More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
Social services visits to households with vulnerable children are being conducted over Skype, it has been revealed.
Kent County Council (KCC), which is in charge of looking after youngsters in care, has said it is conducting virtual visits to maintain social distancing, during the coronavirus outbreak.
A spokesman confirmed the measure saying all risk assessments and "service visits" are continuing as scheduled.
They said: "The welfare of all children in KCC care continues to be one of our highest priorities during the Covid-19 outbreak.
"Risk assessments and service visits continue as usual albeit, where necessary due to isolation or low-risk circumstances these have been undertaken via alternative remote methods such as Skype video conferencing to protect the health of staff and children in our care, and to protect the NHS."
It comes as the Children's Commissioner for England, Anne Longfield, said volunteers are needed to help social services carry out vital work.
Writing in a blog on her website, she said: "We need an army of these volunteers for our vulnerable kids - people who are able to help social services and schools to reach children and families, check in on what is going on, support struggling families and make these invisible children visible again.
"As in previous crises, rates of domestic abuse are increasing during the current lockdown."
"There are 830,000 children in this country who have experienced domestic abuse in the last year, and it is the most common reason for children to be referred to children’s services.
"As in previous crises, rates of domestic abuse are increasing during the current lockdown.
"France and Australia have already reported huge increases in calls about domestic abuse, and our police are seeing the same patterns here.
"Self-isolation and social distancing rules play into the hands of those who perpetrate coercive control and already limit their victim’s movements."
The children's charity, the NSPCC, reiterated that a child's home is sometimes not the best place for them to be.
A charity spokesman said: “For some children home is not the safest place and lockdown measures will have unintentionally taken away the safety net for many of those at risk.
“As welfare concerns emerge and intensify in families struggling with the effects of the coronavirus crisis, it’s more important than ever that we speak up for children who may be suffering behind closed doors.
“There’s no doubt that spotting signs of abuse is more difficult today than it was a month ago, so it’s really important to be alert to anything that you see or hear that concerns you, whether in your neighbourhood or on telephone calls or video chats.
“To continue to support children during this challenging period, and to adapt to the ever- changing situation, the NSPCC has launched its emergency appeal ‘We’re still here for children’.
"The NSPCC is urging the public to visit its website and donate £10 to help fund vital services like Childline, so the charity can continue to answer calls and be here for the young people who desperately need someone to talk to, especially when home isn’t a safe place."
