Coronavirus: our plan

Update – 17 March 2020

We have made a number of changes to our activities and planning as a result of Covid-19 and updated advice from NHS Inform and the Scottish Government about the spread of the virus.

Our operations

From 5pm on Wednesday 18 March our office will be closed, and staff will be working from home.

We will be working as normal and our staff can be contacted via email. Click here to get in touch.

All events planned to take place in the office and in associate venues until 30 April 2020 have been rescheduled or will now be offered as part of a blended learning opportunity, including digitally through webinars.

Updates on our work and activities, including these events, will continue to be available through Twitter (click to view) and on our website.

Publications and resources, such as our Learning Guide and bi-monthly magazine, will be temporarily shifting to digital-only platforms.

We will continue to share the voices and priorities of our network through ongoing digital communications.

Our services

The Enquire helpline has been temporarily closed. It will re-open as soon as possible. There is lots of information and advice available on the Enquire website.

Referrals to the My Rights, My Say Children’s Views service are being dealt with on an individual basis. Advice and information about all parts of the service are available on the My Rights, My Say website.

Referrals for the Resolve: ASL Mediation service are also being dealt with on an individual basis. The staff are available for any enquiries – please contact resolve@childreninscotland.org.uk

Our partner organisations

Staff in our partner organisations, Parenting across Scotland and the National Parent Forum of Scotland, are also currently working from home.

Please check their websites and social media channels for updates.

Covid-19 advice

We continue to follow NHS Inform and Scottish Government advice about how to reduce the risk of catching the infection and would urge all members of our network to continue to read the latest advice and information.

We will continue to monitor how the virus may be affecting our activities and will update this message if and when the situation changes.

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Message posted on 9 March 2020:

Like other organisations throughout Scotland and the rest of the UK, Children in Scotland is making preparations for the impact of Coronavirus.

In the past few days we have received enquiries about whether our programme of events will continue. At present all our events will be running as normal. 

As of this date our projects and our services, including Enquire, My Rights, My Say and mediation service Resolve also continue as normal.

The work of our partner organisations, Parenting across Scotland and the National Parent Forum of Scotland, is currently unaffected.

In our office we are following NHS Inform and Scottish Government advice about how to reduce the risk of catching the infection. 

We are ensuring this advice is shared with our staff, and would urge anyone reading this message to also consult this guidance.

In the longer term it is likely that the virus could have an effect on staff absences at Children in Scotland, and this in turn may have an impact on our activities and services.

If this happens, there is a possibility that we may have to reduce, cancel or suspend some of our key activities and services.

We will continue to monitor this and will update this message if and when the situation changes.

Our response will be evidence-based and proportionate, and informed by the latest available public health guidance.