mteb/FeedbackQARetrieval huggingface dataset:
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): support for parents and carers to keep children safe online
Age-inappropriate content and parental controls
If you have downloaded new apps or bought new technology to help stay
connected at this time, remember to review and adjust privacy and safety
settings if you or your child is signing up to a new online service.
Internet Matters has provided step-by-step
guides on how to set up
parental controls so that you can control what content your child can access
online.
The UK Safer Internet Centre has developed guidance on how to switch on family-friendly filters
to prevent age-inappropriate content being accessed on devices in your home.
The NSPCC provides more information for parents
or carers with concerns about their child seeking inappropriate or explicit
content online.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): support for parents and carers to keep children safe online
Child sexual abuse
If you are concerned call 999 or report it to the National Crime Agency-
CEOP.
If your child has been a victim of child sexual abuse – online or offline –
and you believe they are in immediate danger, you should call 999 and ask for
the police. The police will continue to respond to emergency calls.
If you are concerned that your child has been a victim of online sexual abuse
or you are worried about the way someone has been communicating with your
child online, you can report it to National Crime Agency-
CEOP (Child Exploitation and
Online Protection).
These resources provide information and support for parents and carers on what
to do if you’re worried about child sexual abuse:

you can contact the NSPCC helpline (0808 800 5000) for support and advice if you have concerns about your own or another child’s safety. The Together, we can tackle child abuse campaign also provides information on the signs of child abuse and neglect
Thinkuknow by National Crime Agency-CEOP has developed activities to support your child’s safe use of the internet and the Lucy Faithfull Foundation’s Parents Protect website also provides advice on how to help protect children from child sexual abuse
if you see sexual images or videos of someone under 18 online, report it anonymously to the Internet Watch Foundation who can work to remove them from the web and help to identify victims and survivors
you can contact Stop It Now! for information and advice if you have concerns about someone’s behaviour, including children who may be displaying concerning sexual behaviour
you can contact The Marie Collins Foundation help@mariecollinsfoundation.org.uk for support, including advice and individual counselling, for your child if they have been subjected to online sexual abuse - support is also offered to parents and carers
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): support for parents and carers to keep children safe online
Support for children
If your child is worried or needs support, they can receive advice and support
from Childline (0800 1111) or download the
‘For Me’ app.
If you need help to support your child’s mental wellbeing, this list of
online education resources for home
education includes mental
wellbeing resources which provide guidance on how to support the wellbeing of
children and young people.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): support for parents and carers to keep children safe online
Keep your child safe online
It is important to have regular conversations about staying safe online and to
encourage children to speak to you if they come across something worrying
online.
These resources provide guidance for parents and carers to keep children safe
online. They will, amongst other things, support you to talk to your child
about a range of online safety issues, set up home filtering in a child-
friendly way and set up age-appropriate parental controls on digital devices:

