Support for families and children remains available across Bromley, with parents being encouraged to make contact if needed.
Advice is available via the council’s website, with telephone support also available, including the provision at children and family centres. Families known to the council are being supported both through support services and activities in half term, with this work continuing. As part of this, vouchers can be given virtually if needed, with families able to get in touch as needed.
Additional work to support children and their families, started in the pandemic, is continuing, with online activities in place, in addition to practical support to help with essential needs. Assessments of children with special needs has been carried out pro-actively to see whether additional support is needed. Laptops, with government funding, have been given to the most vulnerable children.
Councillor Peter Fortune, Deputy Leader and Executive Councillor for Children, Education and Families said, “So much is going on behind the scenes here to support families who need it. We are in close contact with schools who do refer families to us from time to time. Support does not and should not start or end with food, it is much more than that. We are supporting our most vulnerable children and families not just in school time but as needed, with this support actually already enhanced as part of our response to the pandemic anyway. Residents should not mistakenly think that somehow support ends when the school day ends, with much of the council’s work actually quite distinct from what happens in school and not confined to the part of the weekday when schools are open.”
Councillor Fortune continued, “We are moving forwards with our targeted support package, firmly focused on delivering the essential support services that are planned. As local parents will also know, many school children have already been on their half term break, with this holiday period starting at the beginning of last week.”
Throughout the pandemic, Bromley Council has supported and prioritised disadvantaged and vulnerable families. From the start of lockdown, almost overnight, a shielding and assistance programme was established to ensure that isolated and vulnerable families had access to support and essentials, including food and medicines. These services and support mechanisms continue to be in place, with this work publicised through schools, children and family centres and other key public services. In addition, the council continues to work in partnership with a range of voluntary sector providers and as part of this, have provided funds in support of their work.
In addition to this support for known families, the council is ready to support families in hardship, using its powers outlined in the Children’s Act which can and may include support in relation to essentials, including food.
Telephone advice is available, with parents able to call the Children’s referral and assessment team on 020 8461 7373 to gain access to support if needed.