Our Covid Response

First Step Community Project and Covid-19

Here at First Step we are committed to following the latest Government and NHS guidance regarding Covid-19. As a result of this we have implemented extra safety measures within the building for all staff and children attending the play rooms (including extra cleaning measures and changing drop-off and collection points for children to outside of the building to ensure social distancing).

We have unfortunately had to take the decision to cease indoor and outdoor groups until further notice, to keep our families and staff safe. We will continue to monitor the situation and will resume groups when we are able to. In the meantime, we provide online groups and classes and further information about this can be found in the relevant sections on our website.

We would like to thank all the local families and professionals, who continue to support our charity and enable us to continue to offer the valuable services that we do.

What have we been doing throughout lockdown?

We have continued to engage with children and families who access the Early Years rooms. Home Learning Packs and Loose Parts play packs were delivered to children at home by the Early Years Team. We also worked in partnership with the Local Children’s Hub at Pinkie St Peters Primary School and the Musselburgh Community Resillance Hub to provide Home Learning packs and Loose Parts Play Packs to the wider community.
We set up a closed Facebook group for parents so that they and their children could keep in contact with each other throughout lockdown. This was also a good forum for staff to maintain relationships and offer learning opportunities for the children.
The early year’s staff in partnership with Dr Claire Warden (Educational Consultant) took part in the virtual Nature School. This allowed our children to virtually interact with their peers in small groups. The daily sessions offered children, parents and staff the opportunity to create ideas and inspiration to explore nature with curiosity and joy.
Outreach support and 1:1 counselling sessions have continued to be offered remotely to vulnerable families.
Groups have continued to be offered remotely and face-to-face when this has been allowed. This has included: Baby massage, Bookbug, outdoor singing sessions and buggy walks.
We were successful in being awarded funding through The Scottish Government ‘Wellbeing fund’ and used some of this to deliver self-care packs to parents, house hold consumables, Food Parcels and Face Masks.
Our Online Bookbug and Story Telling sessions ran by Michelle were a huge resource for parents and children. Both sessions having 9,862 views during the months of March to August.

What our parents have been saying about our Covid Response

'We had a really nice mix of emails, use of Facebook and home visits'

'The home visits in particularly were lovely, and particularly beneficial for my child'

'I had a phone call every day from First Step, honestly can't thank you all enough for getting me and my family
through lockdown'

'My child was very excited to see his nursery teachers when dropping off boxes and was also happy to look through the Facebook page to see what everybody had been up to. He was also very happy to take part in the virtual learning/Zoom classroom and the First Step Zoom call'

'I think a real strength of First Step is communication in partnership with parents. It was gratefully appreciated, thank you'

'Well done all at First Step for the time and the effort put into making a hard time for children and families more enjoyable'

What to do if you or someone you know experiences symptoms?

If you develop any of the symptoms below or have been contacted by trace and protect you must self-isolate and book a test as soon as possible by contacting NHS on 0800 028 2816 or www.nhsinform.scot

The symptoms of COVID-19 are:

• A new continuous cough

• A high temperature (37.8C or higher)

• Loss of taste or smell

Test and Protect, Scotland’s approach to implementing the 'test, trace, isolate, support strategy', is a public health measure designed to break chains of transmission of
COVID-19 in the community.

You must self-isolate at home for 10 days if you have symptoms of COVID-19 or you have tested positive for it. If you live with someone who has symptoms or has tested positive, or if you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive, you must self-isolate at home for 14 days.

For more information please visit:

https://www.scot.nhs.uk/coronavirus-covid-19/

https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/

Please download the NHS Test and Protect App if you have not done so already: https://protect.scot/