Thinkuknow by National Crime Agency-CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection) provides resources for parents and carers and children of all ages to help keep children safe online
Childnet has developed guidance for parents and carers to begin a conversation about online safety, as well as guidance on keeping under-fives safe online
Parent Info is a collaboration between Parent Zone and NCA-CEOP, providing support and guidance for parents and carers related to the digital world from leading experts and organisations
NSPCC has guidance for parents and carers to help keep children safe online
UK Safer Internet Centre provides tips and advice for parents and carers to keep children safe online - you can also report any harmful content found online through the UK Safer Internet Centre
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): support for parents and carers to keep children safe online
Radicalising content
If you are concerned that any family member, friend or loved one is being
radicalised, you can call the police or 101 to get advice or make a Prevent
referral, so that they can get safeguarding support. Support is tailored to
the individual’s needs and works in a similar way to safeguarding processes
designed to protect people from gangs, drug abuse and physical and sexual
exploitation. Receiving support through Prevent is voluntary, confidential and
not any form of criminal sanction. If you need further help, you can also
contact your local authority safeguarding team.
Educate Against Hate Parents’ Hub
provides resources and government advice for parents and carers on keeping
young people safe from extremism, including online.
Let’s Talk About It provides
support for parents and carers to keep children safe from online
radicalisation.
Any member of the public can report terrorist content they find online
through the GOV.UK referral tool. More
information about what to report and what happens when you make a report can
be found on the Action Counters Terrorism
campaign.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): support for victims of domestic abuse
Welfare benefits and housing advice
The Department for Work and Pensions has published up-to-date coronavirus-
related welfare benefits
information.
If you are concerned about your financial situation, you can contact
Turn2us. They help people to access the money
available to them through welfare benefits and grants. Their website has an
income-related benefits checker enabling you to check that you are receiving
all the benefits you are entitled to.
Shelter provide free confidential housing
information, support and legal advice on all housing and homelessness issues.
They also have an emergency helpline.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): support for victims of domestic abuse
Where to get help
Sexual assault referral centres
Sexual assault referral centres continue
to provide non-judgmental advice and support services to victims and survivors
of sexual assault or abuse.
Interviews, forensic examinations and sexual health and counselling services
are offered in a comfortable environment where staff will ensure that victims
and survivors will be managed safely to comply with coronavirus guidance.
Please call your local sexual assault eferral centre to arrange care and
support, which may be provided in person or remotely depending on your needs.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): support for victims of domestic abuse
Support for children and young people
Witnessing and experiencing domestic abuse can have a serious impact on a
child’s long-term health. It is a top priority that vulnerable children and
young people remain safe during this uncertain period. If you are concerned
that a child is at risk of harm, you should refer this information to
children’s social care or to the police if you believe the child is in
immediate danger.
NSPCC
The NSPCC has issued guidance for
spotting and reporting the signs of abuse on their website.
The NSPCC Helpline is available
for anyone with concerns about a child to contact for professional advice and
support.
Telephone: 0808 800 5000
Email: help@nspcc.org.uk
Childline
Childline is available for children and young
people to reach out for help and support by phone or using their online chat
service. They also provide specific guidance for young people on how to get
help and what to do if they are worried about a friend.
Telephone: 0800 1111
Barnardo’s
Barnardo’s provides support to
families affected by domestic abuse.
Family Lives
Family Lives also provide support through
online forums.
Information on child contact arrangements
Rights of Women provides guidance about child
contact arrangements relating to coronavirus.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): support for victims of domestic abuse
Where to get help
National Domestic Abuse Helpline
Refuge runs the National Domestic Abuse
Helpline, which you can call for
free, and in confidence, 24 hours a day on 0808 2000 247. Its website provides
guidance and support for potential victims, as well as those who are worried
about friends and loved ones. It also has a form through which you can book a
safe time for a call from the team.
Refuge’s website includes a range of resources
on identifying the signs of domestic abuse, and a safety guide for women and
children who are living with a perpetrator. It also features a tech abuse
chat-bot with step-by-step instructional videos on how to secure devices such
as phones and laptops. Look for the pink button in the bottom-right corner.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): support for victims of domestic abuse
Support for employers
If you are an employer, it is important that you signal to all your workforce
that if they are facing domestic abuse you want to help them to get help. Keep
in regular contact with employees you know, or fear, may be facing abuse and
if you lose contact with them, take swift action to visit them. If you believe
there is an immediate risk of harm to someone, or it is an emergency, you
should always call 999.
Encourage employees to look out for others who may be facing domestic abuse
and signpost them to support. Your staff may also be worried about their own
abusive behaviour at this time. There is no excuse for domestic abuse, no
matter what stresses you are under and support is available.
The Employers’ Initiative on Domestic Abuse
website has a range of resources to support employers. Business in the
Community also have a toolkit with information for
employers.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): support for victims of domestic abuse
Where to get help
Call 999
If you are in immediate danger, call 999 and ask for the police - the police
will continue to respond to emergency calls.
If you are in danger and unable to talk on the phone, dial 999, listen to the
questions from the operator and respond by coughing or tapping the handset if
you can. Then follow the instructions depending on whether you are calling
from a mobile or a landline.
If you call from a mobile
If prompted, press 55 to Make Yourself
Heard - this will transfer your call to the
police.
Pressing 55 only works on mobiles and does not allow police to track your
location.
If you call 999 from a landline
If only background noise can be heard and BT operators cannot decide whether
an emergency service is needed, then you will be connected to a police call
handler.
If you replace the handset, the landline may remain connected for 45 seconds
in case you pick up again.
When 999 calls are made from landlines, information about your location should
be automatically available to the call handlers to help provide a response.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): support for victims of domestic abuse
Support if you are worried about hurting someone
If you are worried about hurting the ones you love while staying at home, call
the Respect Phoneline for support and help
to manage your behaviour. This is an anonymous and confidential helpline for
men and women who are harming their partners and families. It takes calls from
partners or ex-partners, friends, and relatives who are concerned about
perpetrators.
Telephone: 0808 802 4040
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): support for victims of domestic abuse
Disability specialist services
These services are run by deaf and/or disabled people.
Stay Safe East
Stay Safe East provides specialist and
holistic advocacy and support services to disabled victims and survivors of
abuse.
SignHealth
SignHealth provides domestic abuse service
support for deaf people in British Sign Language (BSL).
WhatsApp or Facetime: 07970 350366
Telephone: 020 3947 2601
Email: da@signhealth.org.uk
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): support for victims of domestic abuse
Where to get help
‘Honour’-based abuse
If you are suffering abuse from your family or community because they say that
you have compromised their ‘honour’, or if they are trying to force you into
marriage, you can get help. Karma Nirvana runs the national honour-based abuse
helpline.
Telephone: 0800 5999 247
Email: support@karmanirvana.org.uk
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): temporary extension of free school meals eligibility to NRPF groups
Providing an application form
We have provided a sample application
form including a self-declaration form that you can provide to carers for
assessing eligibility.
Though the form is designed for applicants to complete themselves, we
appreciate that individual circumstances may make this difficult and schools
can assist with the completion if required.
Use of the sample application
form is not mandatory. You can create your own form if you prefer.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): temporary extension of free school meals eligibility to NRPF groups
Assessing documentation
Due to current restrictions and safety precautions, you can review documents
electronically if the family are comfortable and able to provide them in this
way.
We are aware that under the current circumstances, it may be difficult for a
family to provide the required evidence. We are also aware that teachers and
schools are already likely to be familiar with the circumstances of the
children under their care. As such, you can be flexible and use your
discretion when asking for supplementary evidence.
We do not require schools or local authorities to retain copies of evidence
provided. You should advise applicants of their individual data protection
regulations and processes and ensure that these are abided to.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): temporary extension of free school meals eligibility to NRPF groups
Who is eligible
Zambrano carers
A Zambrano carer is the primary carer of a British citizen child or dependent
adult, where requiring the primary carer to leave the UK would force that
British citizen to leave the European Economic Area (EEA).
They must be able to show:

