices
Whatever you need to know about coping with stress, anxiety or depression, or just the normal emotional ups and downs of life, the NHS Choices Moodzone is here to help.