Deputy medical officer of health Dr Ivan Muscat has written to parents and school staff saying that STAC, the government’s advisory body, believed that schools were the safest place for children and that the longer they were out of school, the more detrimental it was to their physical and mental wellbeing, their educational outcomes and, as a consequence, to their life chances.
‘We hope that this information helps to give them the reassurance and confidence that school is a safe environment for students to study,’ Dr Muscat said as he also reinforced the importance of health guidance outside schools.
‘As soon as your child leaves the school gates we strongly advise to continue to follow the gatherings guidance and to avoid indoor mixing between households,’ Dr Muscat wrote to parents.
‘This means that you should not go into other people’s homes or gardens, which includes any after-school play arrangements or parties with school friends.
‘This is because private homes are not controlled environments unlike schools, nurseries and colleges where safety plans and risk assessments have been put in place to protect children and adults.’
In addition, Children’s Minister Jeremy Maçon, Children’s Commissioner Deborah McMillan, and group director of Education Seán O’Regan will also be sharing messages on the Government of Jersey social media channels over the weekend, ahead of children returning to school.