that the carer/parent is not a British citizen
that the child is a British citizen
that the carer is a direct relative or legal guardian of the child
that they have primary responsibility of the child
that there are no other members of the carer’s family in the UK or the EEA who could look after the child

More detailed information on Zambrano carers is available in the Home Office
guidance on derivative rights of
residence.
Zambrano carers are able to work, and as such are subject to a maximum annual
household earnings threshold of £7,400 to be eligible to receive free school
meals.
See confirming household income for further guidance on assessing this.
Suggested evidence
You should ask families to sign a self-declaration form as part of their
application for free school meals. A sample application
form including a self-declaration is available, but you can use an
alternative if you prefer.
At present, Zambrano carers are not required to apply to the Home Office for
confirmation of their status, however many will choose to apply for a
derivative residence card to demonstrate their right to reside and work in the
UK. As this is not a mandatory requirement, not being in receipt of this card
does not necessarily mean that the carer does not hold this status.
*[EEA]: European Economic Area
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): temporary extension of free school meals eligibility to NRPF groups
Who is eligible
Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights
Article 8 states that everyone has the right to respect for his private and
family life, his home and his correspondence.
Carers with leave to remain under article 8 are able to work, and as such are
subject to a maximum annual household earnings threshold of £7,400 in order
for their child to be eligible to receive free school meals.
See confirming household income for further guidance on assessing this.
Suggested evidence
You should ask families to sign a self-declaration form as part of their
application for free school meals. A sample application
form including a self-declaration is available, but you can use an
alternative if you prefer.
Carers who have leave to remain under article 8 will be able to provide a
letter from the Home Office granting them leave to remain in the UK and/or a
biometric residence card.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): temporary extension of free school meals eligibility to NRPF groups
Who is eligible
Section 17 of the Children Act 1989
Section 17 places a general duty on local authorities to safeguard and promote
the welfare of children in need by providing a range and level of services
appropriate to those children’s needs.
A child will be considered in need if:

they are unlikely to achieve or maintain or to have the opportunity to achieve or maintain a reasonable standard of health or development without the provision of services by the local authority
the child’s health or development is likely to be significantly impaired or further impaired without the provision of such services
the child is disabled.

