Extratime Youth Club Update

We are pleased to share that we now have a plan in place and look forward to re-opening the Youth Club on Wednesday 7^th October.

We can’t wait to welcome your young person back to the Youth Club and of course we are carefully following the government guidance to make decisions and inform our risk assessments. Below is the necessary guidance that we have used with the accompanying guidance for parents;

• Protective measures for out-of-school settings
• Safe Working in Education, Childcare and Children’s Social Care settings guidance
• Guidance for parents and carers of children attending out of school settings
• Meeting-with-others-safely-social-distancing (New ‘Rule of 6’ exemptions)

In making our decisions to re-open the club, we have also taken into consideration some other key factors relating to issues affecting the Extratime community in particular. These are;

• The local context in Brighton & Hove and West Sussex where confirmed cases of COVID-19 have remained low (currently 7.2 per 100,000 in B&H; 6 per100,000 in Adur and Worthing)
• The scientific evidence around the lower risks of COVID to children.
• The potential impact of further closures of Extratime for children and young people who are missing their regular routine, fun and friends at Extratime
• The vital short break and childcare role Extratime has for you as a parent carer.

If your young person has attended an Extratime holiday scheme since the beginning of the COVID pandemic, most of these COVID-19 health and safety measures will be familiar to you. If your young person is returning to Extratime for the first time since March, I hope this summary of the protective measures to reduce the risk of infection and transmission help you feel reassured;

• Asking that anyone who is displaying coronavirus symptoms, or who lives with someone who does, not to attend Extratime. That includes children and staff.
• As far as possible, keeping children, young people and staff in small and consistent groups of 15 or less.
• Adults to socially distance from other adults where possible.
• Reorganising how we use the space; by making use of outside areas, keeping open doors and windows for ventilation, creating space between areas / furniture, rethinking use of entrances, exists and corridors.
• Cleaning and hygiene protocols (enhanced regular and ‘high touch area’ cleaning schedules, handwashing, use of PPE by staff in certain circumstances).
• Asking parent carers to physically distance from each other and from staff when dropping off and collecting children or young people, and to limit drop off and collection to one parent carer per household.
• Asking children not to bring toys or other items from home, unless this is essential to their health and well-being.
• We also have robust protocols in place to respond, manage and contain infection in the event of a confirmed case of COVID-19. These involve engaging with schools, the local authorities and the NHS Test and Trace system.

Young People
There will be a maximum of 15 young people at the youth club in October. This will be the Youth Club ‘bubble’.

Transport
There have also been some changes to transport for young people who attend the youth club from Downs View School and College sites. From October, instead of one minibus, we are working with BHCC and Community Transport to offer taxis instead.

We hope that your young people as excited to return to Extratime as we are! We can assure you our brilliant Venue Leads and Play and Youth workers have become experts at creating the same warm and happy atmosphere for the children and young people. Once we have put in place the last few preparations, we really will be welcoming everyone back to Extratime for more fabulous fun and friendship at the clubs.