The support local authorities provide will vary depending on the individual
needs of the child and/or family.
This support is not provided exclusively to people with NRPF – however, the
extended eligibility for free school meals is available only to families with
NRPF.
Some families receiving Section 17 support are able to work, and as such are
subject to a maximum annual household earnings threshold of £7,400 to be
eligible to receive free school meals.
See confirming household income for further guidance on assessing this.
Suggested evidence
You should ask families to sign a self-declaration form as part of their
application for free school meals. A sample application
form including a self-declaration is available, but you can use an
alternative if you prefer.
Families receiving Section 17 support should have a child in need pack from
the local authority which lists the support that they will be providing to the
family. This is updated and reassessed every 3 to 6 months. Schools can ask to
view a copy of this dated within the last 6 months to verify that this support
is being received.
*[NRPF]: no recourse to public funds
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): temporary extension of free school meals eligibility to NRPF groups
Confirming household income
To be eligible for free school meals, the maximum annual household earnings
threshold is £7,400 after tax. This equates to £616 per month.
You should ask families wishing to apply to fill out a self-declaration.
To verify this, we suggest asking to view either a:

payslip
P60
bank statement
letter from their bank
letter from their employer

Families who are receiving Section 4 support are not able to work, and as such
their earnings do not need to be verified.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): temporary extension of free school meals eligibility to NRPF groups
Who is eligible
Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
Section 4 allows the Home Office to provide support to a subset of refused
asylum seekers who are classed as destitute and meet their
criteria.
People receiving Section 4 support are not able to work, and as such there is
no requirement to confirm earnings.
Suggested evidence
You should ask families to sign a self-declaration form as part of their
application for free school meals. A sample application
form including a self-declaration is available, but you can use an
alternative if you prefer.
Carers who are receiving Section 4 support will be able to provide a letter
from the Home Office or local authority confirming Section 4 support and/or an
ASPEN card.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): what to do if you were employed and have lost your job
Financial support
Apply online for Universal Credit to get financial support if you’ve lost your job.
You might also be able to:

apply online for New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance
apply for New Style Employment and Support Allowance, if you have a disability or health condition that affects how much you can work

You might also be able to get New Style Employment and Support Allowance if
one for the following applies:

you or your child might have coronavirus or you’re recovering from it
you or your child are self-isolating because you came into contact with someone who might have coronavirus
you have been told to stay at home for at least 12 weeks by the NHS because you’re at high risk of severe illness

You do not need to go into a Jobcentre Plus office to apply or get a payment.
Processing your application
Because of coronavirus, it might take longer than usual to process your
application and answer questions about it. We apologise for these delays – we
know this is a difficult time.
Advance payments
If you do not have enough money to live on while you wait for your first
Universal Credit payment you can ask for an advance
payment.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): what to do if you’re already getting benefits
Universal Credit
You’ll continue to get Universal Credit as normal during the coronavirus
(COVID-19) outbreak.
If you’re working while claiming Universal Credit, your payment will be
adjusted if you can no longer work due to coronavirus. Tell us about the hours
you’re working in the usual way in your online
account.
The standard allowance increased on 6 April 2020. For example, for a single
Universal Credit claimant (aged 25 and over) it has increased from £317.82 to
£409.89 a month.
You must still tell us about changes to your
circumstances.
Interviews and medical assessments
You do not need to attend any Jobcentre Plus appointments or medical
assessments during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
You should not attend a Jobcentre Plus unless asked to do so for an
exceptional purpose, for example to collect your Payment Exception
Service vouchers.
If you’re self-employed and claiming Universal Credit
Since 30 March 2020, the way your Universal Credit payment is worked out has
changed because of coronavirus (COVID-19).
Payments are no longer calculated using an assumed level of earnings, called a
Minimum Income Floor. They are now based on your actual earnings.
If your payments were calculated using the Minimum Income Floor, they may
change.
You must still tell us about changes to your
circumstances.
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): what to do if you’re already getting benefits
Other benefits
Your payments will not be affected if you get:

Jobseeker’s Allowance
‘New style’ Jobseeker’s Allowance
Employment and Support Allowance
‘New style’ Employment and Support Allowance
Disability Living Allowance
Personal Independence Payment

You do not need to attend any Jobcentre Plus appointments or health
assessments in person during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
You should not attend a Jobcentre Plus unless asked to do so for an
exceptional purpose, for example to collect your Payment Exception
Service vouchers.
You must still tell us about changes to your
circumstances.